A visionary. A revolutionary talent. A true artist. A shy genius. A musical freak. An icon of both music and style. Heck he even became a symbol for a time. For music lovers around the world he was a kind of spiritual leader, and this is what it sounds like when Prince fans cry...
It was only a couple of months ago that Australian fans were delighted by the sudden news that Prince would be playing shows here, and by all accounts, they were unforgettable, magical experiences - so it is with heavy hearts that we have woken up to the news that the beloved musician has died at the far-too-young age of 57.
Prince had a keen interest in music from an early age, an interest that was nurtured by his musical family. He was a virtuoso on every instrument he touched with an incredible vocal range, yet he wasn't uptight in his performance style, able to express himself through his microphone, bass, guitar, drums, piano, or the studio desk. In a TV interview, he was asked how many instruments he could play. "Thousands", he responded.
Watch his amazing talent in action as he performs a medley (everything from Bob Dylan to the Foo Fighters to his own "Purple Rain") at the Superbowl halftime show in 2007:
It was 1978 when he released his debut album 'For You' via Warner Bros. Records. But it was in the 80's that he altered the path of pop music with the release of his brilliant and groundbreaking albums '1999', 'Purple Rain' and 'Sign O' the Times', firmly establishing him as an international superstar.
Not only was he extremely intelligent (with an IQ reported to be over 150), he was emotionally intelligent too. During his recent Australian shows he performed alone, just a piano and a microphone - an example of the diversity of his genius - able to tear up the stage during one of his electrifying rock shows with band 3rdeyegirl, or have fans on the edge of their seats, hanging onto every word and emotion.
He was an artist who marched to his own beat and could straddle both the mainstream and the avant garde - mixing funk, soul, pop, jazz and rock into a imaginative cocktail. Prince wasn't afraid of controversy and played on sexually explicit themes in his lyrics.
Prince leaves behind an incredible legacy that is almost unparalleled, both in his recorded body of work and the countless hits he wrote and produced for others.
Here's a fine selection of interesting cuts, classics, b-side & rarities put together by Yoruba label head Osunlade. A two hour journey through Prince’s multi-faceted genius, put this on and remember a truly great artist.
