January 1997- Prince Guitare Magazine Cover & Feature

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. Interview by Serge Simonart