from bumpsquad:
The interview does confirm that Prince will perform at the R&R Hall
of Fame Show March 15th, 2004 even though the award is meaningless.
he adds "I feel sorry for whoever has to follow me."

Date: Thu Dec 18, 2003 0:52pm
Subject: Hawaii interview

Prince opens door to unarmed chat

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
http://the.honoluluadvert...il02a.html

The artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince
opened up — sort of — to select members of the Honolulu media
yesterday afternoon at Blaisdell Arena.

The artist once again known as Prince said in a quick interview that
he most enjoys his yearly visits to his Maui home because he likes
the people and 'nobody's frontin' in Hawai'i.
Advertiser library photo

The occasion for the one-on-one interviews, scheduled only hours
earlier? Boosting apparently sluggish ticket sales to the musician's
concerts tonight at the Blaisdell Arena and Friday at the Maui Arts &
Cultural Center.

But while Prince may have wanted some fast press, he wasn't about to
avoid calling the shots. And so, denied permission to document our
meeting with video, tape recorder, or even a paper and pen, The
Advertiser arrived empty-handed for a 15-minute sit-down with Prince
in his dressing room before an early evening rehearsal.

"Who's the first patient?" the musician asked, switching glances
between two invited journalists. I motioned the competition to sit
for his one-on-one first.

Prince had casually strolled into a backstage crew room seconds
earlier. Diminutive and wispy thin, the artist still managed to look
comfortably stylish in a tan silk shirt with thin colored stripes and
tan slacks. His open shirt, unbuttoned past his chest, revealed some
serious chest hair and a thick gold medallion the size of a drink
coaster.

Prince shook our hands and seemed eager to start chatting. Though
sporting only a touch of makeup, he looked in person at least a
decade younger than his 45 years.

Fifteen minutes later, in Prince's dressing room, a photographer
moved around the artist, his New Power Generation drummer and me like
a hawk circling prey. As the photographer snapped away, Prince
settled comfortably on a couch across from me and talked about his
Maui home.

He said he had visited the residence once a year for the last four
years, "always around the same time." He confessed that he most
enjoyed his annual visits because he liked the people and "because
nobody's frontin' " in Hawai'i.

Fond of occasionally dropping unannounced into Maui nightclubs to
catch — and sometimes sit in with — local musicians, Prince even
remembered being moved enough to surprise O'ahu reggae band Natural
Vibrations with an on-stage guitar instrumental at Kihei's Bada Bing!
in December 2001.



Longish tendrils of dark hair framing his forehead danced as he
chuckled at his comment.

The testiest moment of our chat came when I quizzed him about his
recent decision to do "hit-loaded" live shows after years of
virtually ignoring audience favorites on stage. This was also when I
found out that Prince does indeed read his own press.

"I'm not doing it because I need the cash," Prince said sternly,
after commenting on news stories (including one I'd written for The
Advertiser's TGIF section last Friday) that suggested the artist was
looking to feather his retirement nest egg with the guaranteed cash
of a "greatest hits" tour.

He pointed out that he already had more money in his bank account
than he needed, thanks to ownership of the publishing rights for his
vast hits catalog and new music created outside of his famously
strained relationship with former record label Warner Bros.

Recent hit-heavy shows, he said, were practice runs designed to
prepare his New Power Generation band for larger American and
international tours planned for the near future. The shows were
purposely scheduled in Hong Kong, Australia and Hawai'i to keep
them "far away from the press and the cameras," Prince explained.

But he still hadn't explained why he wanted to dive deeply into his
hits catalog in a live setting after so many years. So I asked
him ... again.

"You've asked me that in three different ways," Prince said
testily. "Why do you think I'm playing the songs?"

I answered that I didn't know.

"You know why," he insisted.

I assured him I didn't, and asked him to explain. He was visibly
uncomfortable, searching for an answer; it was best to move on. I
chose a query about music he was currently grooving to.

His brown eyes widening with very real pride, he mentioned musical
projects that members of New Power Generation were working on.

After copping to a fondness for the track "Powerless" from Nelly
Furtado's recently released CD "Folklore," Prince shook my hand and I
exited the room.

Later, as I was being denied permission to watch his rehearsal and to
commit my mental notes to paper within Blaisdell Arena, I noticed
Prince alone by the freight entrance, dancing to blasts of live funk
drifting from NPG's dressing room. His lithe frame swayed gently to
the beat. His designer shoes tapped loudly on the Blaisdell's
concrete floor.

As I exited, a Blaisdell security guard informed me, "You're lucky,
man. I haven't seen anybody talk with him alone like that yet. Was he
cool?"

Well, he wasn't frontin'.

Reach Derek Paiva at ***... or 525-800...

meaningless? I think not.

that's the Prince I love!

rdhull said:

Still lost up his own arse, then.

jn2 said:

co-sign.

Should be an interesting 2004.

Prince commented that while the nomination was
something of an honor, such awards were "not important to me"

"I don't wanna be a poet..."

I hope he doesn't try too hard and then screw up. When he played LA on the Purple Rain tour, he felt he had something to prove and then he messed up lyrics about three times during the show...I have the tape. He should just go out there and have fun and not try to prove how great he is.

Deja vu

violator said:

He retracted that in '86 saying it was easy for him to write that verse on DMSR cause he wasn't up for any awards back then.

Prince used to love recognition.He's very proud of his Oscar anyway, it used to have a 'Do Not Touch!' sign in front of it.

Listen...prince wrote he doesnt care about awards because he came from the sentiment that he wrote things that were true to his feelings and not exactly looking for acceptance from the majority of the population...he was not actively writing for total mass consumption/acceptance...or at least he would not let those factors hinder his vision and for the most part he stayed right on track
[This message was edited Sat Dec 20 18:14:22 PST 2003 by rdhull]

rdhull said:

broken keyboard?..

Why? Cause P and Larry will perform "the Christ" and everyone will bail! bawhawhawhaw. the next performer will be playing to an "empty room." Oh man, Prince talkin smack again, gotta love it!! I hope he starts talking trash like he will have a bunch of top ten hits and "go platinum! platinum!! platinum!!!"

It would be great if P came out in the purple cape and it the middle of the performance threw it off and had the naked ass "gett off" pants on! Broke into some "dirty music" and fired Larry!!! Platinum! Platinum!! Platinum!!! The king of controversy will be back!!

realm said:

Oh! To dream.

realm said:

May I enquire as to whom your dealer may be? Address? Phone number?

Number23 said:

Well, would you rather see that?? or see him and Larry playing "the Christ" Prince will be going "Platinum" again soon!! You just see!

realm said:

You have a ferocious obsession with the word 'platinum'.

realm said:

i like ur thinkin'

Prince has always kicked everyone's ass at any award show that he played. No one has topped the 85 Grammies and AMA shows yet!

aw, an egotistical comment from Prince, haven't had one of those in awhile

Supernova said:

quit usin my name in vain!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Cloudbuster said:

---
No, he kicks ass live. I think he is just being honest. He his going to come on the show and rock.