just wondering if any1 on this site had read "Possessed: the rise and fall of Prince" by Alex Hahn...this 1 has been shown Prince's life path 4 many season's & would B curious to hear feedback from any1 whose checked out this particular book....buzz B back on it...B peaceful

theoriginalQueenB said:

i havent read this book but there was a load of negativity 2wards it 4 a while, not so long ago on here ! someone said they thought hahn only interviewed peeps who had an axe 2 grind etc...

I read it. It is hard to tell how factual the book is because alot of artist who worked with him refused to speak to the author. Most of the stuff that I think is factual came from ALAN LEEDS. There are a couple of funny stories in there like the time that the REVOLUTION AND THE TIME got into a food fight in the middle of a concert. It is interesting enough to read but it is kinda TABLOID.ML

luv2u143 said:

I would agree, this is a fun read but the way it's written and the slant of the story makes me wonder if the contents are true. Some funny stories though, about Prince and his run ins with different people. It's a wonder no one actually attacked him. The only parts in it I trust are the parts that are corraborated by other prince books. The stuff about his bad exstasy trip and the possibility that he may have once od'd on something may be true. He also interviewed Dr. Fink who gave some good insights. It's worth reading but could have been a lot better. He gets sloppy in parts.

I've read the book a couple of times, it's generally well written, but just like my problems with Per Nelson's books (which seem much more indepth artistically) it has a very negative slant, and creates opinions and presents them as FACT. Also the author was interviewed by Uptown (suprise!) and he said he hadn't heard the live album because it wasn't available outside of the npg club, yet then went on to tear apart Anna Steisa for having a negative attitude or something or other -- the bottom line: a fun read (in an Enquiirer kinda way), just don't take the word as gospel or anything...

But then again, just read the title and you can kinda get an idea of what the author's perspective is.

lucas said:

I actually thought per nilsens book was the best I'd read on Prince. I wish I'd bought it when it was out. Very professional and much sharper criticism of Prince's art and the process he went through to create it. As for the negativity, I didn't think it was that bad, I've always read Prince was not that great of a human being so that doesn't surprise me. But who knows we're not there.

lucas said:

No he didn't.

He stated that he had not listened to 'One Nite Alone ...' and 'Xpectation' because he had not joined the NPGMC and he understood (correctly) that this music was only available to club members.

He stated he had listened to 'One Nite Alone ... Live!'.

He did not go on to tear apart the song 'Anna Stesia' itself for "having a negative attitude or something or other".

His comment concerned his surprise on hearing what Prince said directed to the non-NPGMC members of the audience particularly because it was said during the playing of 'Anna Stesia'.

.

I thought it was a good biography. Depends on your knowledge of Prince. If you're new to him I would definitely recommend it. And I don't think the book is too biased. The fact is that most people who used to work with Prince have mostly negative things to say.

I thought the book was a real eye-opener. I am a big Prince fan but he's not perfect, and like most of us he has done things in his life that can't be defended. If you're one of those folks who can't bear hearing any criticism of him, then don't bother. But if you can, and you want to hear some good behind-the-scenes dirt, I highly recommend it.

Most surprising for me- how crass he was about playing his rotating cast of proteges against each other, dating several at once and having them all on tour with him at the same time. Now that is a player.

rialb said:

I agree. I read it and thought it was a good book, though I would have like more of an update on former band members mentioned (he didn't even acknowledge that Boni Boyer had died). What people fail 2 realize is that there is a side of Prince that only his closest associates know. Some people were thrown off by the fact that the most juicy stories were from "reliable sources" who the author wouldn't reveal who they were. But U have 2 remember that some of the people he interviewed either: still work 4 Prince, or have signed a contract not 2 go 2 the media and talk negative about Prince when they leave his camp. So 4 some of those sources 2 be revealed could have meant legal actions from Prince, who may not have wanted the info 2 get out that we now know. I'm not saying that every single word is true, but then again what does this man have 2 gain from lying on Prince, who's deceived us hardcore, die hard fans on numerous occassions over the years

I disagree that he tried 2 put his opinions off as true 2 life facts. There were some things said about certain albums or songs that I didn't agree with, but that's how he feels. He dug deep 2 get the info he got and no matter how far fetched some of it sounded, this is a man who we don't spend day in and day out with. Alot of the stories are pretty consistent with what we've heard about Prince all along: he can be a stubborn, mean, bull headed control freak who expects everything 2 go his way. There were stories of supposed cocaine use that he said himself were only rumors, but more than one person mentioned it 2 him. Overall, a pretty good book that got skectchy as it went on because the bulk of the people he interviewed worked with Prince in the 80s. If U go in 2 the book with an open mind, it's alot better. I didn't see him as an author with an axe 2 grind, he just blew the cover off of Prince, and the ugly truth hurt those of us who put Prince on this purple pedestal, and feel he can do no wrong, and that the person portrayed on the cd or the concert is the exact same way behind closed doors...

Re drugs: there were also stories of ecstasy use (with Ingrid Chavez) and one account claimed he got addicted to prescription painkillers at some point after an onstage injury.

ya'll believe most of the crap in that book?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Why would you doubt the 'crap' wasn't true?

I bought the book about 6 months ago and am on page 35. I just cant get into it. Now "Pop Life" was a book I read in two nites. I have heard that "DMSR" is the best though.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I read it, yes I believe it is true.

rialb said:

And THAT is a fact!!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

the
whole
truth
&
nothing
but
the
truth

JC said:

ya'll know alex hahn had a bit of an axe to grind when it came to p, right? it shined throughout that book...careful now. don't become hahnerists* and believe all the stuff in there. 'sides, there's quite a few things in that book that have been told in numerous other books. it's like a bad patchwork quilt of a book, see? shouldn't be trustin information like that with unnamed "sources" and the like, now...


























*....not to be confused with hohnerists, mind you

it was a nice tabloid read but the writing....

my lil niece could write a sentence better then that guy....

sosgemini said:

freakebear said:

I agreee with your view of the book.

The book actually depressed me for a couple of days after I read it.

I always *wanted* to believe that Prince did all his "wierd" things- the symbol name change, fighting w/ Warner's, pulling the Black Album, etc. because his muse genuinely led him to do that. That he just plain didn't care enough about professional considerations or public opinions to make his artistic decisions based upon that. This belief in Prince's absolute conviction was what I liked about him the most. I wished I was so sure of myself- so pure in my pursuit of my art that I would dare change my name to O+-> if I was so moved. He did!! I wouldn't have the balls... I admired him for that.

But in the book they really portray him as the opposite. That many of his decisions were not artistic but rather calculated, professional moves. He wasn't just following his inspirations he was trying to manipulate situations. In the book he is portrayed as not at all pure in his intentions and motives. That bummed me out for a couple of days.

Then I realized that the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. He's not as pure as what I projected on him but he's also probably not as vile as they portrayed him in the book. And I'll never know what the truth is so why let that ruin my enjoyment of his art?

But it did take him off a "purple pedestal" of a sort for me. Was this good or bad? I think it was good. It helped me to come to a deeper undestanding of the world and art and how it all works.

So its a good enough book. But don't read it alone. With all subjects the best picture comes when you read multiple books. I've ready about 15 on Elvis and ALL the Jim Morrison books. They all say contradictory things. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

DavidEye said:

the
last
paragraph
Pg. 247
sums
it
up
well

I read it.. and liked it allot! Interesting Read

Is it all true.. probably not, but I thought he made Prince seem ok and the points of views of him.. kinda seem like the ones I have just seeing him in interviews.

hey the guy is human.. and just a focus artist! Sometimes when your like that you dont focus on the little details and the way he might say something! BUT the big picture is the final product

everyone is human and makes mistakes.. I bet if you asked prince or anyone.. "US" if we did odd things when we were growing up we all we say of course.. Prince is no different. you live & learn.

he seems very cool & relaxed now.. and learned from his mistakes.

NO book is 100% wrong or 100% right.. it is just peoples points of views on situations.

Damn, If I wrote a book about any band.. any local band and all the "soap opera drama" with them.. close your eyes, spin me around and I'll chose any band of 50 in a room.. I bet if you hung out with them..not even being famous or signed.. you would have the same exact kinda book

I thought it was a pretty good book butt 2 most people who like prince did he really fall ?Because 4 me i enjoyed all of his albums. So His view on his music is completly his opinion and those he interviewed. As far his relationships with the people around him i thought it made him look kind of mean and unfair butt im sure he didnt start all that shit. Just like Tina said Ike beat the shit outta her. Tina start some of that shit. LOL

krebsne said:

[This message was edited Mon Mar 8 5:36:12 2004 by Sly]

locoarts said:

yeah


thats
Legal
Begal
english

I read it & it sucked!!

i read it and enjoyed it....what you find is that those people who refuse to hear a bad word said against the little fellow will slag it off because it doesn't toe the party line.

there is a large crowd who just refuse to believe prince is anything other than perfect and just dismiss everything else as rubbish.

that loads of ex-staff have an axe to grind should tell us something, perhaps, about the sort of man Prince is...

oh, and for the record, it is too easy to dismiss 'unnamed sources' as simply an opportunity to peddle a lie....a lot of truth comes from those so close it would not be their best interest to reveal their identity - surely people realise that?

I honestly and truly think Alex Hahn's book "Possessed-The Rise and Fall of Prince" is absolutely wonderful...



























as kindling!