I was stunned when my phone notification said Prince has died. I've seen a lot of musicians in my lifetime, the big ones. To me he was the best I saw. Forget all the stuff people thought about him being raunchy, over sexed. He was an outstanding musician, composer, producer and performer. His bands when he'd go on a live extended jam were the best in the business. Will be curious to hear what is in the vault. He was a genius!
I think he's easily the biggest musical genius in my lifetime. The number of songs he wrote for others, let alone himself, is incredible.
Agree! He mentored and worked with so many different artists that a lot of people don't really know about. It's been nice to hear all the great stories about him being he was so private.
I am really in shock that he left no kind of will. He was so protective of his intellectual property that it hardly makes sense. Also, I'm sorry it's against his wishes, but so thankful that everyone is posting his work on youtube now. I've seen some pretty amazing stuff in the past week.
I was really hoping to see one of his live concerts one of these days, and even checked the internet from time to time to see if he was ever coming to Japan (he didn't for quite some time). *sigh*
I saw him three times. Pre Purple Rain, Purple Rain & Diamonds & Pearls. I tried to get tickets to the Atlanta show. I really wanted to see the concept of just a piano and him. Tickets sold out in 5 minutes.
I have a hard time thinking or talking about it any more. He was a long time favorite, and I always wanted his "Purple Rain" played at my memorial service. I never would have dreamed that I would outlive him. Although I certainly never "knew" him, it felt personal. As a life-long Twin Cities resident, he was the local kid who made it big and still stuck around. For many years I lived in the suburb where Prince had his home, Eden Prairie. My first home in Eden Prairie was less that a mile from the "Graffiti Bridge" shown in the film Purple Rain. After he moved into his new home and studio (Paisley Park) in an adjoining suburb (Chanhassen) it was on a road that I traveled many times. I probably drove past Paisley Park hundreds of times when I lived in Eden Prairie. I couldn't really do anything the day of his death. The following day I cranked the heck out of his Purple Rain CD and danced the whole time. Which sadly these days mean supplemental oxygen for me. And I've tried not to think about it since then, until just now.
At 18 he played all instruments (27) on his first album. Wrote the songs. Produced it! The record company gave him artistic freedom. At 18. That's almost unfathomable. And he lived up to that artistic freedom. Commercially successful. Artistically successful. Not only could he play all those instruments, he was crazy good on some of them. Not many could play guitar like he could. When you're the goto guy during While My Guitar Gently Weeps at an event that Clapton is at, that's hard to top. You have Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood and Paul McCartney on the stage and steal the show from them, you have a bit of talent. Dhani's smile when Price does his fall off the stage is priceless.
