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Showing posts from June, 2014

Jon Bream talks 2 Minnesota Radio about visit 2 Paisley Park 2 hear new tracks (Audio)

Jon Bream appeared on local Minnesota radio station WCCO News Talk, to discuss his experience visiting Paisley Park at the weekend and hearing new tracks from another new Prince album.  If you're not keeping up, this is separate from the previously touted 3rdEyeGirl record, Plectrum Electrum. Bream was called by Paisley Park whilst working elsewhere and summoned to checkout some new music by Prince.  Bream writes for the Star Tribune, Minneapolis and has covered Prince's career since it began - they have a long history together.  Bream captured the amazing atmosphere around the Gold Tour in the liner notes to The Gold Experience album.  So it was not so unusual for Prince to call Jon up to check this stuff out.  Bream describes a relationship of mutual respect between him and Prince. Bream describes being taken into Studio B at Paisley Park by staff, with one other reporter, where the band and tour manager were waiting.  Prince was not present.  He describes listening to tw

Soul Lifted by a Love Supreme

This is not about Prince.  It's about someone who has influenced Prince.  One of those rare individuals that goes to the well of creativity and comes back with something so unique that it lasts forever and has the power to reach so many people. I've admired the music of John Coltrane for many years.  Until I heard Coltrane I enjoyed the sax, but in a chilled out background music way.  There was something in the way that he played those standards that had an edge to it - something different.  Overtime, I would visit my local second hand record shop and pick up Coltrane on vinyl for next to nothing.  Listening to these albums was a revelation.  I'll never forget listening to The European Tour double LP.  Hearing songs transformed from pleasant jazz standards, twisted, wrenched and dragged into another dimension. This is music you either love or hate I think.  An acquired taste.  One that I acquired and being born too late to see the legend perform I was very glad to

New Song Butter Face Lyrics

At the Roundhouse Prince played a variant on The Ride (slow, bluesy, guitar based track) with new lyrics.  We're referring to it as Butterface.... Lyrics transcript by #JamieStarr1uk People think they know her But that really ain’t the case.... (yeah!) They talk about her private life They’ve only got just a taste Dirty Troll?,  Scallywag,  Jezebel, Disgrace Call her what you want to But I call her... Butter Face Everywhere Butter Face go She’s the talk of the whole place She might be a 6 or a 7 (hmmph!) But I bet you she won’t go to waste! Everythin’ ‘bout Butter look good (y’all ain’t heard me) Everythin’ ‘bout Butter look good Everythin’ ‘bout Butter look good But her face! (y’all know what I’m talkin’ bout – turn it out!) I’m tellin’ y’all right now If you see her, just in case Nobody know where she came from I’m thinking deep space...! Whatever’s goin’ on wit Butter I bet you she don’t go to waste Cos everythin’ ‘bout Butter look good But her f

Back at the Hippodrome

Report on the Roundhouse show 2 is on its way!  In the meantime..... The aim of this post is to be an uncharacteristically quick description of events last night... Heard about the private show happening (for those attending the UK premier of the movie Belle) at the Hippodrome, Leicester Square.  Site of one of my all time favourite aftershows by the way.... Went down there, thinking - meet up with friends, have a drink, probably no chance of getting in - but would be good to talk outside of zooming around to fan invented aftershow party venues / home after the Roundhouse gig. Found a small gathering of purple people outside Hippodrome, hoping to somehow get in or see what was happening. Went for a meal - completely chilled about what was / wasn't going to happen. The Hippodrome is now a casino.  Like all casinos, security is extremely tight because of the money going around etc.  As me and Rob walked around the place after our meal - I felt sure that we must'v

A Case of an Electric Night as Prince & 3rdEyeGirl play the Roundhouse in London

Last night something happened - to me.  Maybe it happened to you to? Maybe it happened to you long ago?  Transcending the setlist.  Revelling in the moment, in the Party, in witnessing this master at work.  I'm the guy that loved the Gold Experience tour - when he played no hits.  I love hearing what he's doing next and what he's passionate about - wishing he would tour his new albums and really let them out to play.  But last night, instead of disappointment at familiar parts of the set - I let go and got swept along for the ride.  The familiar parts weren't for me - they were for those coming for the first time and I was happy for them.  And strangely, by taking that approach, I found that they were for me as well - just to have fun and relax - safe in the knowledge that Prince had me covered - there would be some gems in there to make it a unique experience.  I remember the first time I saw Prince and heard him play Purple Rain live.  It's a moment and feeling I

When is Plectrum Electrum? Spotlight on the *Electric* Donna Grantis

Imagine you are walking past the back door of your favourite local grimy dive where THE best up and coming bands play.  The door has been left ajar and you hear the crashes of drums, strains of hard rocking guitars loosely colliding building an electric tension.  You don't know who is about to hit the stage, but there is a palpable tension in the air created just by the sound of this band slinging a guitar strap over their shoulders, stretching their fingers and warming up the drums.  This is what the beginning of the album "Suites" by the Donna Grantis Electric Band sounds like. You run around to get into the venue and as they hit the stage and the band launches into a hard rocking instrumental, reminiscent of some of the greatest moments of Led Zeppelin.  A driving rhythm section and wailing guitar that at times soars away, taking your mind with it.  This track sounds very familiar to you - is it Prince? You may have heard this track in a short video quite