Prince (Musician)

Prince first hit the cover of Rolling Stone 30 years ago

A lot of things have changed in the past 30 years, but several of the controversial aspects of Prince were already fully established. For his first Rolling Stone cover story, which hit stands three decades ago this week, his twisted relationship with the press is as much of the story as the music it ... More >>

Fatoumata Diawara: I'm working on a voice for women that didn't exist before

Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara may be a newer name to music fans in the States but she has had a long career in her native country and her homebase, France, since the mid-'90s as a stage and film actress. She blends the background of southwestern Mali's Wassoulou traditions with her life experience ... More >>

The Lewis Connection: Resurrecting a legendary album

The band's self-titled album will be reissued by Chicago's Numero Group after 30 years

Bobby Z's Benefit 2 Celebrate Life at First Avenue, 3/9/13

Bobby Z's Benefit 2 Celebrate LifeWith Princess, ?uestlove, Dez Dickerson, Andre Cymone, Dr. Fink, and Alexander O'NealFirst Avenue, MinneapolisSaturday, March 9, 2013The draws for Saturday's second annual Benefit 2 Celebrate Life at First Avenue were many, but Princess was the most unique, by far. ... More >>

Princess: We've been obsessed with Prince for over 30 years

College pals Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum, the pair behind Prince tribute act Princess, make for the perfect combination of soulful spirit and high regard for the Purple One's ouvre and its musical legacy. Rudolph, who often showed off her singing voice as a Saturday Night Live cast member, an ... More >>

Why Prince should let Weird Al Yankovic parody his songs

The undeniably white and nerdy Weird Al Yankovic has received the blessing of umpteen pop musicians for his humorous pursuits over the past three decades. "Smells Like Nirvana" victim Kurt Cobain even called him "America's modern pop-rock genious [sic]" in his journals. As a result, we have a lifeti ... More >>

Princetagram iPhone app unveiled by Jimmy Fallon

Some of the greatest innovations and stupidest pet tricks come out of late-night television, so it's no surprise that Late Night With Jimmy Fallon introduced Princetagram to the masses this week.With Prince fan ?uestlove -- who will perform at the Bobby Z's second Benefit 2 Celebrate Life on March 9 ... More >>

Prince's "Surprise" at Dakota Jazz Club, 1/18/13

Prince's "Surprise" show, late set Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis Friday, January 18, 2013The third and final night of Prince's run at the Dakota Jazz Club was dubbed "Surprise," so it was no shocker that there was rampant speculation going around about what the surprise might be. After attending t ... More >>

5 possible surprises at tonight's Prince show

Prince's shows tonight at the Dakota, his last of these "open rehearsal" concerts, are advertised on the Dakota's website with four simple words (and extra punctuation): "Surprise!! (don't miss this!)." These shows sold out in scant minutes and there was almost a Pavlovian willingness to fork over l ... More >>

Ten Stories About Prince that are better than fan fiction

"Oh, you live in Minnesota? You must know Prince." This post is for anyone who has fielded an asinine inquiry like that one at some point. Minneapolis resident Charlie Pauken had heard enough ludicrous questions about his relationship with the Purple One from friends back in his old home of Bowling ... More >>

Maya Rudolph is in a Prince cover band called Princess

Anyone who found themselves plopped down in front of the radio this past weekend could've happened upon a NPR story about Princess, a new female-fronted covers act that plays the hits of Prince. This new purple project is fronted by former Saturday Night Live not-for-prime-time player Maya Rudolph a ... More >>

The Afghan Whigs at Varsity Theater, 10/28/12

The Afghan WhigsWith WussyVarsity Theater, MinneapolisSunday, October 28, 2012"What else you got? I want you naked in three more songs," the Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli called to the adoring person who threw a sparkling black scarf onstage amid "What Jail is Like," from 1993's Gentlemen. "I'm not jokin ... More >>

Halloween costume ideas, 2012: Music icons

At this point, Halloween is pretty much upon us. If you haven't picked out a costume for all those parties and concerts this weekend, then it just so happens you're in luck. Instead of rocking the tired Jimi Hendrix look or that blase Elvis jumpsuit, go for something a little more modern, relevant, ... More >>

Prince ditches afro for "Rock & Roll Love Affair" on Jimmy Kimmel Live

After a month, Prince has brushed aside the afro look for a more familiar coiffure. The grand occasion was to bring his latest single "Rock & Roll Love Affair" to the late-night trappings of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Still the rest of his retro fashion lives on in the clip, including the globe-shaped s ... More >>

Weirdest Prince-themed merchandise

Reigning purple royalty Prince will always have a special place in our hearts, but for some people, this place is really special. October 13 marked the 20th anniversary of the Love Symbol Album release, and we checked out the some of the craziest Prince merchandise we could find. Considering the guy ... More >>

Amanda Palmer on Theater Is Evil, Twitter and assless pants

From releasing her latest album to high praise and facing unexpected kerfuffles, Amanda Palmer has been quite hot topic this fall. The alt-rock, punk cabaret singer burst onto the scene in the early 2000s as one half of the Dresden Dolls and has spent the last decade building a steadfast following t ... More >>

Prince made fans wait an hour for Welcome 2 Chicago encore

A newly afro-ed Prince's opening night of his three-evening Welcome 2 Chicago residency at the United Center proved to be a test of most fans' patience. Although Chicago-area supporters have already waited eight years to get to these concerts, it seemed that most weren't prepared to hang in their se ... More >>

Prince protégé-backup singer Andy Allo releasing funky new album

See Also: Prince adds Welcome 2 Chicago show supporting ex-Obama staffer Van JonesPrince's rumored St. Paul concert isn't happeningPrince look-alike contests were so much better in 1985Prince has a new BFF. The Cameroon-born, Sacramento-based soulful songstress Andy Allo has toured extensively with ... More >>

Prince is MTV Video Music Awards royalty: A history

See Also:Prince adds Welcome 2 Chicago show supporting ex-Obama staffer Van JonesPrince's rumored St. Paul concert isn't happeningPrince vs. Yoda, a tale of the tape The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards take place this evening. For almost 30 years, the show has honored the best clips that the medium of ... More >>

Purple Rain is 28: Watch Prince: The Glory Years to celebrate

Related:Prince is 54 today: Some required reading The legacy and longevity of Prince's landmark album, Purple Rain, will forever be preserved thanks to the recent efforts of the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. And now we can all celebrate the 28th anniversary of the release ... More >>

Prince's Purple Rain preserved by National Recording Registry

No matter how well (or poorly) you think Prince and the Revolution's Purple Rain has aged over the years, the Library Of Congress has just seen to it that the Purple One's seminal 1984 album will live on forever. Purple Rain, along with 24 other recordings, has just been selected for induction i ... More >>

Five Prince perfumes that would smell sweeter than 3121

A New York judge this week ordered Prince to pay a perfume maker nearly $4 million for failing to promote the 3121 line of scents that were a tie-in to the release of 2006's 3121. This is yet another bizarre entry in the life of Prince Rogers Nelson, a life in which each successive chapter manages ... More >>

First Avenue's 20 best concerts: The complete list

Related:First Avenue: An archived history via flyers, riders & contractsFirst Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete listFirst Avenue is undoubtedly among the premier rock clubs in the country -- possibly the world. Since 1970, the building at the interse ... More >>

First Avenue's 20 best concerts: #10-1

Related:Slideshow: First Avenue: An archived history via flyers, riders & contracts First Avenue's 20 best concerts: #20-11First Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list10. Basement Jaxx, First Avenue, 10/08/01Basement Jaxx's first appearance in Minne ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list

​Related:Minneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.Minnesotans need to remember to exhale sometimes -- especially fresh on the heels of being ranked as the number two music scene in the country. Shouldn't it be enough to simply enjoy a rich history of quality musicians blossoming from f ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: #10-1

​Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: #20-11Minneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.10. Babes in ToylandOrigin: Minneapolis | Active: 1987-2001 | Songs: "Bruise Violet" and "Sweet 69"  Kat Bjelland is one of the nastiest female vocalists, period. Although the woman who adeptl ... More >>

Prince & the Revolution reunite -- on video

Prince performing "When U Were Mine" in 1983.​Nostalgia for Prince and the Revolution is running over the brim for many in the Twin Cities at the moment. Sunday evening's Benefit 2 Celebrate Life marked the reunion of his Purple Excellence's backing band at First Avenue and the renewed health of d ... More >>

The Revolution Reunion at First Avenue, 2/19/12

Photo by Steve Cohen​Prince and The RevolutionFirst Avenue, Minneapolis Sunday, February 19, 2012View a slideshow from the concert here.Sure, it wasn't advertised as a Prince show. For many, the Revolution's First Avenue reunion was mainly about the nostalgia. It was great to see Bobby Z playing t ... More >>

Bobby Z on Revolution reunion: We'll know if Prince is coming when he's onstage

​Last year, Prince & the Revolution drummer Robert Rivkin, AKA Bobby Z was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack, and his survival was uncertain. After a year of rehabilitation, Z is healthy, and has started a foundation, My Purple Heart, to benefit heart health education and working in ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Schoolboy Q, Dr. Dog, Yacht, and more

The Revolution

The Voice's Prince medley should include the following songs

​The Voice recently announced that its celeb judges -- Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Maroon 5's Adam Levine -- would attempt a medley of Prince tunes in its second episode this season. No word on a guest appearance by the celebrated songwriter himself, but this is a refreshi ... More >>

Was Tapes 'n Tapes cover of Prince's "Purple Rain" wise?

Photo by Erik HessTapes 'n Tapes' Josh Grier never wanted to be your weekend lover.​One of the surprises of the Current's 7th Birthday festivities at First Avenue this past weekend was undeniably Tapes 'n Tapes' climactic cover of Prince's epic hit "Purple Rain." Our Gimme Noise correspondent call ... More >>

The Original 7ven help launch the start of the NBA season

​Not only can local pro hoops fans finally rejoice that the lengthy NBA strike has at long last been settled, and the restocked and recharged (but still substandard, apparently) Minnesota Timberwolves can decisively take to the court again. But they can also take some pride in knowing that loca ... More >>

Twin Cities Year in Music 2011

Howler, Astronautalis, Pink Mink, and more

Prince covers the Cars, Michael Jackson on Canadian tour

​Prince to George Lopez, April 2011: "My problem is when the industry covers the music," he said. "There's this thing called compulsory licensing law that allows artists through the record companies to take your music at will without your permission."

Al Jarreau talks Prince, the Roots, and spending 40 years in the music business

​Some might say that 34 seems a bit "past one's prime" to have started a singing career. For Al Jarreau, that's never seemed to matter. Having been the only vocalist in history to garner Grammy Awards across three different genre categories (jazz, pop and R&B), and with 21 albums, seven Grammy ... More >>

50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene

Here's a not-so-secret fact about Minnesota music: People love to talk about how much they love the scene here. Musicians from both out-of-state and the Twin Cities have gone out of their way to pen odes to our town and its vibrant community, from Atmosphere to Lucinda Williams Tom Waits to Mark Ma ... More >>

fDeluxe's St. Paul Peterson talks about the Minneapolis Sound, working with Prince, and the rebirth of the Family

​Shortly after Purple Rain put Minneapolis on the map of the music world, Prince formed a little short-lived band called the Family. They would only record one album and play one sold-out show at First Avenue before disbanding, but their impact is still felt to this day. Though the musicians occas ... More >>

53 things you might not know about Prince

A November 1984 issue of City Pages​Devoted Gimme Noise readers already know that we're big fans of Prince around these parts -- we even have an entire wing of our blog roped off for Purple One-related posts. So when we heard today is Prince's 53rd birthday, we jumped at the chance to geek out and ... More >>

Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester gets serenaded by Prince

photo via @coolburbs​As you are likely aware, Prince Rogers Nelson has, for the past month and change, been putting peoples' brains in a blender with his Welcome 2 America not-really-a-tour of New York and New Jersey.Last night's show at Madison Square Garden marked possibly the most celebrity-she ... More >>

The Minnesota Historical Society preserves local music history

See Prince's Purple Rain suit and the original First Avenue light board

Michael Jackson's newest record said to be fake

​The biggest pop star in the world - a claim that is now at least arguable, well over a year after his death - is having a difficult week. There's chatter that the recordings on his upcoming December release Michael aren't actually him. Given the state of the music business and the sheer value of ... More >>

Prince announces five-show run in NYC

​A couple of weeks ago, we wrote about a mysterious press conference conducted by Prince in New York City in which he announced plans for a "series of events" called Welcome 2 America that would kick off on "a purple day in December" and include a range of collaborators. This week, more details ab ... More >>

Picked to Click 2010

Pink Mink lead the pack in our 20th annual best-new-bands poll

Prince unveils new 'series of events' at mysterious press conference

​What would a Prince press conference be without a little smoke and mirrors? Yesterday afternoon, the Purple One beckoned reporters to the Apollo Theater in Harlem for a brief press conference so he could unveil a new "series of events" in the odd and terse way only he can execute.

Jason Derülo comes to First Ave tonight

​Jason Derülo isn't what you would expect from a 21 year old hip-hopper. But according to Jason, it's not hip-hop -- it's a new facet of pop, evident in his first single "Watcha Say," which was a #1 US single that went 3x Platinum in 2009. Aided by the all-familiar sounds of auto-tuning, the song ... More >>

Prince's unreleased albums leaked

Frowning​Prince is as prolific as he is mercurial. Who knows the wonders sitting in the vaults of Paisley Park, waiting for a flight of fancy to breathe once more. Sometimes they pop up here and there.Earlier this year someone uploaded to YouTube old rehearsal footage from around the time of Purpl ... More >>

Prince vs. Yoda, a tale of the tape

"From the heart of Minnesota, here come the purple Yoda." So sayeth Prince in his new song "Laydown." In light of this, we wanted to see how Prince and Yoda would actually match up.​Prince, "Laydown"