"I'll Tell Your Story" - Finally Finished Editing!

I finally finished editing the first four chapters of the book in the early hours of December 15. My professor is reviewing the manuscript now. Since then, I've been taking a break and focusing on my job. Next week, I will start working on the section about other artists' spiritual journeys.

Preface, Prologue and Chapters 1-4! (Taken on Instagram)

Happy Holidays!

"'Oh, My Favorite Song'" - Prince's First Five Albums

I'm still editing, so I thought I'd do a different type of post. I am finished writing about the 1999 era of Prince's life, so I'll share my favorite song from each album up to that point:

1. For You: "Soft and Wet." I hate to admit it, but I don't really listen to the other songs on Prince's first album.


2. Prince: I'll have to go with the hit single, "I Wanna Be Your Lover." It's a classic. I also enjoy "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" and "I Feel For You."


3. Dirty Mind: "When You Were Mine." I especially like the live version on the One Nite Alone...Live! album. 


4. Controversy: It's a tie between the title track and "Annie Christian." I fell in love with "Annie Christian" when I heard it; it's so different and the guitar playing is awesome!


5. 1999: It's definitely "D.M.S.R." I dance every time I play that song. "Clap yo' hands on the four, now..."

What is your favorite song from each album?

"Lookin' for My Sunshine" - The Dark, Grueling Editing Process

I'm being dramatic, but the editing process is painstaking. I was wrong; chapter four is not really behind me. I've spent the past couple weeks making some corrections to the prologue and first four chapters. Adding the Chicago-style citations is especially time-consuming.

I normally work at home, but I'll probably go to a café tomorrow evening for a change of scenery. Here's a pic from my last session at a local bookstore:

The image above is from my Instagram account. I just started it. Follow me!

Here are some more pictures (they're not Prince-related; I just wanted to try out the Instagram widget):

 

Are you on Instagram? I'll follow you!

"Paint a Perfect Picture" - Prince on Pinterest

Well, the Prince is not on Pinterest. However, there are TONS of Prince boards on Pinterest. I'm surprised that Prince hasn't tried to shut them down. I noticed the boards because I recently joined the social media site. I'm promoting my blog through my "A Purple Day in December" board. Follow me!

Other than that, I've just been writing. I've completed chapter four! I've also finished the Marvin Gaye biography. I'm about to start the book on Stevie Wonder.

Now that chapter four is behind me, I hope to resume my weekly blogging schedule.

Are you on Pinterest? I'll follow you!

"I Was Dreamin' When I Wrote This" - The 1999 Album

It's been a stressful week. Sorry, I'm posting a day late. I am about to start writing chapter four. The album of the moment is 1999 (1982). I will be analyzing the spiritual concepts included on that album.

Amazon.com

Prince fans: what is your favorite track on 1999?

"You Didn't Record This, Right?" - Organizing My Interviews

It's time for me to actually delete some interviews from my digital recorder, and organize them on my computer. This is just a fraction of my digital files:

I haven't even named them. It's so bad. I've had my recorder since 2010. All of my Prince-related interviews are mixed together with my interviews for Billboard, Sister 2 Sister, etc. I am going to start getting this under control today!

"Take a Picture, Sweetie!" - Odds and Ends from the Past Week

It has been ages since I've blogged (well, just about a month). I have a good excuse; I started a new job! I have been focusing on that, but I'm back! Here are some pictures that capture what I've been up to:

I am almost finished with chapter three.

The album of the moment is no longer Dirty Mind; it's Controversy (1981). I am currently analyzing the spiritual themes included on the album. I just bought a new copy from Amazon.com.

After scoring interviews with Chris Moon, Jill Jones and Roy Bennett, I've had some declines. Prince's ex-protégé Denise Matthews (a.k.a. "Vanity") declined, but she sent me a really nice message. It actually made my day. I also had a prospect who agreed to do the interview if he (or she) could have a copy of my entire pre-published book. I had to pass on that.

Prince fans: what is your favorite track on Controversy?

"The Light of God" - Interview with Roy Bennett

"I used to have to do lighting scenes as if the lights were God talking back to him."

As I mentioned, I also interviewed Roy Bennett, a lighting and set designer who worked with Prince for 14 years. I'm so grateful that he took time out from his busy schedule to speak with me. Here are some of the subjects we touched on:

• How did the audience respond to Prince's "conversations with God" during the "Purple Rain" tour?


• How did the audience respond to the spiritual segment of the "Lovesexy" tour?


• At what point in his career did Prince seem to be communicating a spiritual message to his audience?


• What changes occurred for Prince during the 1990s?


• What prop was almost always present on Prince's tours?

Prince fans: do you already know some of the answers to the questions above?

"She's Always in My Hair" - Interview with Jill Jones

My interview with Jill Jones is extremely significant for the book. It is a real breakthrough. For those who don't know, Jill is Prince's ex-girlfriend and a singer who collaborated with him throughout the 1980s. She sang on the 1999 album and tour, and she appears in the music videos for "1999" and "Automatic." She also has small roles in the Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge movies.

It was such a pleasure speaking with her. Here are some topics from the interview:

• Was Prince "spiritual" or "religious" prior to the Lovesexy era?


• Was there any exploration of the occult?


• How does Stevie Nicks factor into Prince's spiritual journey?


• What was the story behind the composition of the song "The Cross?"


• What is the origin of Prince's fascination with "the Dawn?"


• What was Prince's religious perception of the U.S. air strike on Libya in 1986? 


• Did Prince really write "She's Always in My Hair" for Jill?

...And much, much more!

Prince fans: do you already know some of the answers to the questions above?

"Soft and Wet" - Interview with Chris Moon

I'm back and still extremely tired. As promised, I have some information from my interview with Chris Moon, a lyricist and studio owner who knew Prince as a teenager. Moon taught Prince how to use studio equipment, and he was the first person to put together a marketing package for the artist. Additionally, Moon famously wrote the lyrics for Prince's first single, "Soft and Wet."

Moon provided a lot of information, including both facts and his personal opinions:

• Did Prince choose music as his first career goal?


• What stage name did Prince almost choose?


• Is Prince really a "musical genius?" 


• Was Prince "spiritual" or "religious" as a teenager?


• Were the "conversations with God" on the "Purple Rain" tour sincere?


• Is Moon surprised that Prince is a Jehovah's Witness today?


• Am I a biased biographer?

Yeah, we had an interesting chat about my intentions. I'm always open to advice, and he gave me some things to think about as I write.

My next blog entry will be about my interview with Jill Jones. Also, GREAT NEWS: I just interviewed Roy Bennett, the lighting and set designer who worked with Prince for 14 years.

Check out my other interviews here.

Stay tuned!

Prince fans: do you already know the answers to some of the questions above?

"Something to Believe in" - Other Artists' Spiritual Journeys

Unfortunately, I have to keep it short this week. I am still transcribing the new interviews. I promise that I will write about them in my next two posts. As you know, I'm researching the spiritual journeys of other artists, and I just bought three books:

Which book would you read?

"Dirty Mind" - Prince's Third Album + New Interviews!!

I know, I know, I didn't blog last week. I was too busy doing...two new interviews for the book! I'm so excited! More on that later. First, I want to talk about Dirty Mind:

Amazon.com

I've completed the second chapter of the book, which means that I am currently working on the 1980-1984 section. In an earlier blog post, I mentioned that I'm having fun revisiting Prince albums. Now, I'm about to give Dirty Mind (1980) another listen. After releasing For You (1978) and Prince (1979), he definitely upped the ante in terms of explicit content. So, Dirty Mind can't possibly fit in Prince's spiritual journey, right? You'd be surprised...

Just a few weeks ago, I was talking about the rejection I'd experienced regarding interviews, and now I've talked to two important people in the Prince world: Chris Moon, who taught Prince how to use studio equipment, and Jill Jones, Prince's ex-girlfriend and background vocalist for several years in the 1980s. I had an amazing time talking to them, and I will share more from these interviews in the next couple weeks.

What are your favorite tracks from Dirty Mind?

"The Work" - To-Do List

Sorry, I'm a day late. I worked ten hours on Tuesday and I just crashed when I got home. I have been slacking on social media. There are few things that I need to catch up on tonight, and I thought I'd share them with you:

1. Posting on Prince.org and Princefams.com: Every week, I usually post a link to my new blog post on those two websites.


2. Linking back to my original blog site on my official website: Every week, I re-post my new blog post on my website, but I usually include the following sentence at the end of the entry--"All blog entries are re-posted from my original blog site at http://www.apurpledayindecember.com." I've been forgetting to include that sentence, lately. 


3. Scheduling tweets in Hootsuite: Every week, I usually plan posts to promote my blog on my Twitter page.

"Wake Up! Wake Up!" - Things I've Missed

Because I've been so busy writing and dealing with my own predicaments, I just haven't had time to check out some current events happening in the Prince world. Here are three things that I've missed:

3RDEYE TV 

3RDEYE TV  is a channel on Livestream through which Prince provides music, video footage and photos. The catch is that you have to be at your computer at a specific time to experience these treats before they are taken down. Unfortunately, I wasn't there to see or hear any of it. I did enjoy reading Dr. Funkenberry's summary of what happened. If I had time to tune in to the Spreecast for Prince fans every week, I wouldn't have missed it.

Also, I just noticed that 3rdeyegirl.com has transformed into a pretty great website...


PRINCE COVERS V MAGAZINE

I didn't really miss out on this because I can still order the issue, but I found out about it after it happened.


HOLLYWOOD EXES, SEASON 2

Get More: Hollywood Exes, Hollywood Exes

I did not realize that "Hollywood Exes," the VH1 reality show featuring Prince's ex-wife Mayte Garcia, had returned for a second season. I'll have to catch up someday....


Did anyone hear the music or see the videos and pictures on 3RDEYE TV?

"Now, Turn the Page" - Magazine of the Week

I would really love to get my hands on the Prince cover stories and other related articles in Right On!, a magazine established in the 1970s to cater to African American teens. You have to check out this cover:

"A Close Encounter with Prince," Right On!, 1979

There are a lot of issues available on eBay. However, I'm not looking forward to getting into another bidding war.

Prince was also featured in Black Beat, another popular African American magazine, during the 1980s. I would like to take a look at those specific issues, too.

Did you ever read Right On! magazine?

"I Know Joy Lives 'Round the Corner" - Getting Interviews

Bear with me; I am operating on a few hours of sleep. Last Friday, I finally resumed sending queries to a list of people whom I want to interview right now. Frequently, I don't hear anything back. After all, a lot of people affiliated with Prince have signed non-disclosure agreements. However, I was surprised to get responses over the last several days, even if they weren't exactly what I was looking for. Here is what I heard this past week:

1. "I don't think I can help." My subject matter is very specific. Some people will not be able to speak about Prince's religious journey or the spiritual content in his music. Still, it's valuable to interview them  to confirm general facts about Prince's life and career, so it's always a bummer when they say no right away.


2. "I charge for interviews." This is the second time I've heard this since I started the project. Some people want a lot of money, too. In order to remain as objective as possible, I do not pay for interviews.


3. "Call me back." This is always exciting to hear, but you really can't get your hopes up. Sometimes, the person just doesn't pick up. In fact, I called the person today and that is exactly what happened. However, there is always tomorrow.

The silver lining is that for every handful of "no's," there is someone who is willing to talk. Hopefully, I will have another interview to share with everyone soon.

"Take a Picture, Sweetie!" - Odds and Ends from the Past Week

Sorry for the late post. My sister is in town and we were catching up yesterday.

Here is a peek into my writing process...

Work Space

Files

More Research

Snack

Napping Spot

"My Only Competition is, Well, Me..." - Prince and Michael Jackson

During my research, I came across this fun article about Prince and Michael Jackson via Vibe magazine. It's not relevant to my book, but I wanted to share because it's such an interesting read.

"Michael Jackson Vs. Prince: An Oral History"

The article chronicles the so-called rivalry between the two artists, and features interviews with several people who worked with them. I especially liked reading comments from Michael Jackson's engineer, Bruce Swedien; I remember seeing his name in MJ's CD booklets when I was younger. 

I won't ask you which artist is better; I honestly don't think you can compare the two. They are different types of musicians and entertainers. 

I hope you enjoy the article! 

"In this Digital Age..." - Online Activities this Week

Quick post this week. I'm just trying to focus on rewriting chapter two. However, I did take some time out to tend to a couple of online activities related to the book:

I FINALLY signed up for Dropbox! After the computer crash of 2012, I've been backing up my work on two drives, but one of my blog readers suggested that I also store my book online (privately). I finally took the advice.

Also, it's time to renew my domain for apurpledayindecember.com. I'm so glad that it's automatically renewed each year. However, I took time to write down the renewal dates for the website, along with ericawrites.com, just so I'm in the loop.

Pretty boring stuff. Back to writing...

Do you use Dropbox?

"Think About the Future!" - Upcoming Projects from Prince's Protégés

My vacation (well, "staycation") was nice, and now it's back to work! I received feedback on the preface, prologue and first chapter of the book from the chair of my thesis committee. I have to make some changes, write chapter two, finishing reading the Little Richard biography, and resume my requests for interviews in the next few weeks. It's going to be busy!

In the meantime, I'm keeping my eye on two upcoming projects from Prince's protégés. They could be great sources for the book.

• Sheila E.'s autobiography, "From Pain to Purpose," is due next year, according to her recent interview with Smithsonian.com.

• A new reality show, "Diamonds," is rumored to premiere this year. It features women in the music industry, including singer Jill Jones and dancer/rapper Cat Glover. Both ladies worked with Prince in the 1980s. There is a description on Truentmagazine.com. There is also a Facebook page dedicated to the project. There is no word on a TV network for the show.

Truentmagazine.com

Are you looking forward to "From Pain to Purpose" and "Diamonds?"

Subscribe to my e-mail list for updates on the book. Click here.

"Take a Break From 9 to 5" - Vacation!

Hi, everyone. I am taking a much-needed vacation. I will be back on May 28.

Stay tuned!

"Now, Turn the Page" - Book of the Week

Here is the latest title in my "Book of the Week" series: "The Life and Times of Little Richard: the Authorised Biography." I mentioned that I am also studying the spiritual journeys of other popular artists. See the full list here.

Amazon.com

I've purchased this book today. Now, back to writing interview questions for my next batch of sources.

"Why Can't You Call Me Sometime?" - My New Phone!

Sorry for the delay; as usual there is a lot going on. First of all, I am so happy to share my new phone...

I FINALLY bought myself an iPhone 5!

Gotta love the purple case.

Well, I've had some other accomplishments this past week. I sent the preface, prologue and first chapter of my book to my professor for review! As you may remember, my book counts as my professional project for my graduate journalism degree at Ohio University. I have officially finished writing about the 1958-1976 period of Prince's life.

I've also started reaching out to Prince's management and representation this week to tell them about my project. Let's hope they give me a call on my new purple phone!

After being in "rewriting" mode for so long, I'm happy to get back into "interviewing" mode for the next portion of the book.

Wish me luck!

"You 'Bout to Hear Larry Graham" - New Interview (Part 2)

Last week, I shared my interview with Larry Graham, which focused on his career. As I mentioned earlier, Graham also answered some questions for my book. I had planned to share some tidbits from that part of the interview, but...I'd better not. As you know, I try to respect privacy as much as possible. Generally, we talked about spiritual advice and spiritual transformation. Sorry I couldn't be more forthcoming, but you'll be able to learn more in the book

Here's an update on my interviews so far (that I can remember without checking my files):

Interview with former pre-Revoluation band member Gayle Chapman

Interviews with Rolling Stone journalists

Interview with former press agent Howard Bloom

Interview with former Warner Bros. Director of Publicity Roberta Burrows

Interview with gossip columnist CJ

Interview with former church youth group leader Art Erickson

Brief chat with a very special person

Interview with a family member

Interview with members from the Seventh-Day Adventist church Prince attended

Interview with Larry Graham


Which person's perspective are you most looking forward to?

"You 'Bout to Hear Larry Graham" - New Interview (Part 1)

Last week, I mentioned that I interviewed someone and I shared a picture of my notes as a clue. Did you guess Larry Graham, former bassist of Sly and the Family Stone? Good job!

Well, Graham and Prince are great friends, and Graham has reportedly played a major role in Prince's decision to become a Jehovah's Witness. Graham graciously allowed me to interview him for my book. I'll have more on that next week.

In the meantime, my interview with Graham on other topics (documentary with Prince, relation to rapper Drake and tour with Graham Central Station) is available upon request. Shoot me a personal message!

What is your favorite Larry Graham or Sly and the Family Stone song?

"Take a Picture, Sweetie!" - Odds and Ends from the Past Week

Hey, everyone! Here are some recent pictures related to my work (for the most part):

Research ain't cheap! I just paid a researcher for some information for my book. He's great! His name is...sorry, can't tell you that! Here is a screenshot from the invoice.

I bought this little glass figure for my desk at work. It makes me smile and keeps me motivated. It was only $1!

This stuff is invaluable when I'm working...

A while back, I mentioned that I interviewed a pretty important source for the book. I hope to finally reveal who it was next week. Here is a shot of my fabulous digital recorder and my notes from the interview. Based on the chicken scratch, can you tell who it was?

"They Love Me Too Much" - Who's Talking Prince on the Web

Here is another entry in my "Who's Talking Prince on the Web" series. Below is a taste of what others have been saying about Prince during the past month:

1) 

Video courtesy of OkayPlayer.

Touré recently released a book on Prince, "I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon." To celebrate the release, Touré participated in a panel discussion on Prince with journalist Danyel Smith, musician Questlove and Prince's former tour manager, Alan Leeds.

2) New York radio station WCBS-FM 101.1 posted a cool letter that Prince wrote to a fan back in 1984. According to the website, the letter was previously on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Minneapolis.

3) Peach & Black Podcast reviewed Prince's "Love Symbol" album, which I recently fell in love with. These guys are awesome!

What do you think of Touré's book?

"Now, Turn the Page" - Books (and Magazine) of the Week

Here is a look at some of my research this week...

"Minneapolis Negro Profile: A Pictorial Resume of the Black Community, It's Achievements, and It's Immediate Goals," Scott Publishing Company, 1968.

Amazon.com

"Minnesota's Black Community," Scott Publishing Company, 1976 (Amazon doesn't have it, but I do).

Amazon.com

March 1997 issue of "Minnesota Monthly," which featured Prince on the cover.

"Feels Like a Million Days" - My Content Calendar

I'm still playing catch-up and trying to get back on task with this book. It's been a rough couple of weeks. Last month, I started using a simple content calendar in Microsoft Word to determine what I wanted to complete month by month.

However, in the next few weeks, I'd like to go ahead and plan out what I want to accomplish for the rest of 2013.

Please send positive thoughts my way! I'm hoping to de-stress by next week.

Thanks!

"For You" - Prince's First Album

One of the cool things about writing this book is that I get to revisit Prince albums that I don't play very often. After I wrap up the 1958-1976 section of my book, I will be focusing on Prince's early career. That means I'll be giving his 1978 debut album, "For You," another listen.

Amazon.com

I'm ashamed to say that I only know the lyrics to one song, "Soft and Wet," which is one of my favorites. I'll keep you posted on other tracks that I grow to love during this process.

I hope to have a longer blog post next week. March has been so busy personally and professionally.

What are your favorite tracks on "For You?"

“Everybody’s Going” – Uptown Magazine, Part II

Back in December, I mentioned that I was looking for Uptown, a Prince fanzine that was published during the 1990s. Well, one of my awesome blog readers from Germany has agreed to sell me issues from his collection! I purchased my first issue last week:

I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I am very excited! I’ll let you know what I think.

I also interviewed a significant source for an article and my book. I will reveal who it was soon!

Prince fans--what did you think of Uptown magazine?

"Now, Turn the Page" - Book of the Week

Quick post tonight. I don't really like to reveal my sources of information, but I'll make an exception. I've purchased "The Rock Musician: 15 Years of the interviews - The best of Musician Magazine,” by Tony Scherman. There is a long, informative interview with Prince from the early ‘80s in there. As most fans know, Prince rarely gives that type of interview, so it’s a good find.

Amazon.com

The “book of the week” should have been “Mama Never Taught Me How to Sing,” by Tyka Nelson. Last week, I just knew I was going to have that book in my possession, but I was outbid on eBay. I was not willing to pay $100, which I predicted to be the other bidder’s “ceiling,” because the information in the book, while interesting, is not crucial to my book. Maybe I’ll get it another way in the future…

What is your favorite Prince interview? 

"Take a Picture, Sweetie!" - Odds and Ends from the Past Week

I've decided to make this a recurring post, as I like to share pictures from time to time. Besides, it's been a crazy week, and I'm still busy writing.

Great news: I finally bought a webcam!

Bad news: my webcam seems incompatible with those terrific spreecasts by Seth Everett and Dr. Funkenberry. I've tried numerous times to get on the show, but I can't. I hope to get the issue resolved soon. If you can help, let me know!

I'm going to have to buy another "Purple Rain" DVD.

I'm not sure what happened here, but the discs will no longer play. The interviews on this 20th Anniversary set are useful to me.

Random note: I am obsessed with Prince's song "Blue Light" from the "Love Symbol" album. 

Photo courtesy of my Zune (Yes, I have a Zune, and I prefer it to the  iPod)

Shout out to my blog readers and other members of #TeamPrince! So many of you have offered to help me in some way, whether it's providing research, copies of books or magazines, or giving words of encouragement. For example, this weekend, someone helped me track down Tyka Nelson's book. I hope to have it very soon.

From Prince.org

Finally, check out my Valentine's Day flowers. My boyfriend knew to throw a little purple in the bouquet. 

"You Got the News" - Twitter Lists

I live on Hootsuite. The Twitter management system allows you to schedule tweets and view your home feed, mentions, retweets and direct messages on one screen. You can also see your Twitter lists. Naturally, I recently decided to use Twitter lists to keep tabs on Prince news. Here's a peek at my Twitter lists:

This one includes some sources from my post on key Prince influencers on Twitter

Potential sources to interview for the book

This one is in progress, obviously

I'm keeping them private for now.

Who should make the lists?



Follow me on Twitter: @miss_ethompson

"Where's the Real Drummer?" - Bobby Z Spreecast & other Transcriptions

I'm back! I had to take some personal time to rest, but I'm here, and...
I'm moving my new blog posts to Tuesdays! #TeamPrinceTuesday

I still made time to work on the book, and I've been doing a lot of recording and transcribing. Dr. Funkenberry and Seth Everett's Wednesday spreecasts are not only great resources for Prince news, but their special guests provide awesome quotes for my book.

Two weeks ago, "Bobby Z." Rivkin, the original drummer from Prince's band, The Revolution, stopped by the spreecast. He shared some great memories from his time playing with Prince.

Last week, Shelby J., a singer in Prince's NPG band, visited the spreecast. I was delighted to hear Shelby and a viewer touch on spirituality a bit.

I also transcribed a great Tyka Nelson interview over the weekend.

Finally, I went WAY back on my to-do list and transcribed all Prince-related segments of Sheila E.'s "Unsung" episode.

Sometimes, interviews that others have done with sources are the next best thing, and a lot of great interviews with Prince's family, friends and associates  have been done since his other major biographies were published.

In the meantime, I would be crazy not to take advantage of talking to the special guests on these spreecasts, so I need to get my behind to Best Buy to get a webcam. I literally have to schedule the time to do it because  I rarely have free time these days. With all the Prince stuff happening--new website, new music, Billboard article, Grammy Awards appearance--I could use a few extra hours! It's getting crazy!!

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for a new blog post!

"Even the Soliders Need a Break Sometimes" - Be Back Soon

Under the weather; I'll be back soon! :)

"I Like it When You Dance for Me" - Prince and the Joffrey Ballet

My blog posts during the next few weeks will probably be short and sweet as I finish the first section of the book.

Whenever my friends, families and associates hear anything about Prince, they always come to me. :) Several days ago, my co-worker told me that she'd heard that Prince had been involved in a ballet. I was familiar with Prince's professional relationship with ballet dancer Misty Copeland, but I didn't know he'd allowed the Joffrey Ballet to use his music in their "Billboards" production in the early '90s. As I write this book, I'm learning new things everyday (I don't remember reading about this in the previous Prince bios--maybe I forgot about it). Find out more here.

Amazon.com

Would you watch "Billboards?" 

"Take a Picture, Sweetie!" - Odds and Ends From the Past Week

Because I'm in my rewriting stage, I don't have any exciting interviews to discuss. So, I thought I'd just share some Prince-related images of my activities during the past week.

Well, as most Prince fans know, the "3rd Eye Girl" drama that I mentioned last Monday continued throughout the whole week. I had a BLAST at Dr. Funkenberry and Seth Everett's spreecast last Wednesday:

We talked about the possibility of Prince creating a new website. Also, Prince is thinking about inviting fans to concerts at his Paisley Park Studios. I would definitely go if I had enough notice, and I think he should charge standard ticket prices.

I went ahead and tweeted 3rd Eye Girl and sent "her" some messages about my book. No, I haven't heard back, but I had to try, right?

For the first section of the book, I've consulted newspaper and magazine articles, interviews I've done, primary documents, and books and statistics on Minneapolis. I've also listened to music that might provide insight into Prince's life. For example:

Amazon.com

I just listened closely to the song "Papa" from the "Come" album for the first time tonight. It really affected me--even though it's short and somewhat vague, it made me emotionally uncomfortable. I don't think I can listen to it multiple times (on a more upbeat note, my favorite song from this album is "Letitgo").

Ok, I'll admit it; I've had this poster on my wall longer than a week, but I wanted to share it. One of my best friends gave it to me. I love it!

What are your thoughts on 3rd Eye Girl, "Papa," or my awesome poster?

"3rd Eye, 3rd Eye, 3rd Eye" -- What's Ahead for 2013

What a great day for Prince fans! Less than 24 hours ago, a mysterious person, known only as "3rd Eye Girl," popped up on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube:

She provided an extended version of Prince's song "Laydown" from the "20Ten" album, a rockin' rehearsal video of Prince performing "Bambi" (I'm surprised he still plays that song), a remix of "RNR Affair," which Prince released last year, and a brand new tune, "Same Page, Different Book" (I'm definitely feelin' it).

She also proved to be quite funny:

So, who is she? Well, Prince's people have to be behind her actions. Her posts are certainly backing up Prince's message that "2013 is going to be BIG." Additionally, Dr. Funkenberry, the music blogger with apparent ties to Prince, will be sharing his predictions for Prince's 2013 activities in two days.

So, what will I be doing in 2013? Well, in a perfect world, I'd finish the whole darn book, but we'll see. I know I will get a lot of writing done. I'm almost finished rewriting chapter one. Last weekend, I purchased Spin's amazing 2009 digital tribute issue to Prince. It's going to come in handy as a source:

I'm feeling encouraged! A few posts back, I mentioned that Prince may find out about me. I'm not sure if the person I talked to has caught up with him yet, but I need to try as many avenues as possible. For example, now that I know who represents him, I need to write a letter to them. 

Also, I think I'll send 3rd Eye Girl a tweet or two. You never know...

Are you excited about 2013?