Hello, it has been pointed out here that Prince set his life up so that he could work around the clock if he wanted to (and from what I hear, he usually did).

My question to you is this: did Prince do this consciously do you think? I mean back in 1978 do you think he was thinking "Man one day I'm going to have my own studio, so I don't have to PAY for studio time" = Evolved into = "Man, making that movie was great. I'm going to have a sound stage so I can do what I want creatively" = and then that all came together with Paisley Park? What do you think? Or how do YOU think it went down is what I'm interested in !!!! - Thank you as always.

He probably thought "Wow, it sure would be cool if the Warehouse and Sunset Sounds and my wardrobe department was all in one place"

So not really setting up his life so he could work around the clock but putting everything in one central location where he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted with minimal travel.

Strive said:

He probably thought "Wow, it sure would be cool if the Warehouse and Sunset Sounds and my wardrobe department was all in one place"

So not really setting up his life so he could work around the clock but putting everything in one central location where he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted with minimal travel.

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Except PP had limitations when it was run as a business because some of the studios were in use by "outside" artists (and this frustrated Prince).

TrevorAyer said:

prince success wasn’t magical .. he put the work in non stop cuz he was willin ... willin to do the work

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Van Halen sold millions of records and back in the 1980s they barely spent time in recording studios.

BartVanHemelen said:

BartVanHemelen said:

TrevorAyer said:

prince success wasn’t magical .. he put the work in non stop cuz he was willin ... willin to do the work

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Van Halen sold millions of records and back in the 1980s they barely spent time in recording studios.

[Snip - luv4u]

I think work was his social life for a while partly because he couldn't turn off the creativity in his head. It created human interaction or an excuse to be reclusive (both) at a time when fame hit hardest, and when he was at his most difficult to be around.
He even had first dates in the studio.

The other thing is he was pretty taken with the idea of old Hollywood around the time of Cherry Moon, but the constraints of working with other people's equipment must have seemed like something worth getting freedom from. By Grafiti Bridge he's trying to do everything in a sound stage, and he's go on call staff sewing him pajamas or showing up at midnight to film videos because the idea was there. I don't think it was always good for his creatiity but it's one way to never feel alone.

was Paisley Park too much of a burden?

rdhull said:

BartVanHemelen said:

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Van Halen sold millions of records and back in the 1980s they barely spent time in recording studios.

[Snip - luv4u]

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In what way is me POINTING OUT A FACT "deriding Prince"?

BartVanHemelen said:

Great postings!

BartVanHemelen said:

I personally think Paisley Park and all it entailed was both a blessing and a curse. When you have everything at your fingertips and are surrounded by "yes" people, your creativity may suffer. Do you notice that early in musicians careers when they are struggling, sometimes they produce great music anyway? (Probably tied to another factor, they are young then, and your physical body can take it at that time...)

Prince was a good example of an introvert/extrovert. Wanted all the attention on stage, wanted it mostly kept on the down low in his private life. (some say the Gemini thing)

So yeah, he could work around the clock, but I think this type of insular lifestyle gave him non realistic views of others, and probably helped to enable the house of cards that ultimately took his life. In my opinion, so many things are not an either/or, but a blend of both!

rdhull said:

was Paisley Park too much of a burden?

On the famed New Years Eve 87 boot where Miles Davis is a guest star, Prince states at the beginning the ups and downs fiscally of the Park/Label. Seems like even THEN it was something to be reckoned with. I wonder how many tours and albums as one offs were completed just to keep that place running. And what his music and such would have been like sans having the Park as something that needed continual attention to keep it afloat.

There is something to be said (yeah? what?) about travelling to other studios and the ambiance of the city that studio is in, making do with what's available and not. Having everything there at your whim, like PP, did it influence the music? Anyone ever work from home for a spell? Theres a difference in your work practive when you have all day, in your own home, draws, hair uncombed etc.

Was PP an albatross around his neck or was it a blessing? both?

Both. Paisley is his legacy but it was one of the many things that was killing him finanically.

It isn't shocking that near the end Paisley was running on a skeleton crew and was mainly a mish-mash of outdated things he hoarded over the years.

If he had more humility, he would have gotten out from under it and moved back to a home studio set-up. But it seems like he cared deeply about putting together a monument to himself. Same with creating music videos that nobody ever got to see. lol

During the 3rdEye era, when he was reportedly living at Paisley, it seemed like he was constantly working and threw himself into it with everything he had. Living in the same building as his studio didn't seem to effect him.

[Edited 2/17/20 9:45am]

Strive said:

rdhull said:

was Paisley Park too much of a burden?

On the famed New Years Eve 87 boot where Miles Davis is a guest star, Prince states at the beginning the ups and downs fiscally of the Park/Label. Seems like even THEN it was something to be reckoned with. I wonder how many tours and albums as one offs were completed just to keep that place running. And what his music and such would have been like sans having the Park as something that needed continual attention to keep it afloat.

There is something to be said (yeah? what?) about travelling to other studios and the ambiance of the city that studio is in, making do with what's available and not. Having everything there at your whim, like PP, did it influence the music? Anyone ever work from home for a spell? Theres a difference in your work practive when you have all day, in your own home, draws, hair uncombed etc.

Was PP an albatross around his neck or was it a blessing? both?

Both. Paisley is his legacy but it was one of the many things that was killing him finanically.

It isn't shocking that near the end Paisley was running on a skeleton crew and was mainly a mish-mash of outdated things he hoarded over the years.

If he had more humility, he would have gotten out from under it and moved back to a home studio set-up. But it seems like he cared deeply about putting together a monument to himself. Same with creating music videos that nobody ever got to see. lol

During the 3rdEye era, when he was reportedly living at Paisley, it seemed like he was constantly working and threw himself into it with everything he had. Living in the same building as his studio didn't seem to effect him.

[Edited 2/17/20 9:45am]

and the quality of the music? did PP have an effect?

rdhull said:

and the quality of the music? did PP have an effect?

I don't think so.

Arguably the most proflic day he ever had was November 19, 2004 where he recorded the basic tracks for 3121, Colonized Mind, From The Lotus, Back 2 The Lotus, Love Like Jazz, Wall Of Berlin, Planet Earth, Guitar, Shameless and three other songs in a single session.

The people surrounding him seemed to matter more than the location.

(All in my opinion, of course...)

I'd say "of course"

From a young age he seemed to have made up his mind that all he wanted to do was play music and dress how he wanted to. Once he came into some seriouis cash he seemed to really exert his implulse of having complete control over just about everything he did as well. PP allowed for pretty much all that. He was notorious for keeping odd hours and impulsively working on stuff, often expecting his band and his staff to be available at a moment's notice to suit his whims.

I think that's exactly what he did. He was the Willy Wonka of music and he stayed in Minnesota and carved out his own private chocolate factory for a reason.