R.I.P. John Blackwell, Jr.

Yesterday the world lost another wonderful musician when former Prince & the New Power Generation drummer John Blackwell passed away after a battle with brain tumors.  I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Blackwell during the Musicology tour in 2004 in Nashville.  I was sitting on the front row since I was a member of the NPG Music Club and during Renato's solo, John and the rest of the band (sans Prince of course) walked of stage.  He came over to me, held out a drum stick and asked, "Want one?" I couldn't grab it fast enough!!! He then asked how I liked the show so far and we talked for a minute or two. Then he introduced me to Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer.  They were all so down to earth.  Then he shook my hand, gave me a little wink and a laugh, then said, "Gotta go!" and pointed over his shoulder and he was right back up on stage behind his drum kit, banging out the beats for Prince.  I'd like to think that's what happened yesterday.  He had to go because Prince needed him to play the drum intro to Shhhh! one more time! Rest in Peace, John! You will be missed by us all!

Candles 4 Prince

Thank you to Cindy for the candles and the Pythian Princess for everything else! To my Purple Family, remember, "Hold on 2 Ur soul! We got a long way 2 go!"

A Tribute 4 the Fans

There have been countless tributes to Prince since his untimely death. Some were very good and some were...well...not so good (Madonna anyone?).  But this video in my opinion is one of the best tributes I have seen.

Olga Nunes Tribute to Prince

So Olga Nunes shared this wonderful tribute to Prince titled This Is What It Sound Like.  It is a great cover of When Doves Cry and I have watched this over and over.


Head over to her page here to read more about the video and to also find out how to order a copy of the print used in the video.  The artist who painted it has made it available and I have already ordered mine so grab it now while you can.

I just can’t believe all the things people say

I just can’t believe all the things people say

Controversy

So who was the real Prince? That's the question it seems that Billy Jack Bitch keeps asking every day on the latest edition of the Menda City News. Go to the market and all you see is trash mags promising you a look inside the secret world of Prince.  But what do they know? Not a damn thing! Their articles are filled with sensational suppositions and half-thought out conspiracy theories. He was a pill-popping drug addict! He was dying of cancer! He was dying of AIDS! He was murdered because he fought for his master tapes! He was a funkified alien who was recalled to the Mothership by Dr. Funkenstein! All these reasons for his death have been reported by the so-called media since that fateful day in April.  Well, maybe not the Dr. Funkenstein recall to the Mothership.  I just threw that in there but it's just as plausible as any of the mind-numbing pabulum spewed by these sound-bite social-media-swilling journalists.  So I repeat my initial question, who was the real Prince?

How did I get in this predicament?
How did I get in this jam?
The person that they accuse me of being of
That's not the one I really am

Prince was many things to all of us.  He was not just a musician, producer, writer, composer, performer and singer.  He was the Partyman.  He was Camille, Joey Coco, Alexander Nevermind and Spooky Electric.  He was Jamie Starr! He was funk, rock, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues and pop! He was a showman like none of us had ever seen.  You could not go to a Prince show and walk away feeling cheated.  No. You walked away exhausted, exhilarated, ecstatic, and overwhelmed.  You walked away knowing that you just witnessed the greatest show you had ever seen (at least until your next Prince show). When you went to a Prince show, you saw the New Power Generation come alive.  You became part of the Rainbow Children. You were a member of the Purple Army. There were no blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians or any other ethnicities at a Prince concert.  There was just the human race colored purple and we came together for at least one night to party like it was 1999!!!! I have met so many wonderful people over the years through the Prince community on line and at concerts all because of our love for Prince.  But where do we go from here?

Surrender all ye sad of heart

Today hold back no tears

The past is gone when we can

Start conquering our fears

I know some of you are still having a hard time accepting that Prince is gone and I understand that.  We are all sort of lost now.  We are all like the Strays of the World and it's okay to let the tears flow but eventually we must move on to the next chapter of our lives. That doesn't mean we forget Prince.  How could anyone forget him? It just means that we take him forward with us.  The memories he gave us.  The music, oh man, the music! There is so much music and since his death, I have opened the minds of several new fans to musical genius that was Prince.  No....the musical genius that IS Prince! For as long as he lives in our hearts and minds, he is still alive! He merely transformed! He transcended to a higher plane of existence!

Using a special code he accessed his mind

In search of the reason why

In passion and fashion he began travelin’ time

3rd eye, 3rd eye, 3rd eye

On Twitter, I have seen many people keep saying that they hope that this is all just a dream. Maybe it all is just a dream.  Maybe Prince was just a dream.  I mean, how could one man be that talented and that prolific and not be a dream.  But, I know it's not a dream. That's why I am thankful I have these great friends and purple family to lean on to help me get through this. By talking to them, I am able to sort through all the crazy stories and remember that those wild accusations are not who the real Prince was! Quite simply he was.......PRINCE!!!!

Hollyrock ain’t all it seems

Don’t get too serious,

it’s just a dream

Don’t forget your friends,

they’re all you’ve got

Listen to the story of a man

I am not

Sorry for rambling but I needed to say some of this to get it off my chest! Thanks for listening.... uh ...reading. 

 

NOTHING COMPARES 2 U

How Will U Know The Truth?

I'm just a no-name reporter
I wish I had nothing 2 say
Looking through my new camcorder
Trying 2 find a crime that pays
I get hit by mortars, everywhere I go I'm loitering
Chaos and disorder ruinin' my world 2day

That's the best way I can think of to describe what is going on right now with everything in the purple world after the tragic death of Prince.  With the rumor-mill operating in overtime, the media outlets, led by "Pulitzer prize winning" TMZ, are churning out one rampant, ludicrous article after another. "Prince Overdosed on Percocet!" "Prince had an out of control cocaine habit!" "Prince was murdered!" "Prince was an alien and called back to the mothership!" These are just some of the headlines that have been making the news lately. Well, maybe not the alien called back to the mothership headline.  I just made that up to show how ridiculous these sounded.  But you get the idea. The Carver County Sheriff's Office is still conducting its investigation into Prince's death and the autopsy results have yet to be released so all anyone can do is speculate and boy are they ever doing that. I understand wanting answers but why do so many feel the need to try and destroy the public image of the man that they practically ignored when he was alive? Why? Because that's what sells. Scandalous! 

What if half the things ever said
Turned out 2 be a lie...
How will U know the Truth
If U were given all the answers
And U stopped 2 wonder why
But how will U know the Truth

Will we ever know the truth about what truly led to the sudden untimely death of Prince? Who knows but there are some truths that we do know. Was he a once in a lifetime musician? Truth! Was he a musical influence of numerous artists of this generation? Truth! Was he one of the greatest, if not the greatest, live performer to grace the stage? Truth! Did he challenge the corporate music machine and make significant strides for artistic freedom? Truth! These are the things we need to remember and forget all that other noise! Remember how he lived and not how he died!

4teen years and tears I've longed 2 sing my song
But a horse couldn't drag your ass 2 put me on
But now I've got an army and we're three million strong
This song will ring in your ears when we are gone

And he still has an army! The Purple Army! The Prince Army! The Rainbow Children! The NPGMC! Whatever name you want to give it, we are an army and we stand tall and RISE UP for the man we followed.  We remember the way his music made us party, made us dance and brought out the raw emotions like no one else could.  We remember the man that could drive a crowd into a frenzy by just walking out on stage.  He once stole an entire awards show and that was just as a presenter.  These are the things we need to remember and not the latest headlines from the Menda City Media!  So to all the purple people out there, remember the Partyman that we all fell In Love with who took us to Erotic City in his Little Red Corvette. And even though he didn't leave a will, to the all gatekeepers of the mass media...

It's in his will, I read it
He shot 2 kill, he said it
4 those who know the number and don't call
Huh, fuck all y'all

Words can't describe.......

I have tried and tried to find the words to express the feelings and thoughts that are swirling in my mind after the death of Prince but I still haven't been able to sort through the maelstrom of emotions yet.  Hopefully I will be able to write something meaningful soon to explain exactly what Prince and his music mean to me.  Until then, I leave you with this.

Remember, Love4OneAnother!!!! Love4EachOther!!!! Love4All!!!! Peace!!!!!