Spookie Electric's Playground

C-ya!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 08:25:00 +0000

You can find me here now:

https://www.spookiesplayground.com/

I'm back! And bringing the P-Funk!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 03:26:00 +0000

Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know! It's been a minute since I posted on here. Unfortunately, I've been battling some serious health problems and I still have a long way to go. But I thought, meh, what the hell? Might as well try to start posting again and well..., here I am! To kick things back off, what better way than to bring some P-Funk. So here is George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars with a Tiny Desk Concert.

Well, that's it for now funky froods! Remember to stay funky! Peace & B-Wild!

Funky Funko Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 05:01:00 +0000

So a year ago I questioned the funkiness of the Prince Funko set and whether I would support them. Was there ever any doubt?

I grabbed all four of them! I guess they could've done worse. Well, until next time, peace and stay funky!

Life is just a game

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 08:15:00 +0000

Life is just a game we are all just the same - Controversy! Here is Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles with a cover of Prince's Controversy from the Big Bang Block Party in Atlanta from 2017. If you haven't seen or heard of Cory Henry, you need to check him out. My man is funky!

Janelle in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 07:55:00 +0000

We all know what a great mentor/supporter Prince was of Janelle Monae so of course I had to share this clip once I saw it. I'm pretty sure P would be proud of Janelle's latest album and her current show (except for maybe the occasional curse word) and you can tell he had a huge influence on her. So enjoy the clip and stay funky!

Funky Funko?

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Funko, the company that brings you vinyl figurines and bobbleheads based on the latest in pop culture, is apparently looking to bathe in the purple rain. Sometime this fall, they are set to release their version of Prince-inspired figurines. So far they have shown four designs with versions appearing to be based on the 1999 era(?), Purple Rain era, Raspberry Beret and the 3rd Eye Girl era. Now, I have a tendency to be biased when it comes to all things Prince and rush out and collect all I can, but I am still not sure I how I feel about these.Take a look.

I am not too sure that Funko got the funk right on these but to each his own I guess. What do you think? If you want to check out the website, you can you find the Pop Rocks - Prince here.

Until next time, Love4OneAnother, Love4EachOther, Lover4UsAll! Peace!

4 U

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 07:30:00 +0000

Time is inching ever so closer to September and the time for me to attend the 4 U Symphonic Celebration here in the Music City. Back at the end of last year, I had tickets to see the Music of Prince with the Nashville Symphony but then, just weeks before the show, we received an email from the symphony saying that the show as cancelled at the request of the Estate. Needless to say, I was less than enthused. The estate is not releasing any music. They are not releasing any video. They are not giving the fans what they want or need. All they are doing is in-fighting and now they are cheating me out of a moment to enjoy the wondrous music of Prince played by a symphony. What the hell? The email said that the Estate was planning their own musical tribute. Yeah, right! We shall see. Well, I guess I was wrong to doubt the email, because here we are with 4U. Here is how it is described on the official website which can be found here:

ABOUT THE TOUR

Live Nation Urban and TCG Entertainment are proud to present the first and only official Estate approved symphonic presentation of Prince’s music, titled 4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince. 4U will present the music of Prince like never before, with a full orchestra. In addition, each show will feature a live band who will perform collectively with the orchestra. 4U will draw from Prince’s singular and extensive music catalog, highlighting many of his greatest hits alongside lesser known gems. Live Nation and TCG Entertainment are working in partnership with acclaimed drummer and creative Questlove to curate the set list and arrangements to be played by the symphony.

The 2018 tour will include shows in both the United States and Europe, starting in early September and running through November 2018. Additional dates will be announced for 2019 at a later date.

What is the show?
4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince highlights the music of Prince like never before, with a full symphony orchestra. The show will draw from Prince’s extensive music catalog and will feature many of the hits that captivated generations of fans, alongside lesser known gems — all interpreted and performed via a world class symphony orchestra.

Is there a band?
Yes, in addition to the symphony orchestra, the production will include a live band who will perform collectively with the symphony — together creating a truly unique opportunity to experience Prince’s iconic music. This show is not “impersonating” Prince, but is instead “celebrating” Prince and his boundless creative output.

What is in the show?
Complementing the live musicians, 4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince will feature state-of-the-art production elements, as well as photo and video content provided by The Prince Estate.

What does “official” mean?
4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince is officially endorsed by the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson. This is the only approved Prince symphonic show in the world.

Needless to say, I am really excited to see this show. I am not sure what I expect, but just to share purple music with my fellow purple family is a therapeutic experience in and of itself. I'll make sure that I come back and give a recap of my symphonic experience after the show. Until then, peace & B-wild!!!!!!!!

23 Albums in a One Nite Stand?

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 06:44:00 +0000

Well, it’s been a while I know but I guess I’m back. At least for now. So, what brought me back? Well it seems that the Prince Estate has finally managed to get around to releasing some more of the purple catalog. In a press release from Sony’s Legacy Recordings, they announced that 23 albums would be made available for streaming on the 17^th of August (yesterday) and that a new anthology would be available for streaming and download as well. This new compilation titled Anthology 1995-2010 features 37 tracks culled from Prince’s various albums during this time frame. Even though I have heard every track on the release, I have to hand it to who ever came up with the tracklist, it flows rather nicely and I rather like the compilation. It is definitely worth a listen!

Here is the press release from Legacy Recordings or you can view the original article here:

The first wave of Prince catalog titles to be released through an exclusive agreement struck in June between SME and The Prince Estate focuses on 1995-2010, a crucial epoch in Prince history. 23 highly-collectible Prince catalog titles (many of them hard-to-find or out-of-print) and Prince Anthology: 1995-2010 (a newly-curated anthology of 37 essential tracks from the era) are now available across all major streaming services and digital service providers.

Listen to/buy Prince Anthology: 1995-2010 here: https://Prince.lnk.to/anthology

Many of these albums, long sought-after by fans and collectors, are available for the first time for streaming and download, adding more than 300 essential Prince songs to the artist's online in-print catalog.

For Prince, 1995-2010 was an unprecedented period of sustained and prolific creativity. Releasing fresh recordings at a rapid-fire pace through a variety of distribution strategies including his own online NPG Music Club, Prince was making some of the most provocative, experimental and soulful music of his career. Freed from major label demands and expectations, Prince was able to write, record and release his own music on his own terms.

Assembled and curated under the auspices of The Prince Estate, Prince Anthology: 1995-2010 brings together 37 key recordings from the era. Opening with the title track from Emancipation ("This is my most important record," said Prince when the album was released in 1996) and closing with the anthemic "We March" (from 1995's The Gold Experience), this new compilation provides a coherent musical chronicle of Prince's artistic and spiritual evolution through the late 20th and early 21st centuries in songs that continue to resonant in the culture.

Prince Anthology: 1995- 2010 draws spotlight tracks from The Gold Experience, Emancipation, Chaos and Disorder, Crystal Ball, The Truth, Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic, The Rainbow Children, One Nite Alone..., C-Note, N.E.W.S., Xpectation, Musicology (includes 2005 Best Male R&B Performance Grammy winner "Call My Name"), The Slaughterhouse, The Chocolate Invasion, 3121 (the first Prince album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200), Planet Earth, LOtUSFLOW3R, MPLSoUND and 20Ten.

Prince catalog titles newly available digitally via SME/Legacy are:

1. The Gold Experience (1995) ("The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" greyed out, partial album streaming only; album unavailable for download)

2. Chaos and Disorder (1996)

3. Emancipation (1996)

4. Crystal Ball (1998)

5. The Truth (1998)

6. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (1999)

7. Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic (2001)

8. The Rainbow Children (2001)

9. One Nite Alone… (2002)

10. One Nite Alone…Live! (2002)

11. One Nite Alone...Live - The Aftershow: It Ain't Over (Up Late with Prince & The NPG) (2002)

12. Xpectation (2003)

13. N.E.W.S. (2003)

14. C-Note (2004)

15. Musicology (2004)

16. The Chocolate Invasion (Trax from the NPG Music Club: Volume 1) (2004)

17. The Slaughterhouse (Trax from the NPG Music Club: Volume 2) (2004)

18. 3121 (2006)

19. Planet Earth (2007)

20. Indigo Nights (2008)

21. LOtUSFLOW3R (2009)

22. MPLSoUND (2009)

23. 20Ten (2010)

24. Prince Anthology: 1995-2010

Prince Anthology: 1995-2010

01. Emancipation (from Emancipation, 1996)

02. Black Sweat (from 3121, 2006)

03. P. Control (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

04. Crucial (from Crystal Ball, 1998)

05. The Love We Make (from Emancipation, 1996)

06. Eye Hate U (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

07. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (from Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, 1999)

08. Eye Love U, But Eye Don't Trust U (from Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, 1999)

09. Gold (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

10. Guitar (from Planet Earth, 2007)

11. Dream Factory (from Crystal Ball, 1998)

12. The Work Part 1 (from The Rainbow Children, 2001)

13. Call My Name (from Musicology, 2004)

14. Strays of The World (from Crystal Ball, 1998)

15. Shhh (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

16. Dreamer (from LOtUSFLOW3R, 2009)

17. Chaos and Disorder (from Chaos and Disorder, 1996)

18. Endorphinmachine (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

19. Musicology (from Musicology, 2004)

20. Northside (from The Slaughterhouse, 2004)

21. When Eye Lay My Hands on U (from The Chocolate Invasion, 2004)

22. Beautiful Strange (from Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic, 2001)

23. Future Soul Song (from 20Ten, 2010)

24. Empty Room (from C-Note, 2004)

25. 3rd Eye (from The Truth, 1998)

26. U're Gonna C Me (from One Nite Alone..., 2002)

27. Dinner With Delores (from Chaos and Disorder, 1996)

28. Ol' Skool Company (from MPLSoUND, 2009)

29. 4ever (from LOtUSFLOW3R, 2009)

30. West (from N.E.W.S., 2003)

31. Xpedition (from Xpectation, 2003)

32. Muse 2 The Pharaoh (from The Rainbow Children, 2001)

33. Somewhere Here On Earth (from Planet Earth, 2007)

34. U Make My Sun Shine (from The Chocolate Invasion, 2004)

35. 1+1+1 Is 3 (from The Rainbow Children, 2001)

36. Chelsea Rodgers (from Planet Earth, 2007)

37. We March (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

About Legacy Recordings

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is home to the world's foremost library of historically significant commercial recordings, a peerless collection of works by the most significant musical artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Across a variety of platforms, the label has revolutionized the catalog market, offering contemporary music fans access to thousands of meticulously restored and remastered archival titles representing virtually every musical genre including popular, rock, jazz, blues, R&B, folk, country, gospel, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, rap/hip-hop, world music, classical, comedy and more.

About The Prince Estate:

The Prince Estate passionately presents Prince's life and work, and cultivates opportunities to further his legacy. As the singular, authoritative source on all things Prince, The Prince Estate inspires and educates fans, celebrates Prince in his totality, and stewards Prince's legacy into the future. www.princeestate.com

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

Related Links

http://www.legacyrecordings.com

So, there you have it world, okay? Ain’t nothing like funky music so turn it up and rock hard in a funky place! Until next time, peace & B-wild!!!!!!!!!

Parliament - I'm Gon Make U Sick O'Me

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 16 May 2018 19:00:00 +0000

Ohhhh, sookie sookie now! We going ol' school in the Playground today! You smell that? Huh? You smell that stank in the air? That's the smell of some old nasty funk about to be put on ya! Yeah, I'm talking about some founding-fathers type stank that'll make you shake what yo momma gave ya'! That's right, Dr. Funkenstein, Brother George Clinton, is back and he's bringing the P-Funk with Parliament and the Mothership just like back in the day. This funk is so viral it is sho nuff sho to make you sick! So check out Parliament's I'm Gon Make U Sick O'Me!!!!!

Childish Gambino - This is America

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Tue, 15 May 2018 04:54:00 +0000

So Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, has come out with new music and a new video that is taking the world by storm. I heard someone the other day say that Gambino is this generation's Prince due to his multifaceted talent. Well, first of all, get the hell out of here with that noise! Now, don't get me wrong, I love Gambino and think that the man is an absolute genius. But there was and is only one Prince and that is the Purple Yoda from Minnesota, all others are just wanna-bes, you know? Oh, ummmm.... sorry I sort of went off on a rant there. Anyway, check out Childish Gambino's awesome new joint This is America. The hidden and not so hidden meaning will kill ya!

Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles - Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Thu, 10 May 2018 18:00:00 +0000

I saw this and I knew immediately that I had to share it. After all, it is real music by real musicians. Here is Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles jamming at Kaufleuten in Zürich, Switzerland on 4/24/18 with an awesome, energetic cover of Prince’s Controversy. The band seem to be having so much fun with it and even add the “party” chants from 1999 at the end. I believe Prince would’ve approved of this performance. Watch and see what you think then let me know in the comments.

Tasha Cobbs Leonard - You Know My Name

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 09 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

I thought this was too amazing not to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Love 4 One Another @ the store

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Mon, 07 May 2018 18:49:00 +0000

Okay, this actually happened a couple of months ago but I’m just now getting around to writing about it because… well, you know me, life got in the way. So, you see, Ms. Spooky and I were in the grocery store shopping and had just finished and headed to the checkout line. We got behind this little old lady who only had maybe 20-25 items in her cart and was half way through checking out so we guessed it would be quick. Well, we were wrong. The cashier rang up the ladies purchase and told her the total. Now apparently the lady was on a fixed income and was also using some type of government assistance card. Anyway, the little lady swiped her card and it was denied. So she fumbled through her pocketbook and came up with some cash. The cashier helped her count it out and the whole time the lady was apologizing for holding us up and making us wait. We just told her it was quite okay and to take her time. In the end, she was around $30 short of being able to pay for everything so she started trying to decide what to put back. She had tears in her eyes and was really embarrassed. I told the cashier to not put anything back but to ring it all up on my bill and let the lady take it with her. But to my amazement, the lady refused. She said she couldn’t do that and that it wasn’t right and started crying harder. She paid for what groceries she could and then left the store.

We talked to the cashier about that whole last part. She said she thought that the lady was really embarrassed that she couldn’t support herself and that it embarrassed her even more that I tried to help her. Is that where we are today? When we reach out a helping hand to someone who needs it and they are too embarrassed, too proud to take it? This lady was probably in her 70s easily. I am quite sure in her 70 plus years on this mortal coil, she has reached out and offered a helping hand to someone in need. But now, when she needed it she couldn’t accept it because of her pride? I hope that I get a chance to help her again one day. That I get a chance to show her what Love 4 One Another is really about and that she will accept it this time. After all, we only get a few chances to make a difference in this world and we have to take advantage of them when we can. If you can make a difference in just one person’s life for just one moment, then it is truly a good day!

Until next time, Love 4 One Another, Love 4 Each Other, Love 4 Us All! Peace & B-Wild!!!

RSD 2018 - Hunting 4 1999

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sun, 06 May 2018 01:30:00 +0000

Let’s flashback to Saturday, April 21, 2018. It’s a beautiful spring day here in the Music City which I was hoping would be a good sign for I was on the hunt. You see, this day was Record Store Day and I was on the hunt for the Warner Bros. single disc reissue of the 1999 album. Since I am one of those nocturnal creatures of the night, I had just gotten off work, quickly changed clothes and Ms. Spooky and I made our way to nearest Wrecka Stow where a line had already formed. We took our place in line like the good obedient automatons that society has turned us into meanwhile I could not shake the image of the lines of children marching into the meat grinder from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. As we stood with the 200 or so other people in front of us, we idly chit-chatted and listened to the banal ramblings of three soon-to-be lawyers as they discussed how they had the solutions to all of the world’s problems. Even as one of them talked about how he couldn’t manage to even parallel park his car. Wait… what? You can’t parallel park your car but you can solve the world’s problems? Okay there Skippy McGriffin!!! Sorry, I digress, but I had to listen to Skippy and the Wonder Twins for almost two hours until the store opened. While waiting in line, I discovered that several people in front of me were also in search of the same record I was. Hmmmm… this did not bode well for me. I needed to come up with a Plan ‘B” but what could that be? Then inspiration struck me. Well, not really. I wouldn't say it struck me or that I was actually inspired at all. You see, what happened was I actually got a message on Twitter from my friend Gina in Ohio. Seems Gina was in search of 1999 as well and was having much better luck. Where I was in line with hundreds of others, she was at her local Wrecka Stow with just a couple of people. So Plan “B” was born. If she could, she would grab an extra copy of 1999 for me just in case I couldn’t grab one for myself. So we waited.

As time crawled past with glacier like speed, I followed Gina’s progress on Twitter since she is an hour ahead of me. She breezed in to her local Wrecka Stow and snatched up her copy of 1999 but alas, a copy for me was not to be found. But not one to give up, the campaign quickly turned to another Wrecka Stow that she knew had a couple of copies of the album. Meanwhile, the line I was in slowly inched its way inside my Wrecka Stow here in Music City. Another update from Gina to let me know that she had arrived at Checkpoint Bravo and that golden goose had flown the coop, in other words, she was at the new Stow but they were sold out of 1999. Damn! Plan “B” isn't looking too hot right now! Finally I make my way into my local Stow and what do you know, no 1999. Not a copy to be found anywhere, which is exactly what I feared. Ms. Spooky decided to ask one of the employees, you know just in case we had overlooked it or it was in some special place we hadn’t thought of looking. So she finds an employee, some 20-something kid with shaggy-mop hair that looks like he’s closer to 12 years old and asks him if they have 1999 by Prince. He says, “Prince? Hmmm… Prince is probably in the ummmm. Probably in the P’s. I’d check in that area.” Wow!!! Thank you sooo much. I would never have guessed to look there. Someone call NASA and let them know that I found their missing rocket scientist. On a side note, do you know how hard it is to type while you are rolling your eyes? Pretty damn hard. Anyway, back to the Mensa-Man of the Year candidate and our search for the ever-elusive 1999. So after the shocking epiphany of checking in the “P” section, I decided it was time to leave. As I slowly walked to the car, head hanging in defeat, I sent Gina a message to let her know that we had failed miserably also but thanks for trying. She replied back, “Good news! I got you one!” Apparently while I was dealing with the rocket surgeon (yeah, rocket surgeon – you know - part rocket scientist, part brain surgeon), she had gone to a third Wrecka Stow and hit the jackpot. Then after a few days wait, I received a package in the mail and I was the proud owner of a Record Store Day 2018 Exclusive single-disc re-issued Prince album 1999.

This is what the Purple Army is all about. True Funk Soldiers coming together in the spirit of Love 4 One Another and helping each other out. So thank you once again, Gina and of course thank you for each and every day, Ms. Spooky! To the rest of you, remember to Love 4 One Another, Love 4 Each Other, Love 4 Us All! Peace, B-Wild & Stay Funky!!!

There's A War Going On!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 23:00:00 +0000

The war will go on and on and on
If U do not wish 2 be in the war U should leave now

We are about 2 challenge what U believe
If U do not wish 2 be challenged U should leave now
Saturday morning awaits

Dig up purple people, I've got something on my mind. I've spoken about retrospeculation before and that's what I'm doing right now. Flash backward to 1998 at Paisley Park. Prince was performing live and the crowd was listening to what would later be released as The War. Now in this 45 minute sonic adventure (26 minutes would later be edited and released), Prince asks if we would be willing to let the government place a microchip in our neck. He talks of an underground metropolis, a paradise where there is plenty of food, clean air and no worries. But the admission is letting the government place a microchip in your neck. Seemingly to track and control your every movement. Would you go? "Would U stay on top of the chip and await your fate?"

Now take a look around at the world we live in today. We have people starving around the world, hatred grows everyday and our leaders haven't got the first clue how to lead. We have designed our computers to get smarter and smarter so that now they are designing themselves using their own languages that they have invented. The original computer programmers no longer know what they are even saying because they can't understand the language. Our world has become interconnected and solely reliant on the internet so that if you take down even a small section of it, corporations come to a grinding halt. AI is the wave of the future and the future is now but is the human race ready for the next step? Are we ready for super intelligent hybrids? Humans with computer enhanced brains or worse, computers that are sentient? Then comes a company like Three Square Market who is wanting to install RFID microchips in it's employees. That's right, this company wants to place chips into its employees saying that it will allow them easier access to the building, logging onto their computers and even making purchases in the break room. Could it also be used to track employee movement? Can it be tracked outside of work? After all, you have essentially lo-jacked your employee. What's to stop you (or some nefarious group) from using this for other means?

So after nearly 20 years, it seems that Prince was nearly right. Except, instead of the government micro-chipping us, it's the private sector but I am quite sure there is some government interest. So what would you do? "Would U stay on top of the chip and await your fate?" Would you let them lo-jack you? Before you answer, listen what Prince had to say on the subject of computers:

So there you have it world. At least that's my take on it. It's up to you to make up your mind and free yourself but the war will go on and on! Until next time.....peace and be wild!

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Revolution!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 04:21:00 +0000

This is a post that is two months overdue but it is finally here. Back on May 15th, I had the privilege of attending a very special concert at the Mercury Ballroom in Louisville, Kentucky. What band was playing that night? None other than The Revolution. That's right, Prince's former band was performing and there was not a chance in hell that I was not going to be there. Not only was I there, I was at the very front of the stage rocking along with all the deep purple concord jams that I grew up with. From the opening drum beat of Computer Blue that kicked off the show, The Revolution took us on a whirlwind tour of the soundtrack of my life. America was next followed by Mountains from Parade. Next up was Automatic which led to Take Me With U. Then special guest Stokley Williams (from Mint Condition) came out to take over lead vocalist duties on Uptown and D.M.S.R..

The then unreleased Our Destiny with Wendy and Lisa on lead vocals was next and this segued straight into Brownmark leading on the then unreleased Roadhouse Garden. Both of these songs have since been released on the Remastered Deluxe Edition of Purple Rain. Stokley came back out as the band jumped into Raspberry Beret which was more of a crowd sing-a-long. Next up was an extremely funky Erotic City with some slinky guitar work by Wendy. I mean baby girl was playing that thing and I guarantee if Prince would have been there, he would have definitely been making one of his funk faces! Keeping that funk groove going, the band slid right into Let's Work with Stokley sharing vocal duties with Wendy. After a rousing version of 1999, which had the entire place rocking and chanting "PARTY!" at the top of our lungs, Wendy took to the mic for a brief monologue. She spoke about Paisley Park and the time of Around the World in a Day and how it was a great time for Prince as a lyricist. She spoke about what Paisley Park meant and how much the song meant to him and the band and asked the crowd to sing along with them so that Prince could hear us. And boy did we ever get loud because we let everyone know that "Paisley Park is in your heart!"

The Revolution went old school next with Controversy which segued into Mutiny rather nicely. Then came one of the most heart-stopping, gut-wrenching moments of the night. The band left the stage except for Wendy and Lisa and Wendy spoke about the day that Prince died. And then she spoke about going through songs that they (Wendy & Lisa) had done with Prince and they came across Sometimes It Snows In April. They realized that they had recorded that song on 4/21/85 and that Prince had died on 4/21/16. So they said they had to play it for him. They then performed Sometimes It Snows In April with Wendy on guitar and Lisa on piano and I cried like a baby. I think we all did.

After a short break, the band reappeared and those familiar organ chords began playing before those famous words of "Dearly beloved..." were spoken and the band launched into Let's Go Crazy. Delirious and Kiss were next followed by When Doves Cry. Then we heard that familiar guitar chord from Wendy and the crowd lost their minds as Purple Rain was played. Wendy played an amazing solo at the end that would have made Prince proud and then they were gone. But they weren't through with us as they came back out once more for I Would Die 4 U and then finally Baby, I'm A Star! After that, they took a bow and then left the stage for good.

I grabbed some swag at the merch table but my fav stuff is the autographed poster from the band, the setlist from the show and a guitar pick from Wendy! I went to celebrate Prince's music and it ended up being a very healing night. I also met some new Prince friends and can't wait to see them again!

So there you have it folks! It was an awesome experience and if you have a chance to see them, go see The Revolution. They put on one hell of a show and you will not regret it. If nothing else, go see them for the healing aspect and to honor the music of Prince! Until next time, peace & be wild!

Time? It's a trick!

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 05:30:00 +0000

Time. What is time? That precious commodity that we never seem to have enough of when we need it? Is it an illusion? Douglas Adams said, "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so!" St. Augustine said, "There are three times; a present time about things past, a present time about things present, a present time about things future. The future exists only as expectations, the pasts exists only as memory, but expectation and memory exist in the present." Physicists from Einstein to Barbour have debated its existence and true meaning for years!

What i found interesting was this essay that Prince posted on his old Love4OneAnother website back in the day concerning the concept of time. Here's what he had to say (copied from the website verbatim):

Time & Space: The great separation ILLusion

ONcE upon an eternity, the notion of "time" did not xist....

time: the origin of the term is the word 'tide', which comes from the Greek daiesthai, 2 divide.

Time is an xpression of separation, a means used 2 segregate life in2 individual portions instead of a whole.

There r many who pull themselves apart by tying their health and sanity 2 a clock - the stockbroker monitoring the tickertape, hoping the market closes b4 his ticker does... the partier measuring the years since her day of birth as if rings on a tree, developing more rings under the eyes as she does so.

When we dream, worlds xist without time or space. The mind accepts without judgment because the mental censor which filters r thoughts is turned off. A dream lasting minutes can feel like hours, and easily flows from one location 2 another as if the same... there is no separation.

When doing things we injoy most, the sensation of time stops. When in love with life - when r minds and spirits r ONE and act in unison - there is always enough 'time.' Though the day may fly by, much is accomplished. Alternately, where there is conflict within the self - friction due 2 SEPARATION between one's inner knowing and outward actions - 'time' turns 2 drudgery, stretching endlessly with little fulfillment.

When we all choose 2 live in the spirit of oneness, looking within rselves (instead of 2 outside, separate sources) and acting upon what r hearts reveal, we will also b united with one another. Living this way will free humanity from the hands of the clock 4ever... there will b no more desire 2 judge pure love, beauty and joy by putting increments on it because they r endless! The kingdom of love is upon us!

Uhhhh, okay brother! Why don't you play me another funky guitar solo and leave the quantum theorizing to someone else? Oh lawd! Somebody help him!

R.I.P. John Blackwell, Jr.

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 08:58:00 +0000

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!

Prince Day #2

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 21:00:00 +0000

Prince Day

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 10:58:00 +0000

Open Book?

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 17 May 2017 06:21:00 +0000

So there are plenty of books out there about Prince, from bios to picture books. Here are two that I picked up recently.

The Most Beautiful - My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia

Gold Experience - Following Prince in the 90's by Jim Walsh

So check them out!

Can I Play With U?

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 10 May 2017 11:12:00 +0000

What's up Purple People?!?! I know it's been a minute (more like months) but what can I say, I've been busy! I just wanted to do a quick drive-by posting to show off this awesome new release from Sabotage entitled Can I Play With U?

I'll try to post a review or some such later but for now, if you get the chance, grab this one! You won't be disappointed!

3rd Eye Art

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 04:52:00 +0000

I was more than a little excited to get a package in the mail last week. It was the first ever package I had received from the UK but that was not why I was excited. It was a package from Spencer Derry who is a wonderfully talented artist from the UK. Now for a brief backstory, Spencer was also known online for a while as 3rdEyeBoy and his art was used on many occasions by Prince and 3rdEyeGirl. Needless to say, I was excited to find that Spencer was selling/auctioning some of the fabulous artwork that he had designed for Prince but that may have not been used or chosen. I actually participated in a couple of auctions and managed to win one and lose one but the one that I did win was a drawing of 3rdEyeGirl. That brings us to the package I received in the mail. So I carefully opened the package and removed the precious artwork inside. As I looked at it, all I could think was that it was even more amazing in person than it appeared in the pictures. I happily shared my new prize with my purple family on Twitter and Instagram so I thought I should share it here as well. So without further ado, here it is:

Amazing, isn't it? I think so! I have three more of his artworks being shipped as I write this and they should be here in a few days. Whenever I get them, I will share them here also. If you are interested in any of Spencer's art, you can start by checking here. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Candles 4 Prince

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Sat, 21 Jan 2017 16:00:00 +0000

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!"

Will the Digital Haze prevail in 2017?

noreply@blogger.com (Spookie) — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 06:16:00 +0000

"You take the blue pill, the story ends.

You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.

You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."

As we begin the new year, there are so many questions about where the world is heading. Fake news, political hacking, scandals and pseudo-reality TV wash over us like never-ending tidal waves from a tsunami and threaten to drown us in a wasteland of lethargic human-like robots. Sometimes we need to unplug from the digital world and clear out the noise in our heads. Let the haze abate so that we can clearly see the real world and not the matrix that has been programmed for us. Back in the old NPGMC days, Prince shared an essay entitled The Digital Haze. I thought I would share that here.

The Digital Haze

If u have ever found urself staring endlessly at the screen, without purpose, feeling strangely empty-headed — u r not alone. Millions of people worldwide r feeling xactly the same way u do, and u know it.

It used 2 b that the screen in front of which u felt that way was the TV screen. “Tele-vision” — such a promising medium, full of wonderful, educational, cultural, artistic potential… And what do we have now? We do have the 500 channels that the technocrats kept promising us. And we’ll soon get high-definition, theater-like TV as well, no doubt.

But all the technological advances in the world cannot hide the fact that the screen we r staring at is an empty screen — a screen blurting out a constant stream of pointless, meaningless images stuffed down r gaping throats. Television has slowly but surely turned us in2 hallucinated dummies. The average IQ of the TV-fed population might have increased by a few points, but anyone who has set foot in a classroom recently knows very well that this is not the kind of intelligence that ENLIGHTENS or uplifts anyone.

TV has definitely become the “supreme time waster” (George Gilder), the ad-impacted wall of universal banality, gratuitous violence, unbearable silliness, and beyond-embarrassing innuendo against which any remnants of lucidity will inevitably come crashing and fade away.

The Real Virtuality
In this brand new millennium, however, r lives r just as full of computer monitors as they r of TV screens. And, un4tunately, much in the same way TV has more or less wasted all its potential, it seems that the computer — this potentially amazing tool which was supposed 2 bring us “interactivity,” 2 xpand r horizons far beyond the limited, 2-dimensional world of TV — is quickly following the same path.

We r not talking about the infamous “world wide wait” here — the constant waiting 4 ur computer 2 do whatever u asked it 2 do. No, technological advances will soon take care of that. We won’t have 2 wait 4 much longer. We will soon all get “instant access.” That’s not the problem.

The problem is — instant access 2 what? If current trends r any indication, we won’t have access 2 much more than a slightly “enhanced” replica of the collective hallucination that TV has ended up creating. U might b able 2 participate in pseudo-“polls” and “surveys” (which no one xcept 4 the FIFA ever really takes in2 account), u might b able 2 fill out “feedback forms” and subscribe 2 “mailing lists”… However, whatever ignorance the traditional moguls don’t manage 2 impose on u themselves thru those “official” vehicles is soon perpetrated by the anarchy of confusing voices and endless inarticulate babble that disguises itself under fancy labels such as “web forums” or “newsgroups.”

Who is still able 2 use the word “news” without quotation marks 2 describe any of the mainstream services labelled as such? Does anyone really believe that what is called “news,” be it on TV, on the radio, in the morning papers or on the Net, is actually anything new?

A politician who campaigns against clear-cutting or rampant urbanization and actually gets elected — that would b news.

A new record that sells millions of copies without over-the-top promotion, thru the sheer quality of its music — that would b news.

A major movie without sex or violence that still manages 2 b both erotic and cathartic — that would b news.

A profit-making multinational that puts its workers ahead of its shareholders — that would b news.

A health report that covers a scientific achievement that actually brings relief to long-suffering patients, rather than the promise of potential relief 10 years down the road if all further tests are conclusive and not 2 many rats or monkeys die in the process — that would b news.

A half-hour news program that devotes 20 percent of its airing time — that would b a full 6 minutes — 2 addressing issues directly affecting 20 percent of the population — that’s how many still live in poverty in the US — that would b news.

But what u r watching on TV, hearing on the radio or accessing on the web isn’t news. It’s a collective ILLUSION that poses as the “real world” and has made us all 4get what the real real world looks like. It’s a “virtual reality” that has become more real than the actual reality, that occupies r minds much more than the actual reality ever manages 2 do. It’s a constant stream of immediately 4gettable and immediately 4gotten “content” based on a meaningless, mind-numbing “cult of the next” (designer Michael Graves). “Give us something other than what u gave us yesterday” is the one and only philosophy upon which the little bit of thinking that happens 2 go on in the minds of r “decision-makers” is solely based.

Music or Plastic?
It becomes even sadder when u look at what this whole system has done 2 music — or what now passes 4 music in these computerized days… The use of the computer continues 2 further blur the line between real talent and plastic. In order 2 produce something “new,” u just need 2 push the same buttons in a different order. Just like any other field subjected 2 the joint forces of technology and capitalism, music is becoming more and more of a “product” and less and less of an art.

Is there any denying this objective, palpable, observable decline? How many real music lovers actually listen 2 anything in the Top 40? Or, as Chuck D. puts it, does real art matter much “2 the masses that see hip hop as something similar 2 fast food fries”?
The computer, un4tunately, has become the tool of choice in this decline. Drum machines, digital synthesizers, music software, digital recording equipment — those were tools that, once again, were supposed 2 xpand r musical horizons, 2 take us in2 new realms of endless sonic possibilities…

Instead, they've turned out 2 b mostly the right tools in the wrong hands. Rather than being used 4 sonic xploration, they r being used as a cheaper SUBSTITUTE 4 the real thing, a faster, more “cost-effective” way of producing product.

Mind-Opening vs Mind-Numbing
Real drummers don’t play every note perfectly. They go with the flow, so 2 speak, they strive 2 squeeze as much tightness as possible out of their interaction with the other instruments in the band. They create a 4m of anticipation, of MUSICAL AWARENESS both in their fellow players and in the listener. They keep the listener aware of the xploratory nature of their playing. It’s the same with all instruments. And when u put them 2GETHER, when that funky guitar lick falls xactly where the drummer wanted it 2 fall, where he had created SPACE 4 it, between the pumping bass and the keyboard chord — and that’s not necessarily xactly on the beat — then it all makes musical sense, it all GELS — and the resulting jelly is a xhilarating, mind-opening xperience 4 both the players and the audience.

How is a machine ever going 2 b able 2 recreate that? The best effect that a drum machine, playing uni4mly, xactly, directly on the beat can hope 2 have on the listener is some kind of numbing effect, some 4m of HYPNOSIS that doesn’t require awareness, but surrender.

This hypnotic value, in itself, can of course b used, on occasion, 2 convey some sort of “message” or 2 evoke some specific kind of mood. Also, skilled drummers with their own xisting mastery of the instrument might find ways 2 complement their drumming thru clever, innovative use of drum machines.

However, when computerized music machines r used — like they r in most cases these days — as a substitute 4 the real thing, then they can’t really hope 2 b much more than an ERSATZ, a desperately dull imitation. In the sadly very real world of “virtual” music, instead of being an instrument, instead of just being a vehicle 2 xpress the creativity of the musician, the computer is quickly becoming the musician itself. When all it takes 2 “play” a song is 2 just press a button once and then listen 2 the machine play and sing the entire song 4 u, can it really still b called art? When one single half-baked, half-original musical idea is stretched through endless, repetitive looping over 5 boring minutes, is it still really a song?

R scientists still know very little about how r brains operate, but we wouldn’t b surprised if science one day demonstrated that live instrument playing and musical machines affect 2 completely different areas of the mind. Intuitively, we would say that machines pretty much shut down what live instruments manage 2 open, that is, the part of r selves that can b TOUCHED, that can b MOVED — in other words, r HEARTS and SOULS.

Tainted Water

The drumming machine is a perfect xample of what the computer will never even come close 2 recreating — let alone actually CREATING. We have no doubt that further technical “improvements” will enable the people using those machines 2 achieve a seemingly more accurate imitation of the real thing, but it is and will remain an imitation.
And it makes perfect sense, really.

Most machines r created by engineers, not by artists. Engineers can spend all their lives trying 2 get their machines 2 reproduce what they think is human thought or creativity as closely as possible — without ever asking themselves WHY on earth they would even want 2 achieve a thing. It’s silly, no?

And most machines r used by merchants, not artists. Which brings us 2 another point. By the time u get 2 hear a certain piece of music on the air, it has already gone thru half a dozen MATRIXES:

the artist

the manager

the record company

the visual medium (what song would make a good video)

the program director

and the DJ (who says whether or not he likes the song)

As u can c, when a program director says, “I can play whatever I want,” he means 2 say, “I can play whatever I choose from what I am GIVEN.” And what he is given is something that has already gone thru a xtensive selection process that has little 2 do with music.

The worst matrix of all is the artists themselves, un4tunately, becuz most let all the other matrixes have a pernicious influence on them and their “artistic choices.”

The end result is that, by the time the water finally reaches us, it’s so dirty that we gag.

The problem with machines is that they r, here again, used 2 make the matrixes even more “efficient.” Where, in the past, an artist could still faintly hope 2 find, by chance, a human ear able 2 abstract itself from all that jive and let its instinct speak — now we have machines crunching numbers and spitting out “market surveys” and “profit estimates.” Everything is becoming more and more computer-assisted, automated, and the real victims r the artists, with their quickly disappearing freedom of thought, freedom of choice.

The Greatest?
Lest we 4get, the music lover himself is caught in his own web of matrixes. From the record stores at which he is able 2 shop, 2 the radio stations that r available 2 him, 2 the selection of music 2 which he is xposed thru the various media outlets 2 which he has access, 2 his own internal conflicts between what he FEELS that he likes and he THINKS that he should like, between the responsibility he has 2 compensate the artists 4 their work and his reluctance 2 give most of his money away 2 record companies which r basically xploiting the artists he likes — the music lover is faced, on his own smaller scale, with the same type of struggle that faces the artist.

And, here again, at this point in time, the computer is mostly being used 2 enhance xisting structures and make them more effective, more profitable. There is a battle going on right now, as we speak, between the obsolete structures that traditional companies and media outlets r trying 2 impose on the digital world, and the FREEDOM afforded by this same digital world 2 its individual members.

Let’s take the xample of music charts, and more specifically of those “lists” that keep popping up out of nowhere and pretend 2 classify, rate, prioritize music 4 us. “The 100 Best Albums Of All Time,” “The 100 Greatest Guitarists,” “The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos,” “The Best of The Year 2000”… We’ve seen them all, we know how meaningless they r, and yet it seems that they r becoming the automatic escape mechanism 4 uninspired journalists and “pundits” who have run out of ways 2 talk — or more specifically not talk — about music, and r desperate 2 fill their columns or the cover of their magazines b4 the next deadline.

Does any music lover actually recognize themselves in those lists? We have nothing against people xpressing their own personal preferences… But they should at the very least b presented as such. Instead, the compilers of those lists claim 2 have consulted “music xperts,” 2 have conducted scientific polls among artists and 2 have established the ultimate, definitive, undisputable truth… until next month’s list, of course.

Revolver better than Songs In The Key Of Life? “Taxman,” “Yellow Submarine” and “Doctor Robert” better than “Love’s In Need Of Love Today,” “I Wish” and “Pastime Paradise”? If u could ask Paul McCartney, what do u think he would answer?

It’s a real competition out there. Each web site needs 2 have its own “Best Of,” or so it seems. Soon enough, we will get computer-generated lists: “Based on comprehensive scientific analysis of the digitally sampled sound waves of 10,000 recordings, our supercomputer has established that the Beatles were indeed better than the Rolling Stones and that the 100 Best Albums Of All Time are…”

Here again, instead of being put 2 good use, the computer, the Internet r merely used 2 amplify, 2 worsen an xisting source of wasted talk. It would b easy 2 just ignore the proliferation of such lists, if they didn’t play such a part in perpetuating the status quo that empowers the producers and the customers 2 the detriment of the artists and the music lovers.

It would be easy 2 ignore such lists if they were not such a typical symptom of the widespread tendency 2 avoid discussing the REAL ISSUES.

The Real ?s
Indeed, as every1 can c, music is fast becoming a prime xample of the fundamental issues that r “digital world” is raising — issues such as:

Where is the soul in a computer-induced world?

If the world we create is driven by computers, where do we live?

Can true artistic talent still survive against this mass of pseudo-art?

Will those who use the computer survive against those who let it use them?

Can and will true art live on?

Is true art still feasible, still realistic in 2day’s mind-numbing, computer-aided digital haze?

U b the judge.

From Bad 2 Worse
Computers rn’t bad in themselves, of course. It’s just that they r 2 often used by the xisting system 2 make everything that’s already bad even worse. Computers calculating what would please us. Computers guessing what we want. Y do we ever need 2 b TOLD what we want? Y do we ever buy music based on what we r told rather than what we HEAR? No one seems 2 dare 2 take the time 2 xplore music at his/her own pace. Let the computer do the xploring 4 u and find something “new” 4 u. Fast food fries indeed.

Real music by real artists 4 real music lovers is being relegated 2 the margins. Those margins might b somewhat stronger thanks 2 some of those new technologies (such as digital distribution), but they r still margins — and there is little sign of a 4thcoming, wide-ranging revolution that would really reverse the balance.

The NPG proposes 2 reverse the trend. NPG Online Ltd. wants u 2 use ur computer 2 make a difference. R site eliminates the matrixes. Xplore the music. Choose ur way. Let others b used. Tell us what u want. Say goodbye 2 the hype. Open ur mind. FEEL the music.

Like Prince once said, "The war will go on and on! You best leave now!" Is it the microchip in your neck? Is it a brave, new world? The choice is yours! Wake up, children! Dance the dance electric and Free Urself!

So now the question remains, do you take the red pill or do you take the blue pill?