The Japanese Connection, the interactive media tour "and all that".

WTF was that all about???

Apparently there were tentative plans to write an opera or rock opera and some material was written with Henry David Hwang of M Butterfly fame ("Solo" is the only released collaboration). This project evolved into the Glam Slam Ulysses performances which were considered 'interactive' in the sense that the dancers on stage (dancing to Prince's music) reacted to pretaped segments on a screen at the back of the performance stage.

I have no idea what the Japanese Connection reffered to (Hwang is Chinese).

where and when did this term come up? "Japanese Connection"

Sure sounded like bullshit to me. I hated the 3CoG video... really cringeworthy stuff. Some good music bits though.

I think it was in that letter Mayte wrote to Controversy magazine way back when. Is that right, 'szek?

Jestyr said:

I seem to recall as much myself, yes. And it was also
mentioned at he end of the "3ChainsOfGold" video when
Mayte calls Vanesse again and we see Prince signing a
deal with some Asian guys.

And thanks for the info Jestyr, I never knew that the
collaboration with H.D. Hwang went beyond "Solo". It'd
be very interesting to hear some of the other pieces
they worked on together.

In a nostalgic attack, I've watched the 3COG video last weekend. The whole video is very mysterious and - looking back from now - quite ridiculous.
One of my favourite scenes is in Egypt (?) when a few elderly women steadily repeat "Mayte ... Mayte ... Mayte" and you can be sure they never have heard of her in real life.

This "Japanese Connection" stuff remains a complete riddle to me.

It seems as if the the NPG is to be dismissed, Prince signs that deal in Tokyo and then his old image is buried.


I tend to think that it simply does not intend to make sense and is based on some phantasies.

IstenSzek said:

Your welcome! There is a book by Hwang or of Hwang's writings that contains a few more pieces from that collaboration, but I haven't been able to locate a copy. This is all according to UPTOWN magazine.