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Thursday, Apr 19 2018, 2PM
This Extended Megamix comprised of demo recordings, the album version, and a recording of a live performance in Las Vegas. The song reentered the Billboard Hot 100 following Prince's death in 2016 and as of April 30, 2016 has sold 964,403 copies in the U.S.
19 year old Prince, joined by bassist André Cymone and drummer Bobby Z (who recently reunited with The Revolution) collaborated at a rehearsal spot in former manager Owen Husney's office in the Loring Park area of Minneapolis. These all instrumental jazz fusion tracks were split into 8 segments and allegedly completely improvised.
Prince lip synched this song for promotion on The Midnight Special and American Bandstand. After an awkward interview with Dick Clark, Dick claimed out of 10,000 interviews with musicians Prince's was the most difficult mostly due to the artist giving single word answers. Two videos were made for this smash single. One where Prince ditched his iconic afro for silky locks, and wore provocative clothing singing solo in a black room with a microphone. The other was unreleased and featured the rest of the band along with Prince. The video was pulled due to sexually suggestive themes.
First Ave in Minneapolis has nurtured some giant names in music from The Replacements and Husker Du to Prince himself. This Iconic venue also used to be a DJ spot for KEXP's own Kevin Cole! This spot was also the filming locale for Purple Rain
Prince's "The Controversy Tour" saw the debut of Mark Brown (AKA Brown Mark) on bass after André Cymone. It also marked the introduction of Prince's bodyguard Chick Huntsberry. Prince was wary of Huntsbury at first due to his formidable size but soon they became friends and confidantes and Huntsberry even made a cameo in in the film Purple Rain. Prince's side band "The Time" was frustrated with their lack of input on the songs they played with Prince
Steve McClellan, former general manager and primary booker for First Ave. helped found and co-owened this spot in Minneapolis for over 30 years and now works for the non-profit DEMO (Diverse Emerging Music Organization) where he continues to scout under the radar acts, and teaches at McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul, MN. Largely responsible for transforming disco club "Uncle Sam's" into one of the best live music hotspots in history.
Prince's name and success will forever be intermingled with his beginnings at First Ave. He liked the rock n' roll vibes and that they didn't only book white acts. The venue also let Prince do very short notice or surprise gigs which allowed Prince's musical career to truly come to life.
The first non album track Prince ever released, was a follow up UK single for Prince's third album "Dirty Mind" Released on two separate 7" singles one with 'Uptown' as a B-Side and the other with "I Wanna Be Your Lover" Despite heavy promotions and Prince's first UK gig, the song failed to chart.
Party Up was the first song Prince performed on Saturday Night Live in 1981. The song was based on a groove created by Morris Day. In return for using the groove, Prince offered a choice of $10,000 or help in getting a record deal. Day rejected the money, and instead, Prince helped to create The Time for Day in early 1981.
Old Friends 4 Sale is the eighth track on Prince's 22nd album "The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale." Unlike his previous studio albums, Prince did not embark on a concert series or tour and did very little to promote the album. The habit of lacking a proper tour would continue until the release of his twenty-fifth studio album, "One Nite Alone..." in 2002. Prince's next tour wouldn't be until late 2000, when he began the Hit n Run Tour
This was the first Prince album to associate the artist with the color purple as well as the first to use sensational spelling in his song titles, a trend that would continue through his career. This album showed Prince in a different light, toning down the explicit sexuality and adding in thoughts on topics such as religion and nuclear war
"1999" was the first album to feature Prince's band 'The Revolution' The critical and commercial success of the album cemented Prince's place in the public psyche and kicked of the beginning of two years of extreme activity including massive tours, smash singles, and the beloved film Purple Rain.
Erotic City featured Prince's voice both sped up and slowed down to sound like multiple singers, and also marks Sheila E's recording debut. Sheila would later become a close associate to Prince and the two would continue to extensively work together throughout the years. Originally a B-side this song would later become a #1 hit.
Allowing only about 50 people in before locking the doors, Prince played an intimate, private, and impromptu set at 7th Street Entry.
Originally recorded in 1982, the song was considered for Vanity 6, Prince’s short-lived electro-pop trio, but was ultimately placed into his vast vault of unreleased material. On November 23rd 2011, Prince released a new, re-recorded version of the song, featuring rapper Andy Allo. Then, on November 25th, he played it live for the first time ever in Toronto as part of his Welcome 2 Canada residency. The version released later replaces Allo with a horn section.
Chuck Zwicky was Prince's sound engineer at Paisley Park from 1987-1989, his vast mixing and mastering credits range over hundreds of musicians and bands.
Ownership of the "Batman" franchise is sticky, and the hit singles from this album were not allowed to appear on any of Prince's "Hits" collections. Even on the concert t-shirts which listed all of Prince's album titles to date had the song "Scandalous" rather than Batman. Despite this, Prince has performed a number of the album's tracks in concert over the years.
Alphabet St. is a blues-based pop/rock number distinguished by a scratchy rhythm guitar part played in a style reminiscent of Bo Diddley. The rhythm section features a simple drum machine beat, handclaps, and a popping bass line. The song expands from a sparse opening as layers of instrumentation build, creating a complex musical track. Sheila E returns on this track playing Drums
Ijeoma Oluo is a Seattle based author, public speaker, and internet presence. Named one of the most influential people in Seattle by Seattle Magazine. Her book "So You Want To Talk About Race" explores the complex realities of the modern racial landscape. She has a deep love and appreciation for Prince whom she considers the "Patron Saint of Black Weirdos"
Recorded during sessions for the New Power Generation's Maxi Single It was included as the twelfth and final track (eleventh song) on an October 1990 configuration of the New Power Generation maxi-single, but was removed from the final release, and the track remains unreleased.
Considered 'minimalist funk' this song has no bass line and only features drums, high-pitched synth, and Prince's signature falsetto
From the second album from Prince and the New Power Generation with an unpronounceable symbol as the title. Most People just refer to the album as "Symbol" or "Symbol of Love"
This song only appeared on fellow Paisley Park artist Jill Jones' self titled album and although Jill Jones was given official writing credits, the song was written solely by Prince. While David Z. and Jill Jones are listed as producers of the song, the only musicians known to have contributed to the track beyond Prince and Jill Jones is Clare Fischer's orchestra, hired by Prince.
This unreleased song has an anti-drug message in which Prince says that "Purple Music" does the same to his brain as reefer or cocaine. Prince's voice sounds slightly manipulated to suggest he is indeed getting high on his music as he sings. The song made its first and live appearance 28 years after its recording, on July 23rd, 2010 when Prince included it in a medley with All The Critics Love U In New York.
As of December 2016, 'Purple Rain' was ranked #2 in the "Top 10 Most Googled Songs"
This worldwide hit was Prince's first #1 Single remaining in that spot for 5 weeks. As of April 30, 2016, it has sold 1,385,448 copies in the United States. The Music Video was also directed by Prince himself.
The song was recorded in direct response to Lenny Kravitz's song Rock And Roll Is Dead, which had just been released. A lyric sheet given to attendees at a listening party for The Gold Experience (where this song was also played), ended with the credit "Thanx Lenny, call me in Minneapolis".
This cover is featured as a track on Prince's live album Indigo Nights, which mainly consists of songs played live during some of the after shows at the indigO2 night club in London in 2007. The CD is only sold coupled with the 21 Nights coffee table book.
Recorded live at Prince's last show ever in Seattle at the Showbox on April 18th, 2013 Featured on the album Purple Rain, the first album from Prince and the Revolution. The song was a Top 10 hit. Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 39 on the chart dated the week of May 14, 2016.
Uptown was the lead single in the U.S. to Prince's third album, 'Dirty Mind". The song refers to the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis that was the city's hang-out spot for artists as well as, addressing prejudices and racism, referring to 'Uptown' as a metaphor for an ideal place that is free of such things.
Jim Walsh is a writer, journalist, songwriter, and columnist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the author of 'The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting: An Oral History', and his singer/songwriter alter-ego The Mad Ripple has released two CDs, 'Sink and/or Swim' and 'Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships.'"
The very first time this song was ever played live. Prince once explained the meaning of 'Purple Rain' as "When there's blood in the sky, red + blue = purple. 'Purple Rain' pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain." The song was recorded during a benefit concert for the Minnesota Dance Theatre at the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis on August 3, 1983. The performance was guitarist Wendy Melvoin's live debut with The Revolution, at the age of 19.
Originally Written as a track for "The Family" on their only album, the song was later made famous by Sinead O'Connor before Prince finally started performing it live at his own shows. The Single will be re released on a 7" Vinyl on May 25th, 2018