Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984

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From the Publisher

In this First Book of a Lifetime of Work,

Duane Tudahl Provides Privileged Access to Prince’s Creative Genius.

Exclusive Interviews Include:

– Wendy Melvoin.

– Lisa Coleman.

– Dr. Fink.

– Mark Brown.

– Albert Magnoli.

– Susan Rogers.

– Susannah Melvoin.

– Clare Fischer.

– Peggy McCreary.

– Alan Leeds.

– Jill Jones.

– Brenda Bennett .

And over two dozen more!

Image: Gallaudet College, November 29, 1984. Courtesy Gallaudet College.

Meet Duane Tudahl:

Why Prince?

Prince is unlike any other musician out there. No other musician could walk in the studio alone, and come out with ‘When Doves Cry’ or ‘The Beautiful Ones.’ Others required a producer, background singers, a band, etc. but Prince did it all himself, and was better on his instrument than practically anyone in his band. No one else can do what he did, and he basically created his own genre of music.

Why are the studio sessions so important?

Prince’s work in the studio was a large part of his social life. He would only invite those who he could communicate with through the language of music. He was extremely selective about who was in the room with him, so this secret life has never been explored until now. His romantic relationships were often intertwined with his work in the studio, and his songs reflected his loves and his losses.

Image: Gallaudet College, November 29, 1984. Courtesy Gallaudet College.

When did you start working on this book?

The book began over 20 years ago when I was writing for Uptown Magazine. We had been working on several books at the time that were being written by Per Nilsen, and I suggested this to him, but we both thought it would be too much to do. Eventually, I limited the scope down to the most vital two-year period and found that Prince’s entire story could be told through the prism of his studio work during his rise from darling of the critics to international superstar.

What is your favorite story about Prince in the studio?

I love the stories of Prince knowing he is talented. On a track called ‘God’, Prince sat down at the piano, played his part and sang his lyrics, and when he was done, he quietly closed the lid, and left for the day. He didn’t say anything to the engineer, he just left knowing that he nailed it and assuming that the engineer caught it all.

Image: ‘When Doves Cry’ and ‘The Beautiful Ones’ were among the many songs recorded in this room, many of them using this Yamaha piano. Courtesy Sunset Studios.

Will there be other books about Prince from you?

This is the first book in this series. Book Two will cover 1985 and 1986, discussing the conclusion of the Purple Rain tour; work on three new albums by him (Around The World In A Day, Parade and Sign O’ The Times) as well as several unreleased albums and multiple albums for other bands; the release and failure of his second movie (Under The Cherry Moon); the breakup of The Revolution; and the end of his relationship with his fiancée. Book two ends with Prince sitting alone in the studio writing and recording ‘Wally’ which has been called the most personal song of his career. Once he finished recording it, he erased it, permanently eliminating the song and symbolically breaking his ties to his past and starting over.

Each book in this series will place his music in context of his life. As Prince has said, ‘All my life is in my records’.

What do you think will happen to Prince’s music and legacy?

If handled correctly, his legacy will continue to grow for years. Prince was an artist and like all artists, he spent time getting his vision right and I hope that his estate maintains his artistic integrity. They have access to all of the people who worked with him, so if they seek suggestions from those who knew him best, they can build on his past. His music should be archived and shared for the benefit of all.

Image: Detroit, November 4, 1984: The opening night of the Purple Rain tour. Copyright Neal Preston.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (Nov. 17 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 552 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1538105497
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1538105498
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 993 g
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 22.86 x 16 x 3.81 cm