PBoy Prince Interview: 1997

The Artist opens up in Playboy Germany – Emancipation comeback unleashed!

interview with O(+> about his comeback Emancipation, by Holger Erdmann in Playboy (Germany), January 1997.

The handshake is short and firm and does not fit at all with the elfin appearance of this petite man, who does not look like he is already 38. In the spartan conference room of his Paisley Park empire, the artist sits opposite me, who has not been called "Prince" since 1993. Since then, he has described his earthly existence with an ominous sign that appears to be a fusion of a female and male gender symbol and a clef.

The handshake is short and firm and does not fit at all with the elfin appearance of this petite man, who does not look like he is already 38. In the spartan conference room of his PaisleyPark empire, the artist sits opposite me, who has not been called "Prince" since 1993. Since then, he has described his earthly existence with an ominous sign that appears to be a fusion of a female and male gender symbol and a clef.

After the end of his contract and after years of dispute with his old record company Warner Bros., "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince" - as the official description is - feels really free for the first time: The new company EMI is only allowed to press and distribute his CDs. The triple album Emancipation is intended to prove to the whole world that the little man from Minneapolis still dominates the pop Olympus.

Playboy: Your new album is called Emancipation. How does your emancipation express itself?

O(+> I am emancipated – not only in relation to Warner. Now I'm finally free. Never again will anyone be able to talk me into my music.

Playboy: Why did you just release three CDs with a duration of one hour each?

O(+> Mayte (his wife) and I have studied Egyptian culture very intensively – especially with the construction of the pyramids. The Egyptians incorporated astrology so that later generations could find out in which year a pyramid was built. So much perfection is fascinating. That's why I had set myself the goal of recording three CDs with twelve songs each. each CD is exactly one hour long to the thousandth of a second. I'm very proud that I managed to do that.

Playboy: Since your name change, many people think you're crazy.

O(+> Many people don't understand my appearance or the performance, and certainly not the things I'm talking about. I simply do not correspond to the image that society considers "normal". But for me, everything starts all over again. The music is free, positive and clear. I tried very hard to make sure that even such an angry song as Slave has a positive charisma.

Playboy: Speaking of slaves, why did you argue with Warner for years?

O(+> I couldn't ~not allow these people to dictate my music. I couldn't let them break my heart. And I can't allow others to dictate what I do on my records.

Playboy: Why did you drop the name "Prince"?

O(+> "Prince" was a necessary stage. But what's the point of names anyway? Who came up with the idea of calling someone "Bro,vn" or "White" or "Blackman"? That only serves to separate people from each other.

Playboy: And what is this "symbol" all about?

O(+> When I discovered the "symbol" for myself, a lot of things suddenly became clear. It does not only stand for the male and female side in me, it is a sign of clarity and love for me, and it is a symbol of the eternal cycle in which we humans all find ourselves.

Playboy: Do you believe in reincarnation?

O(+> Yes, of course. Where else would the many terrible nightmares you have as a child come from, for example?

Playboy: What role does Mayte play in your life?

O(+> Everything has changed since we got married. Mayte has completed my soul. I see much more clearly and am more concentrated. Complete songs are created in my head and just flow out.

Playboy: How did you know that she was the right one?

O(+> She is the only one who has never behaved maliciously or intentionally towards me. Mayte is what I call what makes the difference between life and death. Since I met her, there hasn't been a sad day in my life.

O(+> What does Mayte actually call you?

O(+> There are many names ...

Playboy: Is it true to say that your lyrics have become more harmless when it comes to sex?

O(+> I don't think sex is inherently dirty. Of course, you can write about it either way - in a dirty way as well as in a beautiful way. I think our society puts far too much emphasis on it. And anyone who, like me, does not conform to the norm is attacked by society. Sex has always been something particularly interesting for me because there is nothing that is so closely connected to human life. The phenomenon alone that people lose their coolness during sex is worth describing.

Playboy: In the last few years you have been extremely shy of the press. Why are you giving interviews again?

O(+> It's very simple: I have to sell a record!

(Germany)

January 1, 1997

Holger Erdmann