The latest on Prince
The Ickmusic Hero of the Month is Arthur, who hooked me up in a trade with the Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, 2004 Prince aftershows at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The quality is superb, the set lists are amazing, and I’ve been one happy Prince fan the last few days. The parts that really hit me are hearing Prince reach back into his catalog for the old favorites. “The Beautiful Ones”, “Adore”, “Sign o the Times”, “Let’s Work”, “The Question of U”, “D.M.S.R.”, “I Feel For You”, and so many more (even the Time’s “777-9311” – which of course was a Jamie Starr production).
It brought me around again to wondering what is happening today. How 3121 was released back in March, and beyond the publicity blitz around that time with him and his latest protege Tamar, we have yet to see a tour. Meanwhile, his official site closed down due to a trademark issue, and Tamar’s CD has apparently been scrapped. See this 8/31 article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press for a look at the current state of affairs…
Secrets shroud Prince more than purple ever did
by Ross Raihala
Pioneer Press
Last week, Rhino Records quietly slipped the double-CD compilation “Ultimate Prince” into stores, five months after its original street date. Fans of the Purple One might remember back in March, when “Ultimate Prince,” which features one disc with his biggest hits and a second with hard-to-find remixes, was scheduled for release a week before his latest studio album, “3121.”
But at the last minute, Prince coerced Rhino (which is owned by his old nemesis, Warner Bros.) into delaying the compilation, lest it compete with “3121.” And it truly was an eleventh-hour decision, as “Ultimate Prince” appeared in that Sunday’s circulars for the big-box stores, and promotional copies of the set had already shipped to the media. (At the time, those rare promos were selling for up to $180 on eBay.)
– read the entire article
So suffice to say I hope everything steadies its course in Prince’s world, and he gets back to what he does best: making and performing his music, and please, more aftershows like these!
Prince:The Beautiful Ones (mp3) – live, 2-15-2004D.M.S.R. (mp3) – live, 2-14-2004
I thought I’d post this video since there are a good number of folks who have not seen Prince tear up the stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2004 ceremony (the year Prince was inducted). Prince’s guitar solo during “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, the all star tribute to George Harrison, was a show stealer to say the least. This performance won praise from Prince fans and non-Prince fans alike. Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne are showcased during the first half of the song. Then, Prince takes over. Watch……
Prince, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Dani Harrison, and Others: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Did you make it this far? Good. Are you anxious to hear the full aftershows? Well, a lucky winner will receive both nights, Feb. 14th and Feb. 15th. It’s as simple as leaving a comment below. One winner will be selected in a couple of days. Good luck….
Update – Related: Silence is a Rhythm Too has a couple of tunes posted from the new ‘Ultimate’ release. Check out the post here.
A WINNER!!! >>> See my comment below for the winner of the aftershows.
33 Comments
Charlie
I’d love to hear the full aftershows, so I’m leaving a comment.
Jon Richardson
I’d love to win those! Regardless, thanks you for all of the great music, Pete!!
Jon
Thierry
I love that people are still shocked when Prince walks onstage for a short cameo and steals the show – he’s only been doing it for 30 years, after all!!! My favourite Prince-steals-the-show-clip (and from JB and MJ, no less!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNoaVITHbjQ
Oh, and I really hope I get those aftershows!
dj anderson
That’s a heck of a lineup! Please let me win!
Pete
Thierry – yes, a classic! Prince and MJ being summoned on stage by James Brown. Gott love Prince knocking over that lamp post…
Zack
Excellent stuff. When that Hall of Fame ceremony broadcast back in 2003, my jaw hit the damn floor. I’m a huge Beatles fan, so seeing him rip up one of their best tracks was just amazing.
Pete
Zack – I remember reading soon after (and I can’t remember where) that Prince had never even heard the song “While My Guitar…” until shortly before the ceremony. I found that really surprising, I mean, everyone’s heard the Beatles. And coming from a guy who released “Paisley Park”, ‘Around the World in a Day’, etc.
Dan
I read Prince said he wasn’t familiar with the song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” before the RRHOF. I like that he always tries to keep an air of mystery about him, but come on…the man is a walking encyclopedia of music. Growing up with my mom listening to the Beatles and then my discovering Prince at 12 and learning all his influences has turned me into the rabid music fan I am today.
B2
Pete ~
Man, I just love how you keep coming up with this stuff! Regardless of whether I win a copy or not, you are the man!
The RRHOF performance is one of my all-time favorites. I especially like the look on Dani Harrison’s face when Prince does the Nestea Plunge off the front of the stage. Priceless!
By-the-way, I really would like a full copy of that aftershow! 🙂
el bandito
all good all good – thanks for continuing to drop cool stuff for us – we love it!
kurt
one night in august, 1988, i met a woman at a bar. i was going to see prince the next night, and invited her to come. she laughed and declined, but we ended up dating for years. we live far apart from each other now, but i saw her last weekend and we talked about the concert she should have gone too, and talked about many other things, and found a cassette of a prince show at a record store (8/13/93, paris) and i told her i’d send her the shirt i got at that concert in 1988 (which i still have) when i got home. 22 hours later and i’m finally home, checking email, and i find this message, what could be a perfect cap to a great, surprise weekend.
and if you want, i’ll even trade you the paris boot.
Bill Cassara
Great performance, but let Kurt win. He deserves it.
Eric Mortensen
Pete,
Great post!! Great memory. The clip of JB, MJ and Prince is also priceless, thanks, Thierry. Love to win because I like to win.
Robert Lewis
Pete,
Thanks for all the great music you post, especially Prince. I’ve seen him live twice, Lovesexy & Emancipation tour. One of the greatest performers I’ve seen; Miles Davis, Tom Waits & John Cale would be the other life- altering performances.
Do you know if there is any plans to release the album Prince did with Miles Davis?
I would love to win the aftershow but if Kurt would promise to get you the Paris show and if possible to share with us, give it to Kurt.
Have a great day,
sleepmonk-Robert
mul
nice one!
jeffro
damn, i love that song – any incarnation of it.
joseph
Prince aftershows are always great, I’d love to hear these. Thanks!
Francis
Well, if I’m going to comment in hopes of winning access to the aftershow recording, I feel like I should at least provide an amusing anecdote of some sort, so here you go:
When I first heard the song, “My Name Is Prince”, I misheard the lyric “When it come to funk, I am a junkie.” I thought he said “When it come to funk, I am the chunky.”
christine
my best friend looked at me the other day & said…you know I forget that Prince is really a GUITAR player…
and I had to laugh out loud at her.
But it’s true, if you’re not really a fan, you might just be blown over by the dancy/funky sound…
and forget he’s a guitar god.
DejaVoo
These tracks sound great. Thanks!
Justin
I had really overlooked DMSR as a good track until I heard it performed on the Musicology tour. Thanks for the live version.
Sean
i have been a prince fan for years but have never had the opportunity to take in one of his shows live, after hearing the quality of your links posted that would be the closest thing i’ve ever been to one of his shows … i have gotten back in to the purple one a lot lately since finding your site
i just wanted to say thanks for for all the great tunes !
good luck to all anf happy listening to the luck winner
Ronald
Personally I think that Princes performance at the R&R Hall of Fame is a bit over the top, like he’s trying to make a point like “I don’t take this song/lineup very serious you try doing my stuff instead”.
Whatever.
Chirag
Thanks again for bringing us the stuff we would otherwise never hear DMSR is awesome.
P actually had “something” & “a day in the life” on his ONA tour set list.
You know ive gotta have those aftershows!!!
Pete
Ronald – I see your point. P. has never really been familiar with the word humility, and his stage presence shows it. The man is all E-G-O, and always has been. At the end of the clip, throwing his guitar in the air to his guitar tech / body guard (or whoever) and strutting right off the stage – well – it wasn’t the classiest move considering the event and the musicians (his peers) onstage. But it goes with the territory. This is the guy who wouldn’t show up for USA for Africa’s “We Are the World” recording sessions in 1985 (he contributed his own song).
That being said, during the performance, I like the eye contact between Prince and Petty, and the smile on the face of Harrison’s son, Dani.
But yeah, I can understand your point!
>>>Ronald wrote:
Personally I think that Princes performance at the R&R Hall of Fame is a bit over the top, like he’s trying to make a point like “I don’t take this song/lineup very serious you try doing my stuff instead”.
Zack
Pete-
It wouldn’t totally surprise me if he hadn’t heard the song. If I recall, during the PR tour, Wendy and Lisa introduced him to a lot of classic rock that he hadn’t been exposed to – Beatles, Zeppelin, etc. Either way, he stole the show that night. Eat your heart out, Jeff Lynne!
Sean
well i think that P was totally justified in his performance @ R&RHoF , i mean come on why is P pushed to the side of the stage, believe me I love Jeff Lynne and Petty, but I didn’t love the “eye contact” between Petty & P, they kept trying to cut off P’s solo and he threw it in their faces … who was the inductee that night ? and how did his solo not jibe with the song ? it was F$%%^ing great, i think we all should remember the title of the song, i thought the P was on and how P was left out of the top 100 guitar player in rolling stone is a crime – P can hold is own of guitar with anyone ever, dead or alive !
Martin
Another great performance by Prince!
Pete
>>>> “I love Jeff Lynne and Petty, but I didn’t love the “eye contact” between Petty & P, they kept trying to cut off P’s solo and he threw it in their faces”
I see something different. . . That’ll be question # 1 in my forthcoming Tom Petty interview.
Pete
Well, I could only pick one. No offense to all the great commenters, but I have to stick to the one winner rule…
With a story of new love in the warm Parisian night before a Lovesexy Tour show, KURT, you are the winner. Congratulations!
Next time, I encourage everyone to follow this formula, even if you have to – err – embellish a little: “It was a dark cool Des Moines night in 1986. Julie pressed Eject and the El DeBarge tape flew to the ashtray below. Ah, the Rhythm of the Night indeed…” You know, along those lines! 😉
kurt
thanks, pete! for the cds and for doing this site.
B2
Well… Congratulations, Kurt. I promise to have a bigger whopper to tell next time! 🙂
Regardless, I feel like a winner just for having access to this site, Pete. Please keep up the good work! (is that enough sucking up to get in the running for the next one?) 😉
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