Prince's crowning achievements
The Purple One - quirks, genius and all - is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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BY GLENN GAMBOA
STAFF WRITER

March 14, 2004


No one understands Prince. The purple, the name changes, the seemingly never-ending parade of exotically named, misguided would-be singers, the ongoing love-hate affair with record labels? It's all so hard to explain.

Nevertheless, Prince is easy to appreciate. He fused pop, rock, soul and funk into something completely new, an irresistible concoction that became known as "The Minneapolis Sound" and ruled the radio in the '80s, and he continues to influence current artists from OutKast to Justin Timberlake. Monday, he becomes one of only a handful of artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the first year of eligibility. And 26 years into his purple reign, the 45-year-old Prince is revving up to surprise his fans and convert nonbelievers again with a new album and a new tour, both launching this month.

A 'genius'

"He is indisputably a genius," says Howard Kramer, associate curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. "He may have his idiosyncracies, but when you see him, you can't help but think, 'Wow! That guy's got it.' He is amazing. ... He wasn't ahead of his time. He is timeless."

When 20- year-old Prince Rogers Nelson released his debut album, "For You," in 1978, his trademarks were already in place. He played all the instruments like a virtuoso on the album. His melodies were intricate but memorable. His lyrics were on the racy side, especially on the R&B hit "Soft and Wet." Though he has since tackled every style of popular music from blues and jazz to hip-hop and gospel, that combination of elements remains intact.

Prince spent the early part of the Reagan '80s gleefully pushing musical boundaries and pushing the buttons of conservatives. Albums such as "Dirty Mind," which included the PG- 13 cover of him wearing only a blazer and bikini briefs, and "Controversy," which mixed political statements such as the title track and "Ronnie, Talk to Russia" with brazen bedtime talk like "Sexuality" and a more vulgar song title that can't be printed here, were well received but didn't prepare the public for what followed.

Scoring big-time

In 1983, with the ambitious double album "1999," Prince not only scored with hits ,including the title track and "Little Red Corvette," he showed he could embrace contemporary sounds, like the fizzy, synth-driven new wave of "Delirious," and fold them into his rock/R&B base. By the time "Purple Rain" became a blockbuster movie and No. 1 soundtrack in 1984, Prince was one of music's biggest stars, with only Michael Jackson and Madonna in his league.

In his book "Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince" (Billboard, 2003), author Alex Hahn details how Prince once asked his keyboardist Matt Fink why Bob Seger was so successful. Fink explained how Seger's anthems appealed to America's heartland, adding, "Write something like that and you'll cross right over."

Prince took the challenge, part of his plan to become a bigger star, without giving up on being an artist. Soon, the anthemic "Purple Rain" was born.

Explicit content

In the end, the "Purple Rain" soundtrack sold 13 million copies in the United States alone, with help from four Top 10 hits, including two No. 1s, "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy." The album made Prince that rare combination of popular and critical favorite. However, its racy lyrics, especially the R- rated antics of his pal Nikki and what she does in a hotel lobby with a magazine, made Prince a political lightning rod. When Tipper Gore, wife of then-Sen. Al Gore, heard the song "Darling Nikki" on her daughter's "Purple Rain" album, she was so upset she formed the Parents Music Resource Center, which eventually led to the "Parental Advisory" stickers on albums with explicit content.

In the aftermath of Janet Jackson's bared breast at the Super Bowl and Madonna's smooches with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards, the outcry over "Darling Nikki" seems quaint. "Purple Rain," however, has grown in stature over the years, with a younger generation of singers turning "Baby, I'm a Star" into a reality-show-tryout standard, hip-hoppers reconstructing the deceptive rhythmic simplicity of "When Doves Cry" and rockers wilding out to the guitar solo on "Let's Go Crazy." In fact, Prince celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Purple Rain" at the Grammys last month by opening the show and performing with Beyoncé.

The reclusive Prince declined to be interviewed for this article. However, Sam Jennings, who handles the singer's New Power Generation Music Club, both online and off, says that Prince was thrilled by the Grammy attention.

"He definitely recognized it as an honor, not as something to help him," Jennings says. "What happened, though, was that a lot of people were really blown away by his performance. A lot of people took notice again of him. The result is that we're doing presales for his tour now, and the interest in him is much higher."

A bid for the mainstream

These days, Prince is clearly in the middle of reasserting himself as a star and a musical force. His March 3 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" reinforced that, as he delivered his hit "Kiss," but also "Nothing Compares 2 U," a hit for Sinead O'Connor, and "I Feel 4 U," a chart-topper for Chaka Khan - a not-so-subtle nod that those songs came from him in addition to his own well- known material. In a way, Prince seems to be taking those songs back, along with "How Come You Don't Call Me?," which Alicia Keys covered on her debut album, "Songs in A Minor." His next step should be reminding people he was behind the songs of The Time, as well as that string of leading ladies (Vanity, Apollonia, Mayte, Jill Jones) who all had hits with his songs even though their talent was questionable.

It is all part of his bid for mainstream interest once again. Though he still shies away from many interviews and public appearances, in the past month, Prince has agreed to a handful of television interviews. He is set to start his first national arena tour in six years later this month, one where he promises to play his classics, such as "When Doves Cry" and "Little Red Corvette" - "older music, but it's going to be played in a newer way," Prince said at a Los Angeles press conference. In past tours, he has ignored his biggest hits or relegated them to medleys where he plays only a minute or so of some songs that are some of the most influential hits of the past two decades. This time around, he seems to be embracing his previous contributions, instead of focusing on the music that currently interested him.

He plans to release a new CD, "Musicology," this month as well, though it's not clear whether it will be through only his own label. Prince is negotiating with several major labels to create a special deal where they would simultaneously market his album. He hasn't released an album with a major label since 1999, when he teamed up with Arista Records for "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic."

It's yet another odd contradiction that Prince is seeking a deal with major labels again, considering how he railed against them in the 1990s, going so far as writing "Slave" on his face during public appearances in protest of his contract with Warner Bros. In order to distance himself from his past, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, which forced people to call him The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, though some shortened that to TAFKAP or The Symbol.

For years, Prince battled over the rights to the master tapes of his songs - which were, as is commonplace in the music industry, owned by the record company because he signed those rights away in his contract. While Prince was alone in his battle at the time, today dozens of artists are fighting the same fight, even lobbying the California legislature to pass a law that would nullify many recording contracts.

His long-running fight with the music industry resulted in a loss of radio and video airplay, as well as concert ticket and CD sales. With the falling sales came more talk about the singer's eccentricities, as well as rumors of tough economic times.

No regrets

Prince doesn't regret his pioneering stand; he has said even though he sells fewer albums through his independent label, New Power Generation Records, that because he gets a larger percentage of the profits, he actually makes more money on most releases.

Jennings declined to give sales figures for Prince's recent releases, adding that the company doesn't even generally use SoundScan, the company that tracks sales for the industry. Most Prince albums, sold through New Power Generation, now usually sell several hundred thousand copies, though not enough to be awarded gold status for 500,000 sales, according to Jennings.

"In different years, he uses different tactics to release CDs and to promote tours - sometimes word of mouth, sometimes big press conferences," Jennings says. "This year, he definitely wants to have a high profile. And when he wants to, he still attracts a lot of attention."

His contemporaries in the music world certainly haven't forgotten him. At the Brit Awards recently, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys and Gwen Stefani teamed up to cover Prince's "Kiss," as a nod to how great The Purple One's influence remains. Elliott told a "TRL" crowd recently that the biggest thrill of the Grammys was being in the same room as Prince. "I don't feel like Missy Elliott around him," she says. "I was in groupie mode."

The Foo Fighters recently had a rock radio hit with their version of "Darling Nikki." OutKast's Andre 3000, who is expected to induct the artist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the ceremony tomorrow, took inspiration from Prince for parts of his acclaimed "The Love Below" CD.

Even pop singer JC Chasez counts Prince as a major influence, with several songs on his debut solo CD "Schizophrenic" bearing similarities to Prince's pop-funk "Purple Rain" phase. "He's just a superb musician, producer and vocalist," says Chasez, who has been covering "Let's Go Crazy" as part of his current tour. "I mean the guy could play, sing and put on a hell of a show. I watched a DVD he did in Paisley Park, and I always found the guy entertaining. I just think he's a great artist."

Kramer of the Rock Hall says Prince's influence today isn't surprising: "It shows how enduring a figure he is. Though Prince is not by definition a hip-hop artist, he is still influencing it. He really defies all definitions. He does everything so well."Artists are eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland 25 years after their first major musical work is released. This year's class, including Prince, will be inducted at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan Monday. The ceremonies will air on VH1 March 21.

Also honored:

JACKSON BROWNE

Who: Born Oct. 9, 1948, in Heidelberg, Germany.

Why: One of rock's first singer-songwriters, who, along with James Taylor, helped usher in the age of sensitive rock stars in the '70s with introspective, personal songs.

What: His breakthrough "Doctor My Eyes," the one-two punch of "Running on Empty" and "Stay," go-go '80s definers "Somebody's Baby" and "Lawyers in Love."

When: His debut "Jackson Browne" was released in 1972.

THE DELLS

Who: Vocalists Verne Allison, Charles Barksdale, John Carter, Johnny Funches, Marvin Junior, Michael McGill.

Why: The Chicago vocal group was one of doo-wop's biggest stars in the '50s and helped influence the soul groups of the '60s, a role solidified when they became consultants on Robert Townsend's 1991 movie "The Five Heartbeats."

What: The breakthrough doo- wop hit "Oh What a Night," the soul hits "Stay in My Corner" and "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation."

When: Their debut single "Dreams of Contentment" was released in 1955.

GEORGE HARRISON

Who: Born Feb. 25, 1943, in Liverpool, England; died Nov. 29, 2001, in Los Angeles.

Why: After leaving the Beatles, Harrison pursued his musical and personal interests passionately, bringing Eastern spirituality into the Western mainstream with his "Concert for Bangladesh" and later spurring a roots rock revival with the Traveling Wilburys.

What: His solo debut "All Things Must Pass," which includes "My Sweet Lord," is seen as the best of all the Beatles' solo efforts; his wistful looks at his time with the Beatles, "All Those Years Ago" and "When We Was Fab."

When: "All Things Must Pass" was released in 1970.

BOB SEGER

Who: Born May 5, 1945, in Dearborn, Mich.

Why: With a mix of rock and Motown soul, Seger became the king of heartland rock in the mid-'70s, pumping out one anthem after another about blue-collar life in the Midwest. Along with his Silver Bullet Band, Seger cleared a path for John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." album.

What: The whole "Night Moves" album, including the title track, "Main Street" and "Rock and Roll Never Forgets"; the graceful rock ballads "We've Got Tonight" and "You'll Accompany Me"; and the still-inescapable anthems "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll" and "Like a Rock."

When: His debut album, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" (credited to the Bob Seger System), was released in 1968.

TRAFFIC

Who: Drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason, singer- keyboardist Steve Winwood, flutist-saxophone player Chris Wood.

Why: One of the first "jam bands," Traffic blended British rock, folk and blues with jazzy improvisation and virtuosity to create extended wandering songs filled with solos.

What: Adventurous pop singles like "Feelin' Alright," "Paper Sun" and "Hole in My Shoe."

When: The debut album, "Mr. Fantasy," was released in 1967.

ZZ TOP

Who: Singer-guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard.

Why: The trio has enjoyed two distinct careers - its early Texas blues, outlaw-rocker phase and its days as MTV video stars, where the band proved that established acts could embrace new technology and improve themselves.

What: Delightfully sleazy blues- rockers "Tush" and "LaGrange"; updated blues-pop hits "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Gimme All Your Lovin'."

When: The well-named "ZZ Top's First Album" was released in 1970.

NONPERFORMER

JANN S. WENNER

Who: Chairman of Wenner Media.

Why: As co-founder of Rolling Stone, Wenner gave rock and roll a context as well as a megaphone. The magazine gave artists a way to explain themselves, as well as giving rock fans social issues and politicians to ponder.

What: Rolling Stone, Us Weekly, Men's Journal.

When: Rolling Stone debuted in 1967. -GLENN GAMBOA
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.

And guess who's on the board of directors for the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame?

I'm first.

AsianBomb777 said:

Well, crapola. Looks like I'm not first.
Anyways, great article. I hope this does turn out to be a big year for Prince. Music today is not as bad as it was 2 years ago, but it still would be nice to see him change the landscape of pop once again.

Nice article.

Good read!!

It's great that the media is finally acknowledging Prince's achievements rather than presenting him as some reclusive weirdo.

On another note, I once heard that Jimi Hendrix gave a guitar to one of the members of ZZ Top - anyone know if that's true? Weird to think of them both around at the same time, but the Zs have been going for decades...

What a nice article...

Looks like Prince has a new PR company... at least he can't complain about the media attention he is getting...

Question to all of you: Are there any singles in order to push Musicology? Any videos? If Prince aims for "high profile", you would probably need both...

But maybe he waits for the record company that will distribute him about the choice of single and video...

Or maybe it will be a "grown-up" album not targeting the typical Mtv crowd (as nice as I found the Reflection song on TV with Wendy, that surely is not a funk/rock monster that will get airplay...)???

Well, if anyone knows anything about the promo plans, share please...