I'm sorry I missed the first one, and I'm glad I missed the last one!

laytonian said:

LILpoundCAKE said:

Farfunknugin said:

TrivialPursuit said: As long as he gives you credit for it that’s all good. Something about the guy annoys me and it’s not jealousy, he just strikes me as a little corny [Edited 6/7/23 12:13pm]

well someone can be corny and annoying (to some) and still be a nice person

I have no issues with him.

I would like to be "getting high" right now but I'm applying for jobs and do not want to fail a "drug test"

lustmealways said:

I would like to be "getting high" right now but I'm applying for jobs and do not want to fail a "drug test"

the last time i "toked" i was listening to the 1984 birthday show noon rendezvous and was like "this is the most beautiful transcendent thing i have ever listened to ever"

lustmealways said:

lustmealways said:

I would like to be "getting high" right now but I'm applying for jobs and do not want to fail a "drug test"

the last time i "toked" i was listening to the 1984 birthday show noon rendezvous and was like "this is the most beautiful transcendent thing i have ever listened to ever"

well that's because it is, even without any kind of drug

I did GA Admission. So many things wrong.

First things first...There are only a few people (on one hand) on my TLs that said it was a success. Yea there were some good moments, which I'll explain later, but overall it was most certainly not worth the price

The Good

- My track saw the Act II Wembley show (9/7/93). Other track (or VIP, not sure) saw Yokohama 86. Would have preferred to see it one sitting instead of splitting between two days.

- New Artist showcase. A four-sibling group called Nunn Above (local acts) were amazing. Did their own songs and covered "SAIMH" (3EG version sounded like) where the guitarist took OFF. The Next Power Generation was definitely alive.

- It wasn't whitewashed. Black panels/acts

- From VIP only which I didnt do, but from friends who told me. The following songs were in the listening session:

----The Rain In you (full song is 18min instrumental)

----Everything Can (or could?) Be So Fine with Cat and Sheila singing back vox. Was meant for Graffiti Bridge

----Dont Play With Love from 85. Prince signing and John Nelson playing piano

----All The Kings Men done in 02

----I Believe I Love you (also for GB)

----Della Blackheart from 06 (Michael B solo was amazing). Seemed to be the hit for most VIPs

----The Rock That Keeps on Rolling from Lovesexy period

----Soft and Wet acoustic

----You're Such a Tease from 06

----7 in E Flat with a bass solo from 92. Someone said it sounded like 2 Whom It May Concern

----All Are Shared Together Now from 06

(the last two were given to all attendees in a USB stick designed like a cassette tape_

The Bad

- Was conversing with a guy who came with his gf from the South or somewhere and he brought up how he and his gf couldnt enjoy the panels/concerts with their friends who came from all over because it was literally two of every event: Two panels each, two concerts each, two footage viewing each. The only thing that was together were the DJ parties. Chaka was trying to remember what she said in the first panel but she forgot. Two of everything was horrible.

- 18 hours at PP over the course of two days and it was barely Prince-related. There was a section called "Museum Experience" where you could supposedly roam between 11-5pm, but folks in other tracks said it was really just the atrium space. Opted to skip it

- Speaking of 18 hours, the food selection was bad. Impossible burger, tator tots, mac and cheese, smoothies with bottled juice no fruits and it was sweet, red velvet cake and turtle cheesecake (Prince's fav). That was the extent of the lunch menu for GA. VIP had better food but it wasnt worth double the cost they were paying. Couldnt really leave PP to get food either cause no restaurants are within walking distance and its so far out for Uber/Lyft. We ate breakfast before coming to PP and brought snacks and empty water bottles to refill. Food for GA was nowhere near accomodating of people with health concerns. One of the VIP lunch was chard/collard greens, blackened salmon, salad, shrimp cocktail, red beans and rice, cake.

- Just like last year, the moderators were so so bad. Legends in the building and they dont know enough of the interview to ask follow up questions. Chaka's moderator was someone from the Rock HOF who read every question off paper and only asked few Prince related questions, but mostly Chaka's career. Barely touched on the 25 anniv of Come 2 My House (other than saying it was poems that Prince produced tracks to). The Hip Hop panel (Doug E, Chuck D, Tony M) was moderated by Londell (why? i have no idea...and his phone where he was reading his questions died in the middle of the panel). The other track had Rashida moderating. TC Ellis shouldve been on the panel, IMO (first label rapper).

- Londell was everywhere with his phone recording everything for whatever IG live. He would go to the front of the stage or come up on stage behind performers and walk up an down the stage recording...as if he hadnt hired Kevin Mazur or several pros recording video. It'sl like he wanted to be in every shot. And because everyone had to lock their phones in bags, im sure it rubbed off.

- Security (just like last year) were damn near abusive, and giving us conflicting instructions and yelling to everyone even elderly people in their 70s.

- Donny English who has been to every celebration since the beginning said it was the 2nd worst celebration he has ever been to. A whole year to plan and not announcing anything and charging 600/1200 basically for GA VIP with basically two months for folks to plan things or save up/book etc and the price point did not reflect anything positive and it was barely about Prince (he posted a thread on twitter about his experiences)

That is a lot for now...but when I remember I will post.

[Edited 6/14/23 17:06pm]

Reembered a few more things.

- Chuck D telling hilarious story of coming to work with Prince at PP for the first time and Prince was having a equipment garage sale infront of PP and walking around negotiating prices like a normal person. Chuck also said SOTT was def a big help in inspiring Fear of...and Fight the Power albums

- My track with the 7 Panel (which didnt even delve into what 7 was about) Levi told a beautiful story of P and Andre kinda mending their relationship At the time Andre and P were still not talking. Andre came to Sunset Sound and asked Levi if he could ask P (who was in another room) to write a song for his album cause his label wanted a hit song (or Andre wanted a hit song I dont remember). Levi was like "well why cant you ask him?" and Andre said he was still not on speaking terms with Prince and was also nervous to ask him. So Levi went to one of the rooms to ask Prince, and Prince was like what is he doing here? and Levi said he wanted to ask a favor and write a song for him because his label (or Andre) wanted a hit song. and Prince asked Levi what he thinks he should do? and Levi told Prince "Well you are always talking about Love 4 One Another soooo...". Prince said OK and Levi went to tell Andre who was outside the door and Andre was very happy and relieved to hear that. Andre walked in and then they kinda got back on speaking terms.

Later that night Prince started and finished Dance Electric.

Other track of VIP of the same 7 Panel (friend told me). Levi said that he used to book keep for NPG (or he had access to bookkeeping records, i forget) and he saw that Tommy B one time got half of what everyone was getting and Levi went to Prince to make sure if this was how much Tommy was supposed to be getting. And Prince said yes. Levi asked why and I dont remember if Levi said Prince showed him a video of Tommy performing on stage or telling him without the video, but he pretty much said the reason he got half was because Tommy was playing keyboards with one hand and the other hand was always adjusting/playing with his hair. Safe to say Tommy started playing with both hands from then on.

Another funny thing...during D-Nice DJ set (with Doug E hyping the entire night). D-Nice kept on talking about "im gonna take it way back...this is a DEEP DEEP cut...hope yall are ready!!" And he plays Dirty Mind ...he says basically the same thing again and goes "yall not ready for this deep cut!" and then he plays 17 Days....we were just

[Edited 6/14/23 17:09pm]

So, Levi was around in 1983?

nayroo2002 said:

So, Levi was around in 1983?

Now that you mention it...Prince Vault track says late 84.

[Edited 6/15/23 13:07pm]

So, Levi was around in late 1984?

nayroo2002 said:

So, Levi was around in late 1984?

If PV is correct, and they usually are....he must have been thinking about something else.

[Edited 6/15/23 14:04pm]

nayroo2002 said:

AZStreet said:

I did GA Admission. So many things wrong.

First things first...There are only a few people (on one hand) on my TLs that said it was a success. Yea there were some good moments, which I'll explain later, but overall it was most certainly not worth the price

The Good

- My track saw the Act II Wembley show (9/7/93). Other track (or VIP, not sure) saw Yokohama 86. Would have preferred to see it one sitting instead of splitting between two days.

- New Artist showcase. A four-sibling group called Nunn Above (local acts) were amazing. Did their own songs and covered "SAIMH" (3EG version sounded like) where the guitarist took OFF. The Next Power Generation was definitely alive.

- It wasn't whitewashed. Black panels/acts

- From VIP only which I didnt do, but from friends who told me. The following songs were in the listening session:

----The Rain In you (full song is 18min instrumental)

----Everything Can (or could?) Be So Fine with Cat and Sheila singing back vox. Was meant for Graffiti Bridge

----Dont Play With Love from 85. Prince signing and John Nelson playing piano

----All The Kings Men done in 02

----I Believe I Love you (also for GB)

----Della Blackheart from 06 (Michael B solo was amazing). Seemed to be the hit for most VIPs

----The Rock That Keeps on Rolling from Lovesexy period

----Soft and Wet acoustic

----You're Such a Tease from 06

----7 in E Flat with a bass solo from 92. Someone said it sounded like 2 Whom It May Concern

----All Are Shared Together Now from 06

(the last two were given to all attendees in a USB stick designed like a cassette tape_

The Bad

- Was conversing with a guy who came with his gf from the South or somewhere and he brought up how he and his gf couldnt enjoy the panels/concerts with their friends who came from all over because it was literally two of every event: Two panels each, two concerts each, two footage viewing each. The only thing that was together were the DJ parties. Chaka was trying to remember what she said in the first panel but she forgot. Two of everything was horrible.

- 18 hours at PP over the course of two days and it was barely Prince-related. There was a section called "Museum Experience" where you could supposedly roam between 11-5pm, but folks in other tracks said it was really just the atrium space. Opted to skip it

- Speaking of 18 hours, the food selection was bad. Impossible burger, tator tots, mac and cheese, smoothies with bottled juice no fruits and it was sweet, red velvet cake and turtle cheesecake (Prince's fav). That was the extent of the lunch menu for GA. VIP had better food but it wasnt worth double the cost they were paying. Couldnt really leave PP to get food either cause no restaurants are within walking distance and its so far out for Uber/Lyft. We ate breakfast before coming to PP and brought snacks and empty water bottles to refill. Food for GA was nowhere near accomodating of people with health concerns. One of the VIP lunch was chard/collard greens, blackened salmon, salad, shrimp cocktail, red beans and rice, cake.

- Just like last year, the moderators were so so bad. Legends in the building and they dont know enough of the interview to ask follow up questions. Chaka's moderator was someone from the Rock HOF who read every question off paper and only asked few Prince related questions, but mostly Chaka's career. Barely touched on the 25 anniv of Come 2 My House (other than saying it was poems that Prince produced tracks to). The Hip Hop panel (Doug E, Chuck D, Tony M) was moderated by Londell (why? i have no idea...and his phone where he was reading his questions died in the middle of the panel). The other track had Rashida moderating. TC Ellis shouldve been on the panel, IMO (first label rapper).

- Londell was everywhere with his phone recording everything for whatever IG live. He would go to the front of the stage or come up on stage behind performers and walk up an down the stage recording...as if he hadnt hired Kevin Mazur or several pros recording video. It'sl like he wanted to be in every shot. And because everyone had to lock their phones in bags, im sure it rubbed off.

- Security (just like last year) were damn near abusive, and giving us conflicting instructions and yelling to everyone even elderly people in their 70s.

- Donny English who has been to every celebration since the beginning said it was the 2nd worst celebration he has ever been to. A whole year to plan and not announcing anything and charging 600/1200 basically for GA VIP with basically two months for folks to plan things or save up/book etc and the price point did not reflect anything positive and it was barely about Prince (he posted a thread on twitter about his experiences)

That is a lot for now...but when I remember I will post.

[Edited 6/14/23 17:06pm]

Except for last year, they have done 2 tracks since 2017. It allows them to have more people attend. Both VIP and GA tracks saw the Act II show. VIP also got to see the first 45 minutes of the Yokahama Parade show on Thursday. All of GA had their Museum Experience on Sunday. You could go around to other areas besides the atrium.

nayroo2002 said:

So, Levi was around in late 1984?

I thought about that, too. But he and Sheila know each other from being from the Bay Area. They actually both worked on Rosie's first album in 1985. Levi and Rosie played with Curtis Ohlson's band.

He joined her band in 1985, officially, when another member left. He was part of some jam sessions with Prince which were The Flesh. So, since he was Sheila's friend, he was certainly in that orbit. It makes sense. Although we tend to think of him closer to 1986/7 at first.

Londell also said recently that this year PP will not be in the red because of celebration. With the reviews, Im not sure how that is possible. Especially since nothing was announced until 2 months before.

AZStreet said:

TrivialPursuit said:

nayroo2002 said:

So, Levi was around in late 1984?

I thought about that, too. But he and Sheila know each other from being from the Bay Area. They actually both worked on Rosie's first album in 1985. Levi and Rosie played with Curtis Ohlson's band.

He joined her band in 1985, officially, when another member left. He was part of some jam sessions with Prince which were The Flesh. So, since he was Sheila's friend, he was certainly in that orbit. It makes sense. Although we tend to think of him closer to 1986/7 at first.

Thanks, guys!

One person who was ridiculously positive about this Celebration, is now on Twitter posting a bunch of examples from Celebrations organized by Prince that were "imperfect", and therefor we shouldn't criticize this year's I guess. Funny, I wonder how she got those "negative" comments... Could it be they were from people who complained back in those days -- i.e. doing the thing she says you shouldn't do this year?

.

bizzie said:

One person who was ridiculously positive about this Celebration, is now on Twitter posting a bunch of examples from Celebrations organized by Prince that were "imperfect", and therefor we shouldn't criticize this year's I guess. Funny, I wonder how she got those "negative" comments... Could it be they were from people who complained back in those days -- i.e. doing the thing she says you shouldn't do this year?

.

Is this person a well known P fam? I feel the positive comments are from those trying to not burn a bridge with PP and get deeper in the "circle"