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Call Now! Prince's 1-800 New Funk One-Page August 12, 1994.

He Speaks – Prince’s cover & two-page guitar feature in Guitare magazine, 2016. More purple vault keys turning weekly. He Speaks (Jan 1, 1997) Are the previous episodes really worth summarizing for the 8745th time? The rise, the fall, the non-interviews, the problems with Warner, the name changes, the marriage to Mayté, the subsequent fatherhood, etc. The fact is that today, the one now called The Artist Formerly Known As Prince (in French, the artist formerly known as Prince), or to be more precise (we still don't know if it's pronounced Proutt. Chgrouing or Fruuiiipch!), is radically changing his strategy: a new record label, a new album (the triple "Emancipation") and, drum roll, a few interviews were even granted during the launch party/concert of the triptych in question, last November, in the lair of Paisley Park, in Minneapolis. The Belgian journalist Serge Simonart was one of the lucky ones. As "planned", no tape recorder, no pen is authorized by who we know. And each journalist will have to make his memory work optimally with the simple aim of transcribing the princely speech with the greatest accuracy. 1- He speaks! November 1996, one hour before the MTV/VHI/BET live television performance from Paisley Park. It is in a corridor of the legendary venue that I find myself face to face with and Mayté. They are just coming down from the staircase that can be seen on page 7 of the booklet of her new album "Emancipation", on the right. Now, I am a big fan of, and to be honest, I am clearly wondering "What can I say to him? How can I break the ice?". Luckily, as a sad Belgian loser, I stayed until the end of the credits of the Coen brothers' film Fargo, noting a) that Fargo is a village located near Minneapolis, and b) that he is credited in the credits as follows: "Victim in the snow". In fact, the fleeting appearance of consists of being filmed from behind, wearing a red anorak. To be clear: impossible to tell that it is him! Just a completely white background with this tiny red spot. And it is none other than this red spot. So, taking into account that this three-second appearance is the joke of the moment between him and the Coen brothers, that he thus thinks that no one really knows, I start the conversation on this subject: Hello. Excellent your performance in Fargo! What is your working method on the acting side? looks up, apparently surprised. Mayté smiles at my question. He asks my name and introduces Mayté: My wife. I kiss his hand. "Oh, a gentleman," he smiles. Then I start to mumble a few words about how he doesn't give interviews but that "maybe we can have a word or two." He replies with a smile: "Isn't that what we're doing right now?" So we talk for a few minutes (before a representative from EMI/Capitol USA pulls us off to another location). I'm pretty proud of this triple album. "Emancipation" is really the sound of freedom. Warner tried to do to me what Sony did to George Michael. How would you react if an accountant who doesn't give a damn about your music thinks he can pass judgment on your art and the distribution of your music? A guy who had heard The Holy River asked me if I had a version for radio (smiles). It's like that emperor in the movie Amadeus telling Mozart that one of his works had "too many notes". Mozart didn't have to deal with just his music to people. It was much later that we started hearing these sounds of record companies. He was delivering snakes, these seses like "Hey, we can sell this stuff!" Man, they think they can bring me into line with all that (he walks around him pointing at all the gold and platinum records hanging on the wall, Ed.). On the new album, I didn't have to cut anything, or reduce anything... Not for me at all! And it's a pretty good triple CD, right? You have to remember that in the past Brother James (Brown, Ed.) and Aretha (Franklin, Ed.) had fun releasing three or four albums a year. There's no reason why that shouldn't be possible today. II- Prince is dead! Long live! Three hours later, after the televised concert, and just before the second set, which was not broadcast. This conversation took place in one of the recording studios at Paisley Park. I am standing, facing me, sitting on a bar stool. Mayté is not Dalle Idols more present. You can hit me if you want because I have here in my pocket a good pirate of your performance from earlier... (Jumps off his stool and heads for the door, yelling) So it's you? Security! Security! (he stops, turns around and laughs openly). No, it's fine... (laughter). Actually, I said that for a specific reason. You are the best live performer of the 20th century. You have this reputation as a showman, and not only during official concerts. And precisely, there are all these multiple versions of your songs played during after shows. All that to say that I have versions of Head (he twitches when I mention this song), Purple Rain and one of Forever In My Life that lasts twenty minutes... So why have you never released a live album? It's planned... Pirates... Some guys make more money off my music than I do... But I understand the fans' need. I mean, I wanted to own every note of James Brown too... Maybe a live album is too definitive. And I don't like definitive things. I should playing my old stuff again. Maybe When Doves Cry will finally sound right... It was a real flop, really. when did it come out?! (Laugh) Nooooo, that's not what I meant. It's just that sometimes you have a better idea for a song but it's too late, it's already recorded. As you said, live versions can be completely different from the originals. That's one of the reasons why I guess I should release a live album. But hey... Look at jazz, no version of a standard is definitive. On the other hand, it's good not to screw up with a song, to put limits on it. Sign Of The Times dies if you screw up the interpretation of those limits. On "Emancipation", why did you record a few covers when you could have only included original compositions? Betcha By Golly Wow! (by the Stylistics, Ed.) is a song I really grew up with. As for Bonnic Raitt, she's a good friend and I've always thought I Can't Make You Love Me is one of her best songs. And One Of Us has a great melody. And what she says in this song is an important statement. It's one of the songs I would advise every musician to cover. At least once in their life. In the lyrics you changed "slob" to "slave"... Ah, you noticed? (he doesn't answer the question, NDR). So we're in this studio? This is where the legend says that you spent 25 hours out of 24. No, it doesn't work like that. What happens is that I can't leave a good idea unfinished. It's impossible and if I do, it makes me sick... Is that why you later said that music was your best friend and your worst enemy? Absolutely! You see, I have these ideas... Sometimes it's four in the morning, So I get up, I get dressed... And I sit there (he shows me the control room with a tinted window, Ed.), until it's over. I have thousands of songs in reserve. The thing is this: I have to finish a song to have my mind completely clear for the next song. It can become a real obsession, you know... Can it happen that you give birth to a song at a certain moment but don't release it immediately and wait for a more opportune moment? As if you feel that the general public is not totally ready... It is indeed possible... That's what happened with Kiss for example. This is a song I wrote well before it came out. In fact, it evolved quite a bit between its first version and the one that was recorded.... Thinking about it, this was the case for many of my songs. During the concert earlier, you played four seconds of Sexy MF as an intro to another song. Then you stopped dead in your tracks, giving your guitarist a rather dark look. Was that a private joke or what? You can call it a private joke, if you want. You know, MTV doesn't want me to swear on their (with an excessively obsequious air, Ed.) beautiful station. They actually wanted me to sign a paper promising not to swear and not to play songs like Sexy Motherfucker. I just gave them a verbal agreement. That's why I just did that little intro, just to freak them out for a few seconds. All this stupid prudishness... You can't say Pussy Control, it has to be P Control, it's ridiculous! On the other hand, you have the right to show people getting shot on any show at 8:30 p.m.... What do you want me to tell you, C'est la vie! When you go to record, do you take any interest in the "competition"? Or do you isolate yourself from any possible influence? When I work, I work. I don't have time to... But you know, it's so annoying all these musicians who make you believe that they don't know anything about what's happening at the moment. You give them loads of names and they swear they've never heard of them. They're all liars! I know loads of bands who spit on such a group while it is venerate in rehearsal. I'm not like that. I don't give a damn about saying that I like D'Angelo's music for example. Or some of Björk's stuff. The Cocteau Twins too... Musicians are first and foremost a family... I just hope that young musicians can learn from me, even from my mistakes, as I have learned from others. I was talking to D'Angelo about it. This way when you're a bit of a one-man band, you go into the studio in a really bad mood, and then the whole band is in a really bad mood (smile). Earlier, during the concert, I was in great shape. That's why "Emancipation" is the way it is. I was happy and it's a happy album. ( The lawyer signals to me that his client must also speak with other guests). Well thank you. I am glad to see that it was possible to speak to you. When you are silent for so long, the gossip makers get their money's worth... (Smile) I know... Rumors tend to separate us, don't they? I realize that now. It's just that... If I had to spend my time responding to all the attacks, to all this gossip, I wouldn't have a single minute to work seriously. And I must also admit, I'm not saying this for you personally, but I don't really like talking. I'm not much of a chatterbox. Music is really my main way of talking, of communicating... That's how it is, I can't help it. The other day, I was playing with Me Shell Ndégeocello. She's not what you would call a chatterbox either, believe me. But when we play together, it's great! No need to talk. We get along perfectly. I

New Power Generation performed live in London on December 7, 2019.

Two-Page Musica magazine Feature October 23, 1996

Ebony Cover & Two-Page Feature (January 1, 1997)

Prince performed at The Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts Las Vegas, Nevada on December 15. 2002. The show was released on DVD as Prince Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas on August 19th, 2003. Band: Prince (vox, guitar), John Blackwell (drums), Rhonda Smith (bass), Renato Neto (keyboards), Greg Boyer (trombone), Maceo Parker (saxophone), Eric Leeds (saxophone), Dudley D. (turntables) Guest(s) Sheila E. (percussion, vox), Nikka Costa (vox) TRACKLIST: Intro / Soundcheck 1:47 Pop Life 3:51 Money Don't Matter 2 Night / The Work 6:44 Push & Pull 5:50 1+1+1=3 (Includes Love Rollercoaster / Housequake) 12:19 Strollin' / U Want Me 5:29 Gotta Broken Heart Again 5:25 Strange Relationship 4:03 Pass The Peas 3:33 Whole Lotta Love 4:58 Family Name 6:13 Take Me With U 2:50 The Everlasting Now 6:00 Sometimes It Snows In April 3:24 The Ride (Video) 7:35

Paint a perfect picture / Bring 2 life the vision in one's mind. 1) Minneapolis Airport “I Would Die 4 U” was designed by the Bloomington-based muralist Rock ‘Cyfi’ Martinez it measured 16 ft by 24 and was located on the tram level of Terminal 1 throughout 2020 as part of the airport’s arts program. 1) Minneapolis Airport “I Would Die 4 U” was designed by the Bloomington-based muralist Rock ‘Cyfi’ Martinez it measured 16 ft by 24 and was located on the tram level of Terminal 1 throughout 2020 as part of the airport’s arts program. 2) Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Find this mural based on an image of Prince during his Purple Rain Tour in Long Beach, California in 1985 by Los Angeles artist Jonas Never on the side of the 424 building on Washington Avenue in the North Loop neighbourhood of downtown Minneapolis 3) 518 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Good food, good atmosphere GREAT decoration! 4) Midtown Greenway Minneapolis Under the Aldrich Avenue bridge this mural arrived in 2019 It was by the street art crew Kamp Seedorf who travelled from Almere in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, being paper based this mural was only temporary. 5) Baby I’m a Star Mural 928 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis Painted by Greg Gossel, 6) Chanhassen Cinema 570 Market St, Chanhassen Painted by Mr G Hoete in 2016 on the back of the cinema 7) 2546 Hennepin Ave S Minneapolis Another mural by Rock ‘Cyfi’ Martinez, painted in 2016 and located behind the Sencha Tea building 8) Schmitt Music Mural 94 S 10th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Painted in 1972, in 1977 Robert Whitman took some of the first professional pictures of Prince with this now famous Minneapolis landmark. Rumour has it that the adjacent parking lot may soon be built on, so see this while you can! 9) Purple Raindrop Esther Osayande’s 15ft tall Purple Raindrop sculpture arrived in 2018 and can be found at the 26th Avenue at the entrance to Theodore Wirth Park 10) Little Red Corvette Mural – Henderson, MN, Painted artist Moises Suriel on the side of 522 Main St Henderson is about 45 minutes outside of Minneapolis and served as the filming location for Prince & Apollonia’s ‘Lake Minnetonka’ scenes in Purple Rain. The bench and statue also located here have now been moved to a local store “Heart Of Henderson” 11) The W Hotel 21 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402 (also home to the Foshay Tower Museum & Observation Deck, well worth a visit)

Big white mansion Top of the road Latest fashion Happy, don't you know? 1) 5539 N Newton Ave Minneapolis, MN 55405 Purchased by Prince’s father in 1972 when Prince was 14. John L. Nelson lived here until the mid 80s — In later life Prince brought the property himself and it was lived in by his sister Tyka 2) 2620 8th Ave. N Minneapolis MN 55411 Purchased by his parents in 1965 when he was seven 7 years old, the 8th Ave house would be Prince’s home until 1970. 3) 518 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Good food, good atmosphere GREAT decoration! 4) 9401 Kiowa Trail Chanhassen, MN 55317 The site of Prince’s Purple House, his home from 1981 to 1985 when he gave the house to his father who lived there until he passed away in 2001 Prince recorded Controversy and 1999, here, as well as portions of Sign O’ The Times. Prince had the house demolished in 2003 and the land was sold after his passing. The current owners built a new property but Prince’s gated entrance remains When visiting any of these locations please remember that these are homes belonging to real people, you are there representing the Purple Family, make us proud.

I know life is much to drink, I was there I know right now it's hard to think, I don't care But it's time for you and me to wonder, why we are here Maybe we should roll to the rock and rumble Calhoun Square Let's roll 1) CALHOUN SQUARE “Meet me there, If you dare, Calhoun Square!” 3001 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408 Now rebranded as Seven Points, Calhoun Square was a shopping centre close to the original NPG Store. It featured as a destination in the song of the same name on 1998’s Crystal Ball album. Before it’s name change it featured a tribute to Prince with a beautiful painted piano which sadly has now been removed. 2) UPTOWN “Everybody’s going Uptown; that’s where I wanna be Uptown, set your mind free” 2962 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408 One of the oldest cinemas in the Twin Cities the Uptown Theatre first opened in 1916. The 60-foot tower once featured a revolving beam of light marking the Uptown area of Minneapolis and could be seen for miles around. The Uptown screened mostly foreign and art films, running cult films at midnight screenings. It ran The Rocky Horror Picture Show from May 19, 1978 through 1997. Sadly the venue closed during the Covid -19 pandemic. 3) GLAM SLAM 110 North 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Prince opened the Minneapolis Glam Slam nightclub in 1989, in 1992 the alley way behind the venue was used to film the My Name Is Prince video. 4) BUNKERS 761 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401 A great live music venue, Prince occasionally guested with the ‘house band’ Dr. Mambo’s Combo who play every Sunday. Thursday nights currently feature Funk at the Bunk with The Time’s Jellybean Johnson (check out the venue website for confirmation) 5) NPG STORE UPTOWN MINNEAPOLIS 1408 W Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55408 Prince opened the New Power Generation store on August 3, 1993, sadly nothing is left to remind you of Days Of Wild 6) “Rock ‘n’ roll will never die like the Minnehaha flow” Minnehaha Park 4801 S Minnehaha Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 A beautiful spot to visit in any season, Minnehaha Falls feature in Prince’s 1995 Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis) which he recorded as a direct response to Lenny Kravitz’s song Rock And Roll Is Dead. The Sea Salt Eatery by the falls is highly recommended for great sea food (with vegetarian options) 7) THE DAKOTA 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Prince performed here for 7 performances in January 2013 and often attended other gigs at this wonderful intimate venue. 8) ELECTRIC FETUS 2000 4th Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55404 Prince’s favourite Wrecka Stow, ’nuff said 9) THE ORPHEUM 910 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Built in 1921 to host vaudeville acts, The Orpheum was later converted into a movie theater. Minnesota native Bob Dylan purchased the shuttered theater in 1979, and repurposed it into a performance space. This is where Prince first headlined a major downtown venue on February 9, 1980. It also served as a filming location for the film Purple Rain, all of the backstage scenes from the movie were filmed here as the backstage are at First Avenue was too small. 10) TARGET CENTER 600 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Prince played The Target Center four times December 10th and 11th 1997, August 25th 1997 and July 7th 2007. These pictures are a current display in the arena (which is open to the public) 11) THE CAPRI THEATRE 2027 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55411 The site of Prince’s first-ever concerts as a solo artist on January 5 and 6 1979. Backed by André Cymone, Bobby Z., Matt (Dr) Fink, Gayle Chapman, and Dez Dickerson Prince performed to an audience including members of the music press and executives from Warner Bros. Records. In his review of the first show, the Star Tribune‘s Jon Bream wrote that Prince “strutted across the stage with grand Mick Jagger-like moves and gestures. He was cool, he was cocky, and he was sexy.”

1) First Avenue. First Avenue and 7th St Entry are iconic music venues located in a renowned building in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. The nightclub is positioned at the intersection of First Avenue North and 7th Street North, which inspired their names. Locally, they are affectionately known as The Mainroom and The Entry. Constructed in 1937, the building served as the Minneapolis depot for Greyhound Lines for 31 years. In 1970, Allan Fingerhut bought the property and transformed it into a nightclub. Throughout the 1980s, First Avenue thrived, becoming a pivotal landmark in the music and entertainment scene. It played a crucial role in pioneering the '80s funk rock subgenre through the Minneapolis sound and was the main venue for local icon Prince. Since gaining prominence in the 1980s, First Avenue has welcomed numerous celebrated local and national music acts. The venue's exterior is adorned with over 400 large stars, honoring these artists and other significant figures to the city. The historical and cultural importance of the venue has garnered recognition both locally and nationally. Journalist David Carr, in The New York Times, noted that the cultural significance and history of First Avenue is paralleled by only a handful of clubs in the United States, such as CBGB, Maxwell's, Metro Chicago, and the 9:30 Club. Additionally, it was among the first clubs to feature Black artists in the predominantly segregated music scene of Minneapolis. Discrimination had erected a racial barrier within the Minneapolis music scene. Encouraged by Dunlap to compose their own songs, Jimmy Jam and the 11-member band Mind & Matter managed to overcome this obstacle with engagements secured by McClellan in the mid-1970s. After initially booking Black acts like the one-hit wonder Lipps, Inc., featuring lead singer Cynthia Johnson, McClellan made the pivotal decision to book Prince in 1981 for $2,500, in addition to a portion of the ticket sales. "Purple Rain" was recorded live in 1983 by a Record Plant truck at an August show and later became the title for the film Purple Rain. Prince's management offered First Avenue $100,000 to film in the main room from late November to December 1983, ensuring the Entry stayed open. Many club employees appeared as extras in the movie. The production contributed a patch panel and dimmer packs to the club. While McClellan worried that the audience shifted from true music enthusiasts to tourists, he and Meyers appreciated the increase in revenue. In 2000, First Avenue & 7th St Entry released a promotional book titled "First Avenue & 7th Street Entry: Your Downtown 'Danceteria' Since 1970," authored, edited, and designed by Rebecca Noran. The book chronicles the club's history. Additionally, the club briefly issued a magazine called "First Avenue In House" from September 1998 to August 2000. 2) First Ave, Depot. The Depot Tavern opened in 2010 next door to the 7th St Entry. The bar and restaurant has live video feeds from both the Mainroom and the Entry. 3) The Crystal Court within The IDS Centre 80 South 8th Street, Minneapolis Built in 1972 The IDS Centre soars 792 feet into the Minneapolis skyline. The lobby and shopping area at the bottom of the tower is known as The Crystal Court and the skyway level was the location used for the scenes between Prince and Apollonia outside the guitar store. The area still looks very similar and is open to the public seven days a week. (Sadly, there are no shops selling white cloud guitars now) 4) The Kid’s’ House (Exterior) 3420 Snelling Ave Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA An easy walk from the Minneapolis Blue Line Light Rail stop at 38th Street this was the house used for the exterior of ‘The Kid’s’ troubled family home in Purple Rain. Prince’s NPG Music Publishing purchased the property in 2015.

Worldwide Run of 1,000 TAFKAP (PRINCE) burst upon the music scene in the early 80's as a young provocative virtuoso who caused an entire shift in the musical direction of the decade. PRINCE was signed to Warner Brothers at the age of 18 and was then given complete artistic control in the producing and recording of his records. the film and soundtrack gave PRINCE global status from a minor cult artist to one of the most critically acclaimed and influential artists of the 20th century. To date PRINCE has sold 50 million albums worldwide - 14 Platinum albums, 12 gold singles and a gold video. His latest album 'The Gold Experience' coincides with his latest sold out European Tour. Prince 0(+> 1995 Official Telephone Phone Card Pack

A Prince-Blessed Funk Soul Spark Andy Allo’s Superconductor was released in the US on November 20, 2012, on Allo Evolution/NPG Records. Her sophomore album and first with Prince input — executive-produced by NPG — this 9-track funk-soul gem featured Prince co-writes (“Superconductor”, “Long Gone”, “The Calm”), Hornheadz, Maceo Parker, Trombone Shorty, and NPG members. Issued in CD enhanced digipak (PDF booklet), signed cardboard sleeve, AIFF digital ZIP (lyric booklet), and autographed MP3 memory stick (bonus live tracks). A vibrant Prince satellite project. Album Overview Label: Allo Evolution / NPG Records. Formats: CD (enhanced digipak, cardboard sleeve signed), 9 x File AIFF, Memory Stick MP3 192 kbps. ℗ & ©: 2012 Allo Evolution / NPG Records. Mastered by Dylan Dresdow. Track Listing (all formats unless noted) 1. Superconductor (5:26–5:31) 2. People Pleaser (5:31–5:32) – Sax: Maceo Parker, Trombone: Trombone Shorty (memory stick) 3. Long Gone (3:36–3:42) 4. The Calm (5:20–5:29) 5. Yellow Gold (4:15–4:20) 6. Nothing More (5:39–5:51) 7. If I Was King (6:18–6:22) – Sax: Maceo Parker, Trombone: Trombone Shorty (memory stick) 8. Story Of You & I (3:22–3:25) 9. When Stars Collide (6:34–6:27) Memory Stick Bonus Tracks 10. Long Gone (Live) (3:56) 11. Story Of You & I (Live) (3:10) Reissues & Global Variants CD, Album, Enhanced, Digipak – Allo Evolution/NPG none – US – 2012 CD, Album, Cardboard Sleeve (signed) – Allo Evolution/NPG none – US – 2012 9 x File, AIFF – Allo Evolution/NPG 8-55624-00400-8 – US – 2012 Memory Stick, MP3 192 kbps – Allo Evolution/NPG none – US – 2012 Production and Context Executive-Produced by NPG (Prince). Produced/Vocals/Guitar by Andy Allo. Horns arranged by Michael B. Nelson. Hornheadz, Maceo Parker, Trombone Shorty, NPG: Ida Nielsen (bass), John Blackwell (drums), Mr. Hayes (keyboards), Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Dease (backing). Prince believed to play on every track (uncredited). Six Allo songs, two Prince, one co-write. Singles Released People Pleaser b/w None Legacy and Collectibility Superconductor is Andy Allo’s Prince-mentored funk-soul triumph. Original signed cardboard sleeve CDs fetch £30–£80 on eBay/Discogs, memory sticks £50–£120, digital AIFF £10–£20. Verify andyallo.com provenance. Streams on Spotify preserve the NPG fire. This release is a must-have for Prince satellite and modern funk collectors. Do you have Superconductor in your collection? Which star collides for you? Share in the comments! Sources Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube