https://permutedpress.com...-of-prince

.

The real Prince in the words of those who knew him best—from award-winning author Touré.

.

Nothing Compares 2 U is an oral history built from years of interviews with dozens of people who were in Prince’s inner circle—from childhood friends to band members to girlfriends to managers to engineers to photographers, and more—all providing unique insights into the man and the musician.

.

This revelatory book is a deeply personal and candid discussion of who Prince really was emotionally, professionally, and romantically. It tackles subjects never-before-discussed, including Prince’s multiple personalities, his romantic relationships, his traumatic childhood and how it propelled him into his music career, and how he found the inspiration for some of his most important songs, including “Purple Rain,” “Starfish and Coffee,” and the unheard “Wally.”

.

Nothing Compares 2 U paints the most complete picture yet written of the most important and most mysterious artist of his time.

.

We might as well have a thread to discuss this book.

** MODERATORS NOTE **


https://prince.org/mgs/5/467514

INGRID SPEAKS!

Review by The Current / NPR: https://www.thecurrent.or...ook-review

I guess I'll read that Touré book sooner or later, but honestly, what can we expect from more of these biography books, no matter the angle? What can we learn except the occasional new anecdote? What's the point in yet another bio?

.

What would make sense is Touré and these Prince books authors collaborating with Duane to apply his methodology and cover those eras Duane won't be able to cover (or possibly even interested in covering) in his lifetime (at a pace of a book covering 2 years every 2/3 years, it'd take at least 50 years for Duane to cover Prince's entire recording career, so it simply won't happen).

.

Here we have someone who came-up with a remarkable, scientific approach to document Prince's life and body of work, and we get books debating whether Prince was good at foreplay (sigh). No dis to Touré or any other author, everyone's work is respectable of course, just expressing a frustration in general about the fact that Duane appears to be the one and only person on Earth to be willing and able to do what he does, which is depressing for an artist of Prince's importance.

databank said:

I guess I'll read that Touré book sooner or later, but honestly, what can we expect from more of these biography books, no matter the angle? What can we learn except the occasional new anecdote? What's the point in yet another bio?

.

What would make sense is Touré and these Prince books authors collaborating with Duane to apply his methodology and cover those eras Duane won't be able to cover (or possibly even interested in covering) in his lifetime (at a pace of a book covering 2 years every 2/3 years, it'd take at least 50 years for Duane to cover Prince's entire recording career, so it simply won't happen).

.

Here we have someone who came-up with a remarkable, scientific approach to document Prince's life and body of work, and we get books debating whether Prince was good at foreplay (sigh). No dis to Touré or any other author, everyone's work is respectable of course, just expressing a frustration in general about the fact that Duane appears to be the one and only person on Earth to be willing and able to do what he does, which is depressing for an artist of Prince's importance.

Co-sign.

I want to read more books that take deep dives into Prince's writing and recording process. I want to learn more about the effort that went into his art. I have zero interest in reading gossipy biographies about Prince's romantic life, his family, his religous and political views, etc.

Touré seems to be much more intested in the soul/emotional parts of who Prince is and what made him...

.

I mean I am too, I think a lot of people are, but I do prefer stuff that goes more into the music/performances/instruments/production/videos/movies/style etc

I know the 'intimate' stuff is a part of the music creation journey too.

But that is where he seems to be

.

That's something I wished Sheila E and Morris Day would have gotten into.
Maybe at the time, their state of being needed to push that stuff out of the way.

.

That Sheila E takes a more intimate/protective stance with the music(especially unreleased) I can see her not talking about it. Outside of the recording of Erotic City. She dabble into a few things like the designing of the outfits for the band and maybe something working with Karen or Peggy with regard to the further development of a song in the studio process. I wanted more of that stuff.

databank said:

What would make sense is Touré and these Prince books authors collaborating with Duane to apply his methodology and cover those eras Duane won't be able to cover

.

That's like expecting a butcher to offer car insurance. Sorry, but these authors have completely different goals.

.

And honestly, I expect two more books from Tudahl: 1987-1989 (which he is planning next) and 1978-1982 (perhaps that will be two books?). I suspect the documentation from Paisley Park will be largely non-existing, and the pre-Sunset era will also be vague (home studio). Perhaps there is more documentation @ PP, but considering the NDA situation I don't think they'll allow researchers access.

.

If you want those later eras documented: start compiling sources and turn it into a collaborative effort on something like Github. But honestly: don't get your hopes up. Most Prince fans merely consume, and even then they expect to be spoonfed and find it too much effort to click on a link or Google something.

OldFriends4Sale said:

That's something I wished Sheila E and Morris Day would have gotten into.

.

LOL. Sheila won't even explain the lyrics of Love Bizarre. Claims they are too personal.

BartVanHemelen said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

That's something I wished Sheila E and Morris Day would have gotten into.

.

LOL. Sheila won't even explain the lyrics of Love Bizarre. Claims they are too personal.

yeah that stuff pisses me off

I love Cat, but she gave a response similar about the Black album. I respect it for the moment she said it, but I hope I/someone can get her to talk more about the Black Album era that was in the happening.

This is 'Purple History'

Thank you, no.

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

What would make sense is Touré and these Prince books authors collaborating with Duane to apply his methodology and cover those eras Duane won't be able to cover

.

That's like expecting a butcher to offer car insurance. Sorry, but these authors have completely different goals.

.

And honestly, I expect two more books from Tudahl: 1987-1989 (which he is planning next) and 1978-1982 (perhaps that will be two books?). I suspect the documentation from Paisley Park will be largely non-existing, and the pre-Sunset era will also be vague (home studio). Perhaps there is more documentation @ PP, but considering the NDA situation I don't think they'll allow researchers access.

.

If you want those later eras documented: start compiling sources and turn it into a collaborative effort on something like Github. But honestly: don't get your hopes up. Most Prince fans merely consume, and even then they expect to be spoonfed and find it too much effort to click on a link or Google something.

They may have different goals, you're right, but you'd think a few of them would see the point in...

.

About the logs, while it's true that they were decidive for the Sunset Sound era, even without logs (whether they exist at IM or not, or these other studios Prince used here and there throughout his life), a lot can still be gathered from interviewing engineers and musicians, particularly since a certain number of them kept their own logs. Even if recording dates cannot all be as specific, there is still a shitload of data to unearth (as any of us who ever had a private conversation with any Prince collaborator and learned studio facts that aren't public knowledge knows).

.

As for "if you want it done, do it yourself", TBH I'd love to try and attempt such a project, and I kind of got the right professional background for that, too, but I'd have to have nothing else to do for several years and many more connections and creds than I do now. Unfortunately, I don't see this happening in the near future, and by the time I'm retired, I may wish to do other things with the few years I got left. I'll already be happy if I can ever complete my current online discography project (I've only been at it for 12 years ).

.

The collaborative approach is an interesting one, though, but you'd need people who are both dedicated and capable of following a strict methodology and dividing the work intelligently. IDK how that could work. But would any of us have enough time for this anyway?

Hard pass.

TrivialPursuit said:

Hard pass.

.

.

He also has a podcast, who is prince. I listened to it on a recent drive. Some interesting things in there that i hadn't heard before, but also a couple of things i found off (one was in the last chapter, he spoke as if Prince was knowingly taking fentenyl, which the podcast itself contradicts).

He can take his book full of lies, and stick them...well you get the drift.

Hacké.

WhisperingDandelions said:

Hacké.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

Nope. I listened to the last chapter of his podcast and was really turned off by it. I won’t be supporting him, or anyone else who is pushing narratives about Prince. Present the facts and let us make up our own minds. Some of these people have all of these ideas about what was going on with Prince; his state of mind, his inspirations, etc., but the only man who can truly corroborate any of it is gone. So maybe keep your bullshit theories to yourself?

No (few?) real journalism anymore, "evolution" of (social) media means everyone has to steamroll in their "hot takes" over merely presenting facts and anecdotes.

alandail said:

He also has a podcast, who is prince. I listened to it on a recent drive. Some interesting things in there that i hadn't heard before, but also a couple of things i found off (one was in the last chapter, he spoke as if Prince was knowingly taking fentenyl, which the podcast itself contradicts).

YES! That claim is patently false. He'd have been dead long before if he had been taking straight fentanyl. I have to admit I read the first few pages and then skipped to that last chapter.

I think it's sloppy work, frankly. some of the interview snippets seem cribbed from previous interviews. They lack date/context and are just kinda tossed in randomly with his LEADING QUESTIONS (COMMENTS) fit in to make it look like seminar interviews.

Even in the first few pages, he's making Prince sound like a helpless addict and victim of life. Too much armchair psychology by someone who met Prince what...twice?

Prince was, yes, driven. But not by the inferred demons.

Funny.

purplethunder3121 said:

I'm getting the book and I still gotta get Duane's book as well. The two will be doing a podcast conversation on Toure's book on Thursday Sept. 9th.

Why would anyone want to read a book that is so skewed and full of lies?

And the ASSociates are still lying. Toure didn't check the statements, he took them as fact, and that is what I have a problem with.

He took JJ's words and published them as fact. P didn't have a 1000 pills at PP.

These false statements can be easily checked.

Did he interview M1 or M2, those are the 2 he married and probably knew him the best?

Did he interview anyone from 3rd Eye Girl?

The ones he interviewed hadn't seen him for years (but that didn't stop them from asking him for $$) They seen him at V's funeral.

Hell they even lie about a frickin Lemon Cake.

Just so over all the lies and deceit.

And now all because Toure couldn't do his homework, Prince was nothing but a drug addict, at least that's the story he's pushing.

Leave us fans alone, stop pushing all this false BS, and just let us enjoy the music that is coming out.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

Nope. I listened to the last chapter of his podcast and was really turned off by it. I won’t be supporting him, or anyone else who is pushing narratives about Prince. Present the facts and let us make up our own minds. Some of these people have all of these ideas about what was going on with Prince; his state of mind, his inspirations, etc., but the only man who can truly corroborate any of it is gone. So maybe keep your bullshit theories to yourself?

There was some good stuff in the other parts of the podcast.

One part was Randee St. Nicholas talking about Prince getting her to direct Gett Off video, how she didn't think she could do it, that she was a photographer, Prince believed she could and talked her into it. She went on to direct many more music videos, somethign she likely never does without Prince believing in her.

Similar story from Morris Day, who talked about how Prince had to talk him into being lead singer of the Time and helped him learn how to do that.

And other stories of people doing things they didn't think they coiuld do because of Prince.

Just have to filter out the noise, skip the last chapter and probably the one before that as well as the bonus chapter.

There was also a small part that talked about the unreleased 3121 movie, which was apparently filmed without a script. I wonder if that will ever get released.

I'm a bit deeper into it and the stories of him growing up seem valid.

BUT....WHY IN THE AF would anyone still repeat the lie that Duane Nelson was the son of John L. and Vivian Nelson?

Duane was the son of Vivian Nelson and a guy named Joseph Griswold. NO relation to Prince. Vivian probably put John's name on the birth certificate for ulterior motives. It should have been corrected by now. Duane wasn't even an heir when John L died.

laytonian said:

I'm a bit deeper into it and the stories of him growing up seem valid.

BUT....WHY IN THE AF would anyone still repeat the lie that Duane Nelson was the son of John L. and Vivian Nelson?

Duane was the son of Vivian Nelson and a guy named Joseph Griswold. NO relation to Prince. Vivian probably put John's name on the birth certificate for ulterior motives. It should have been corrected by now. Duane wasn't even an heir when John L died.

Are you kidding me?

So much for him thinking he's an expert on Prince.

laytonian said:

I'm a bit deeper into it and the stories of him growing up seem valid.

BUT....WHY IN THE AF would anyone still repeat the lie that Duane Nelson was the son of John L. and Vivian Nelson?

Duane was the son of Vivian Nelson and a guy named Joseph Griswold. NO relation to Prince. Vivian probably put John's name on the birth certificate for ulterior motives. It should have been corrected by now. Duane wasn't even an heir when John L died.

My understanding that Vivian Nelson was not remarried and still carried the Nelson name so that's how Duane got the Nelson last name. Because he was the brother to the Nelson siblings he was still looked upon as a sibling by Prince although it was not blood.

muleFunk said:

laytonian said:

I'm a bit deeper into it and the stories of him growing up seem valid.

BUT....WHY IN THE AF would anyone still repeat the lie that Duane Nelson was the son of John L. and Vivian Nelson?

Duane was the son of Vivian Nelson and a guy named Joseph Griswold. NO relation to Prince. Vivian probably put John's name on the birth certificate for ulterior motives. It should have been corrected by now. Duane wasn't even an heir when John L died.

My understanding that Vivian Nelson was not remarried and still carried the Nelson name so that's how Duane got the Nelson last name. Because he was the brother to the Nelson siblings he was still looked upon as a sibling by Prince although it was not blood.

No.
He was NOT a Nelson. That's not how last names are assigned; in fact, in the 1950s, th father's name would be the surname.

He may have been a half-sibling to the actual children of John and Vivian Nelson -- but he was totally unrelated to Prince.

This is a MEGA-ERROR that should have been caught by a decent editor. Like me LOL

PennyPurple said: