It happens to all of us - we go through times when we love P's music and times when it's "meh".

For me, I got into Prince in 1988 and bought all the new releases on the day of release, etc. However, I didn't buy Emancipation on the day of release. I didn't order Crystal Ball as soon as it advertised as being available. Heck, I didn't even know about Rave Un2 until I saw it in the shops!

I picked up the 5-CD version of CB at a record fair and I was back in the fold; I purchased Rave and The Vault and the latter built upon my enthusiasm for P's music. TRC cemented it - I now buy his albums as soon as I can, etc.

My "meh"/indifference period was approximately 1996 - 2000. I may experience another, but at the moment I seem to be more of a fan than I was in the late 80s/early 90s...

Truly, I love at least something in everything he has done. My fanship has never wane.

Well, i've only been a fan for about 3/4 years

...so I can't really answer this question.

Well don't buy NPS or you'll back out in the cold.
L.G. written all over it...yuck!

My fanship has never waned, although there are times when I wish he did things like other artists do. The name change and all the WB shit got to me after a while. I'm not thrilled with his JW religion either, but to each his own. The man still makes better music than most musicians and I guess I'm in it for the long haul. BTW, don't listen to people about NPS. The cd has a few really great songs on it, so make up your own mind about what music you like and don't like.

With official Prince releases, I find that my fanship is going strong.

With New Power Generation stuff, that's where I start to REALLY lose interest. I mean, the NPG stuff is just AWFUL!

Don't get New Power Soul - you will not like it, you won't play it often, and it will diminish your appreciation of Prince.

Crystal Ball / Rave.

around 96, when he released Emancipation. I quit buying bootlegs around that time too.

I got into Prince in '88 as well and swiftly bought the back catalogue. I was transfixed. Nearly every album released since then has left me pretty much cold.

I think for me, the period I was into Prince the least was between NewPowerSoul and Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, and right after that one. I like those 2 albums while they're on, but they weren't really enough to keep me interested for very long between projects, or give me hope that the next thing would be as good as he could make it. But I think he's definitely back on track now, with The Rainbow Children, One Nite Alone, Xpectation, and NEWS. The only complaint I have right now is that I wish he'd take this wave of inspiration and put it into a new full-length real-life album. These things since The Rainbow Children are nice, and show promise, but they're pretty much just side projects and diversions. I'm sure with the way he's going now, his next one is going to blow us away!

new power soul

Graffiti Bridge. I got into Prince with Lovesexy, bought the back catalogue and waited for the next installment.

I could forgive Batman, because of the film tie-in and the need to mould creativity to fit someone else's vision - a little...and it had Vicki Waiting on there, which is super-tune.

GB has a LOT of sucky material on it, culminating in the awful mess that is the title track. It does have Joy In Repetition...which is a song that could save any album...but this was the album when I first wondered whether all the hype was true.

Right about now is my lowest point.
All the crap he is pulling just now is turning me off the man and his music.
Oh, and N.E.W.S. was shit too.

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