Bryan Black's original article for The Face
Bart Van Hemelen
You've read the original article from The Face (UK style magazine,
volume 3 issue 74, March 2003):
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=p46c6vs6g1oi07n2hthpammihmmg8hml65%404ax.com
You've read Bryan Black's response to the article:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=5b2t6vk9cs34hjipa1417s608tjvn1vb3f%404ax.com
Now, exclusive, here's the article as he wrote it originally:
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Darling Nikki, as performed in the film Purple Rain. This was to be my
first foray into a world of seedy sexuality and raw, totally inspired
music. Up until then, I only knew KISS (the band). I still hadn’t even
kissed a girl, yet here was Prince with his fucking hands all over
Apollonia’s crotch. I wanted some of that. I tried to convince my
father that Purple Rain was far superior to Bruce Springsteen’s Born
In The USA. Both albums were on auto-play in our house. After enough
banter about Prince, my father finally agreed to sneak me into First
Avenue to check out this new sound. People were calling it Minneapolis
Funk.
12 years later and I’m having a conversation with Prince, in his
studio. And I’m getting paid for it. Here comes the irony: I wasn’t
really a fan of his anymore. Of course I had total respect and that.
But at this moment in my life, I thought Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb,
Foetus and Tricky were onto something much more bold and innovative.
Who needs ‘Diamonds and Pearls’, when you have songs like ‘Overcome’
and ‘Head Like a Hole’? I wondered why he just didn’t dig deep and
make another captivating record like Purple Rain. I soon learned the
answers to most of my questions and put to rest the frustration of not
getting another Prince album that would forever change my life, again.
October 31, 1996, and I’m lying half naked on my dirty, soiled futon
on the floor of my Minneapolis apartment. Having a quiet moment with
my girlfriend, watching some French films, and enjoying my time off
from Prince and my never-ending work at Paisley Park Studios. Phone
rings. Should I answer it? I already knew who it was. 5 minutes later,
I’m in my car speeding down highway 55.
At the studio, no one answers the buzzer. The parking lot is empty.
About to give up, I start walking back towards my car. Just then, The
Man himself runs down the stairs to let me in. He says something about
Morris needing me. Oh, right, Morris. Morris, the one who plays the
organ and keys for Prince and his ‘New Power Generation’. I’m sure the
problem is just a broken key, or a sample that doesn’t truncate
properly. So I’m thrusting my ear into Prince’s face, trying to make
out the problem. I didn’t want to risk missing what he had to say in
fear of having to address him for a request to repeat himself. I still
remember the first day on the job. ‘Whatever you do,’ I know, ‘don’t
call him Prince, right?’ So, I called him ‘Sir’ and he respected me
for that. From then on, he would always make sly remarks and jokes to
me about my work. I soon developed a newfound respect for him on a
personal level. After all, he must have hired me because he liked my
music. I didn’t know it at the time, but he filmed my band’s
performance at one of his parties at Paisley Park Studios. The next
day, I was offered the job.
It wasn’t until a few years ago, that I really took the time to listen
to the albums he made before and after Purple Rain. I couldn’t believe
my ears. In these records I found new inspiration, and a deeper
appreciation for Prince and his entire musical output from 1979-1989.
Just listen to ‘The Black Album’ or ‘Parade’, and then come see me
after the show.
--
bryan black lives in London. he is currently recording for two
projects: xlover and MOTOR.
xlover release their debut single ‘trash me’ later this spring on City
Rockers. A 7” is released in March on City 7’s. For the b-side, xlover
cover the Prince classic ‘controversy’.
MOTOR release their debut 12” in May on novamute. If Prince made
noise, this is what it might sound like.
For more information, check out www.xlover.net
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--
Bart Van Hemelen
http://pr1nc3.com/BVH/
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Looking for answer? Why not try:
http://pr1nc3.com/google.asp (for searching alt.music.prince history)
http://www.prince.org/faq/
http://www.prince.org/ (if there's any news, they'll probably have it)
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-- Matthew Felling, Washington D.C.'s Center for Media and Public Affairs,
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