Thursday, January 13, 2011
"Welcome 2 America" - My Official Prince Concert Review for Ghettoblaster Magazine
Check out the review here!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
"Even the Soliders Need a Break Sometimes" - Be Back Next Week
Hey everyone! Just checking in to say that I will have a full blog entry up next week (or sooner). My schedule is very hectic this week. However, I am working on securing a big interview for my book next week! If all goes according to plan, I hope to have another sneek peak posted by next Wednesday. I am also expecting to have my official "Welcome 2 America" concert review posted on a music website shortly. Please continue to keep your fingers crossed for me, and as always, I will keep you up to date!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
"All the Critics Love You" - Prince and the Media
As I mentioned last week, I was invited to talk about my book on Paisley Radio! I participated in last Sunday's show, and I had a wonderful time. I discussed the four phases of Prince's spiritual development (based on my research and interpretation) and some of my favorite Prince songs with spiritual messages, among other topics. I will embed the audio in a blog entry in the near future. You can listen here for a limited amount of time.
Some of my other plans for the past week were put on hold as I prepared for the start of the winter school quarter. However, I did receive helpful feedback from the director of my graduate program after he read an excerpt from the book. I'm meeting with him tomorrow to talk more about my project.
I intend to get back to contacting agents, creating my source list, requesting interviews and reading Dez Dickerson's book, but I also want to start expanding my research on a particular subject: Prince and the media. Specifically, I would like to scrutinize the media's reaction to Prince's spiritual expression in his music and interviews.
I've found that throughout the early period of Prince's career (1978-1983), the media recognized the artist's consistent mix of the sacred and profane, but didn't take the spiritual side seriously. Then, at the height of Purple Rain's success, the media seemed preoccupied with the lewd components of Prince's work. Because Prince did not open up to the media about his beliefs (or anything else, for that matter), his overtly sexual image became crystallized among the public. Perhaps this explains why today, a more outspoken Prince has trouble convincing people of his spiritual rebirth. Prince is no longer a commercial force in the vein of Purple Rain, and the world, already having acquired a solid image of Prince, is not watching as closely.
I've already written quite a bit about this issue, but there is room for more analysis. I wanted to briefly introduce this topic because I plan to cover it frequently in this blog as I do more research for my book.
Thanks for reading!
Some of my other plans for the past week were put on hold as I prepared for the start of the winter school quarter. However, I did receive helpful feedback from the director of my graduate program after he read an excerpt from the book. I'm meeting with him tomorrow to talk more about my project.
I intend to get back to contacting agents, creating my source list, requesting interviews and reading Dez Dickerson's book, but I also want to start expanding my research on a particular subject: Prince and the media. Specifically, I would like to scrutinize the media's reaction to Prince's spiritual expression in his music and interviews.
I've found that throughout the early period of Prince's career (1978-1983), the media recognized the artist's consistent mix of the sacred and profane, but didn't take the spiritual side seriously. Then, at the height of Purple Rain's success, the media seemed preoccupied with the lewd components of Prince's work. Because Prince did not open up to the media about his beliefs (or anything else, for that matter), his overtly sexual image became crystallized among the public. Perhaps this explains why today, a more outspoken Prince has trouble convincing people of his spiritual rebirth. Prince is no longer a commercial force in the vein of Purple Rain, and the world, already having acquired a solid image of Prince, is not watching as closely.
I've already written quite a bit about this issue, but there is room for more analysis. I wanted to briefly introduce this topic because I plan to cover it frequently in this blog as I do more research for my book.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
“It’s Just Around the Corner” – Slowly Progressing
There isn’t any huge news to report this week, but I am making progress with several small tasks. I am interacting more and more with Prince fans and contacting people for interviews. I also plan to consult another book agent and discuss my work on an online radio show.
I post frequently on the prince.org and princefams.com fan sites. The reactions are very interesting, and I take a lot of time to read through them and respond. Some of the opinions are very valuable; they make me think about my subject area in ways that I hadn’t explored. I am very thankful for these comments. After all, I want Prince fans to read the book.
One of my posts prompted a discussion of Prince’s possible dabbling in the occult. I’ve read a lot of material on Prince, but I’ve never come across this information. A lot of people dismiss the notion. I will look into it, and keep it in mind when I conduct interviews. If I find substantial evidence, I will definitely include it in the book. Some fans think that I will avoid topics that could potentially anger Prince.
I can’t predict what Prince will or will not like, but my goal is not to cater to him, nor to purposely upset him. I am trying to present an objective analysis of his spiritual development, and the motivation behind his change to the best of my ability. I am not arguing that his conversion to the Jehovah’s Witness faith made him better or worse as an artist. While spirituality is the book’s main theme, I am not trying to create a piece of Christian propaganda, as some fans seem to think. I hope that people will enjoy the book no matter what they believe.
Aside from commenting in Prince forums, I have been trying to contact a few more people for interviews. Facebook is proving to be a useful method, but I have been waiting a while for some people to respond. My goal for the next week is to create a spreadsheet of all potential sources and record all the times of attempted contact. With this method, I can be sure that I am trying to reach them at regular intervals until I get an answer.
I am still waiting on Dez Dickerson. I am excited to start his book, My Time With Prince, this week. I have read the Prince biographies, but I would like to start reading his band members’ books (the few that exist).
One of my professional contacts at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland put me in contact with a book agent who may provide me with tips for navigating through the publishing industry. I hope to begin talking with the agent soon. As I mentioned in an earlier post, a different contact at the Rock Hall provided feedback on my manuscript a couple years ago. Now, I am about to submit my work to the director of my graduate journalism program. I hope that I can turn my book into my master’s professional project—a requirement for the degree.
Finally, I received an invitation to talk about my book on Paisley Radio . I will keep you informed.
Stay tuned!
I post frequently on the prince.org and princefams.com fan sites. The reactions are very interesting, and I take a lot of time to read through them and respond. Some of the opinions are very valuable; they make me think about my subject area in ways that I hadn’t explored. I am very thankful for these comments. After all, I want Prince fans to read the book.
One of my posts prompted a discussion of Prince’s possible dabbling in the occult. I’ve read a lot of material on Prince, but I’ve never come across this information. A lot of people dismiss the notion. I will look into it, and keep it in mind when I conduct interviews. If I find substantial evidence, I will definitely include it in the book. Some fans think that I will avoid topics that could potentially anger Prince.
I can’t predict what Prince will or will not like, but my goal is not to cater to him, nor to purposely upset him. I am trying to present an objective analysis of his spiritual development, and the motivation behind his change to the best of my ability. I am not arguing that his conversion to the Jehovah’s Witness faith made him better or worse as an artist. While spirituality is the book’s main theme, I am not trying to create a piece of Christian propaganda, as some fans seem to think. I hope that people will enjoy the book no matter what they believe.
Aside from commenting in Prince forums, I have been trying to contact a few more people for interviews. Facebook is proving to be a useful method, but I have been waiting a while for some people to respond. My goal for the next week is to create a spreadsheet of all potential sources and record all the times of attempted contact. With this method, I can be sure that I am trying to reach them at regular intervals until I get an answer.
I am still waiting on Dez Dickerson. I am excited to start his book, My Time With Prince, this week. I have read the Prince biographies, but I would like to start reading his band members’ books (the few that exist).
One of my professional contacts at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland put me in contact with a book agent who may provide me with tips for navigating through the publishing industry. I hope to begin talking with the agent soon. As I mentioned in an earlier post, a different contact at the Rock Hall provided feedback on my manuscript a couple years ago. Now, I am about to submit my work to the director of my graduate journalism program. I hope that I can turn my book into my master’s professional project—a requirement for the degree.
Finally, I received an invitation to talk about my book on Paisley Radio . I will keep you informed.
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
“Gotta Tell the Truth Y'all” - Interview with Gayle Chapman
I successfully secured my first interview for my book last Thursday! I spoke via telephone to Gayle Chapman, the original keyboard player for Prince’s band which would later become The Revolution. Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Chapman moved to Minneapolis and played with Prince for two years.
I knew that Chapman would be a significant person to interview because there is an age-old story that she quit the band for religious reasons. According to numerous sources, Chapman, a Christian, grew uncomfortable with Prince’s lewd musical content. Chapman said that this story is false.
“All these books that are written are based on conjecture, other people’s opinions,” Chapman said. “Nobody bothered to ask me.”
There is also a popular story that Chapman disliked kissing Prince during the band’s performance of the racy song, “Head.” Chapman similarly denied this tale.
“It was work. I had no problem doing the work.”
Chapman shared the real reason for her departure and responded to my questions about Prince’s religion or spirituality during her time with him. We also had a fascinating conversation about spiritual light and spiritual darkness—concepts that I will definitely explore even more in my book as a result of our discussion.
Additionally, I asked Chapman if she was surprised that Prince converted to the Jehovah’s Witness faith.
“No,” she said, and offered an intriguing explanation.
One of the major highlights of the interview was Chapman’s description of the event that led her to Prince.
“The strangest thing happened that moved me forward in working for him,” she said. “It was a spiritual experience.”
Honestly, I can’t say that I am surprised at this occurrence. Based on my research, I have found that Prince’s life and career are filled with spiritual events, visions and transformations. Prince worked with many people who were Christians or who later became Christians. There are interesting patterns in Prince’s journey, whether you call it God’s will, fate or a series of coincidences. Chapman dismissed the latter possibility.
“I don’t believe in coincidences at all,” she said. “I would like to think that God’s influence in somebody’s life is so powerful, it will affect them for generations.”
“I think the real truth is that’s how powerful spiritual light is,” she continued. “God knows what He’s doing.”
With regard to my interview with her, she said, “I believe that my conversation will affect you for a long time.”
I think she may be right. I really enjoyed speaking to her, and she gave me a lot to think about even outside of my Prince-related research.
I will discuss the interview in more detail in my book.
Now that I’ve talked to Chapman, I hope that band members Dez Dickerson and Matt Fink will speak with me about their time with Prince.
I’ll keep you posted!
Subscribe to my e-mail list for updates on the book. Click here.
I knew that Chapman would be a significant person to interview because there is an age-old story that she quit the band for religious reasons. According to numerous sources, Chapman, a Christian, grew uncomfortable with Prince’s lewd musical content. Chapman said that this story is false.
“All these books that are written are based on conjecture, other people’s opinions,” Chapman said. “Nobody bothered to ask me.”
There is also a popular story that Chapman disliked kissing Prince during the band’s performance of the racy song, “Head.” Chapman similarly denied this tale.
“It was work. I had no problem doing the work.”
Chapman shared the real reason for her departure and responded to my questions about Prince’s religion or spirituality during her time with him. We also had a fascinating conversation about spiritual light and spiritual darkness—concepts that I will definitely explore even more in my book as a result of our discussion.
Additionally, I asked Chapman if she was surprised that Prince converted to the Jehovah’s Witness faith.
“No,” she said, and offered an intriguing explanation.
One of the major highlights of the interview was Chapman’s description of the event that led her to Prince.
“The strangest thing happened that moved me forward in working for him,” she said. “It was a spiritual experience.”
Honestly, I can’t say that I am surprised at this occurrence. Based on my research, I have found that Prince’s life and career are filled with spiritual events, visions and transformations. Prince worked with many people who were Christians or who later became Christians. There are interesting patterns in Prince’s journey, whether you call it God’s will, fate or a series of coincidences. Chapman dismissed the latter possibility.
“I don’t believe in coincidences at all,” she said. “I would like to think that God’s influence in somebody’s life is so powerful, it will affect them for generations.”
“I think the real truth is that’s how powerful spiritual light is,” she continued. “God knows what He’s doing.”
With regard to my interview with her, she said, “I believe that my conversation will affect you for a long time.”
I think she may be right. I really enjoyed speaking to her, and she gave me a lot to think about even outside of my Prince-related research.
I will discuss the interview in more detail in my book.
Now that I’ve talked to Chapman, I hope that band members Dez Dickerson and Matt Fink will speak with me about their time with Prince.
I’ll keep you posted!
Subscribe to my e-mail list for updates on the book. Click here.
“Ain’t Nothin’ Like Funky Music” - Prince at Madison Square Garden
I had one of the best nights of my life Saturday, December 18 in New York. Prince’s concert at Madison Square Garden was a non-stop party featuring countless hits, dancing, chanting, otherworldly musicianship and surprises. My favorite moments included Prince’s crazy solo on the lesser-known slow-jam “Shhh” and Sheila E.’s entrance on to the stage, which was in the shape of Prince’s famous symbol, during “U Got the Look.” I could barely contain myself when Prince invited numerous celebrities—from Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx to Whoopi Goldberg and Spike Lee—to join him on stage during “A Love Bizarre.”
I won’t go into much more detail about the concert itself; reviews can be found all over the Internet (I will also post at least one of my own a little later on a different site).
Unfortunately, I didn’t receive a miracle, last-minute phone call granting clearance to sit in the press section or interview the performers. I did wait around Manhattan for the scoop on any after shows or after parties. Sadly, Prince did not perform after the concert. Instead, he had a celebrity-only gathering at the Village Underground.
My experience in New York really inspired me to keep going with my book. When I mentioned to a friend of a friend that I was going to see Prince, she responded, “I heard he’s all into being a Jehovah’s Witness now.” I get the impression that many people think Prince is a religious fanatic whose concerts are odd and preachy. I find myself wanting to scream, “He’s still funky!”
While you won’t find him doing “Darling Nikki,” “Head” or “Sexy M.F.,” he still plays a lot of his hits, and puts on a fun, energetic show. The concert at Madison Square Garden certainly proved this fact. There wasn’t any swearing and the artist did not make overtly sexual references, but there were no sermons either. I saw a mature, positive performer with a conscience, who was still accessible and entertaining. I like the fact that Prince has concerts that children and adults can enjoy without losing his swagger.
The other extreme response to Prince’s spirituality is disbelief. I find that many people won’t accept that Prince has changed from the explicit performer that he was in the past. My book traces Prince’s spiritual development over the years. I really believe that there is a need for this work.
Thanks for following me on my journey. There is more to come!
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