Dance / Music / Sex / Romance

Here we are again, my first podcast in more than a year, and I couldn't have asked for better guests than Harold Pride and De Angela Duff to discuss Prince's fourth and quite possibly most underrated album, 1981’s Controversy. If you've been listening to these deep-dive album retrospectives, Harold needs no introduction; and, since the Prince scholarly community is a pretty small one, De Angela may not need one either. Suffice to say that she's the biggest advocate of Controversy I know, and she makes a convincing case that it's not only a great album in its own right, but also the linchpin of Prince's entire career. One quick note: you will likely notice that there was a significant drop in audio quality this episode; this was due to a perfect storm of technical issues that, unfortunately, left the low-quality Skype call recording as the only usable audio source from our conversation. I think you'll get used to it, but I will assure you anyway that I'm taking steps to make sure we sound better next time. And yes, speaking of "next time," I do have plans for more episodes in the coming months--probably not in October, but maybe one more before the end of the year, and then more to come in early 2023. If you want to hear the episodes as soon as they drop, remember to subscribe on your podcast service of choice using the links above! 00:03:18 "The Second Coming” ("Live" at the Met Center, 1982) 00:07:20 De Angela on Prince's Friend https://youtu.be/2reMIW0zsfE 00:19:58 Daphne A. Brooks' review of Controversy in Pitchfork 00:21:08 Allen Beaulieu’s iconic cover art for Controversy © Warner Bros. 00:22:05 Allen Beaulieu's iconic cover art for Dirty Mind © Warner Bros. 00:25:30 Controversy round table from the #1plus1plus1is3 symposium with Joan Morgan, Jason Orr, Tonya Pendleton, Scott Woods, and Arthur Turnbull https://youtu.be/K7GXWBZdSr4 00:32:11 "Sexuality” (Live at the Warner Theatre, 1981) 00:32:51 Zach's presentation from the #SexyMF30 symposium https://youtu.be/x4czDlkcz_c 00:33:20 Inklings of Prince as world builder: the back cover of Prince (1979) Photo by Chris Callis, © Warner Bros. 00:42:36 "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” (Live at the Warner Theatre, 1981) 00:46:57 Learn to play the "Let's Work” bassline from Brown Mark himself! https://youtu.be/tG3ok3u8iq0 00:54:25 "Controversy” (from Controversy, 1981) 01:03:40 Zach's three-part post on "Controversy" (Parts 1, 2, and 3) 01:06:45 Morris Day's 2019 memoir 01:10:50 Harold and KaNisa's recent Twitter thread on Prince and electronic music/Detroit techno 01:11:34 Our podcast on The Time with more discussion on the Detroit/Minneapolis connection 01:15:25 Techno Rebels by Dan Sicko 01:23:28 Zach's #1plus1plus1is3 presentation on the Controversy shower poster https://youtu.be/oFSZasOYv8M 01:30:00 Bruce Gowers’ "Controversy" music video https://youtu.be/4gazNwzC4H0 © Warner Bros. 01:36:55 KaNisa’s #1plus1plus1is3 presentation made connections between the Prince of Controversy and the Prince of The Rainbow Children https://youtu.be/FkoSKRkK4nI 01:37:17 "Sexuality" (from Controversy) 01:45:25 Bruce Gowers' "Sexuality" music video https://youtu.be/mZO5HLRk7KE © Warner Bros. 01:46:11 The very similar lighting in Michael Jackson’s "Rock with You” video (not incidentally, also directed by Gowers) https://youtu.be/5X-Mrc2l1d0 © Epic Records 01:53:25 "The Rainbow Children” (from The Rainbow Children, 2001) 01:59:50 "ShoYoAss" by the Coup (from Pick a Bigger Weapon, 2006) 02:02:25 The 2015 Washington Post article about Prince's "apolitical purple wormhole" 02:03:08 Crystal Wise's "(A)Political Prince: An Analysis of Prince's Political Consciousness" 02:07:08 C. Liegh McInnis' The Lyrics of Prince Rogers Nelson 02:07:37 "Do Me, Baby” (from Controversy) 02:18:13 Grown Folks Music's podcast on the "Prince Flood" of 1987 with De Angela,

Last October, I had every intention to mark the 40th anniversary of Controversy with another installment of our in-depth album retrospective podcast series, but life (i.e., my increasingly-predictable end-of-year burnout) intervened. Now, having finally gotten my shit together, I'm putting the finishing touches on the episode, and it will be dropping next Friday (tomorrow for patrons)! I'm joined as always by Harold Pride and, for the first time, by longtime friend of the show De Angela Duff, who was actually the one to get my butt in gear because she's just that passionate about the album! Very excited for you to hear it and (knock on wood) to be back with more in less than a year.

As promised/threatened, we're back to a monthly schedule on the D / M / S / R podcast! For this month's episode, it was my pleasure to speak to music writer Jack Riedy (Pitchfork, GQ, VIBE) about his new book Electric Word Life: Writing on Prince 2016-2021. It was a really fun conversation, running through each of the pieces collected in his book and covering everything from Prince’s influence on Chicago house to the degree to which the Batman album goes (spoiler: it’s hard). Check it out, and if you're so inclined, get yourself a copy of Jack’s book! It's a great read and highly recommended. By the way, I caught this too late to mention it "on air," but thanks so much to cittalente for their review on Apple Podcasts! If you're interested in reviewing D / M / S / R on your podcast service of choice, please do, and I will read it on the next episode--which, if all goes to plan, should be dropping next month. 00:00:00 "The Future” (from Batman, 1989) 00:14:59 "We All Wanna Be Prince" by Felix da Housecat (2009 single) 00:17:09 Michaelangelo Matos: "We All Wanna Be Prince: Exploring The Purple One’s Impact on Dance Music" 00:18:22 "Music is the Key (House Key)" by J.M. Silk (1985 single) 00:19:29 Cat Glover recycles the "Music is the Key" rap on "Cindy C” (from The Black Album, 1987) 00:21:29 "Gett Off (Houstyle Remix)" by Steve "Silk" Hurley (1991 single) 00:23:56 Chuck Zwicky’s Keynote at the Batdance30ATL Symposium https://youtu.be/XPQQKHwGch0 00:25:31 "All the Critics Love U in New York” (from 1999, 1982) 00:29:23 Ethan Hawke explains the "Black Album" in Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014) https://youtu.be/zMYBOpmWHEc 00:31:32 Zach's Take on Purple Rain as a Double Album 00:36:09 "Nothing Compares 2 U” (from Originals, 2019) 00:38:01 Chris Stapleton's 2016 cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U" https://youtu.be/B56NQ2TC5xo 00:39:01 Girl Talk samples Sinead O'Connor’s "Nothing Compares 2 U" on "Play Your Part (Pt. 1)" (from Feed the Animals, 2008) 00:39:34 The tweet Jack references in his book https://twitter.com/jackriedy/status/1424084517543944196?s=20 00:41:33 "Four" by Madhouse (from 8, 1987) 00:45:26 "Batdance” (from Batman) 00:50:41 Simon Pegg and Nick Frost use Batman as a projectile in Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004) https://youtu.be/uLquz4Iz-30 00:52:17 "Batdance" in Tom Breihan's The Number Ones 00:54:43 "Dance with the Devil" (1989 recording) 00:57:48 The mysterious bubbling noise in "Lady Cab Driver” (from 1999) 01:00:39 "F.U.N.K.” (2007 single) 01:10:24 "Sometimes It Snows in April” by D'Angelo featuring Princess (Live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, 2016) 01:17:24 Scott Woods’ Prince and Little Weird Black Boy Gods 01:18:35 Mary Gring (who illustrated Jack's book) 01:19:10 Cereal Box Studio (who designed it) 01:20:30 "Welcome 2 America” (from Welcome 2 America, 2021) 01:20:40 Daniel Bromfield's Pitchfork review of Welcome 2 America 01:21:53 Zach also wasn't a huge fan of "Hot Summer" 01:26:12 Buy Jack's Book 01:26:52 "The Dance Electric” (from Purple Rain: Deluxe Expanded Edition, 2017)

This month, it was my pleasure to speak to music writer Jack Riedy (Pitchfork, GQ, VIBE) about his new book Electric Word Life: Writing on Prince 2016-2021. It was a really fun conversation, running through each of the pieces collected in his book and covering everything from Prince's influence on Chicago house to the degree to which the Batman album goes (spoiler: it's hard). The full episode will be out in a week--unless, of course, you're a patron, in which case you'll be able to hear it later today. In the meantime, you can check out this trailer--and consider buying Jack's book, which is available now! Also, my apologies to De Angela Duff, who totally became a patron between posts last month and was lost in the shuffle! De Angela, I appreciate you; this is your belated shout-out.

Darling Nisi and Harold Pride return for another in-depth retrospective on the 1981 debut album by the Time.

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the self-titled debut album by the Time; so, I decided to commemorate the occasion by bringing back Darling Nisi and Harold Pride for one of our trademark track-by-track deep dives. The episode will be available on your podcast service of choice next week; in the meantime, here's a short preview. And, if you're a patron, you'll be able to listen early starting tomorrow! Speaking of patrons, I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome Kaitlyn, Beau Witcher, and B. Perrier into the fold. Thanks, as always, for your support--it means a lot!

Darling Nisi and Harold Pride return for a third episode in our series of in-depth retrospectives on Prince's albums, this one for the 40th anniversary of 1980’s Dirty Mind.

Well, folks, after a six-month delay (and what felt like six years of editing), the next episode of the D / M / S / R podcast is finally finished. It will be available to the public in a week; in the meantime, here's a short preview. And if you're a patron, you'll be able to listen starting later today! To subscribe to the podcast, use the links above or just search "dance music sex romance" on your provider of choice... we are almost definitely already on there, and if we aren't, just let me know and I will do my best to remedy that!

October 19, 2018 marks the 39th anniversary of Prince's self-titled second album--not the most glamorous occasion, perhaps, but reason enough to reassemble the review panel from our For You podcast for a reappraisal. Once again, Zach is joined by Harold and KaNisa for a track-by-track discussion of this underappreciated album, its resonances throughout Prince's career, and why it still matters. 00:00:00   Ray "Eye Patch" Sawyer and Dennis Locorriere of Dr. Hook Introduce Prince--and Prince Performs "I Wanna Be Your Lover”--on The Midnight Special, 1980 00:01:08   KaNisa's Muse 2 the Pharaoh Podcast 00:01:30   Harold's First Appearance on d / m / s / r 00:01:39   Harold's Presentation from the Lovesexy 30 Symposium at NYU https://vimeo.com/282043757 00:02:49   Our First Review Podcast of For You 00:08:33   For You’s Album Cover vs. Prince’s Photo by Joe Giannetti, © Warner Bros. Photo by Jurgen Reisch, © Warner Bros. 00:14:15   The Infamous Dick Clark Interview from American Bandstand, 1980 https://youtu.be/vvpjhVzv7EM 00:20:25   d / m / s / r Post on the Capri Theatre Show 00:23:34   Definitely Nude: The Back Cover of Prince Photo by Chris Callis, © Warner Bros. 00:23:51 "Sexy Dancer” (Live at Carolina Coliseum, 1980) 00:26:22   Prince Live 1979-1980: The First Tour 00:28:03   "I Wanna Be Your Lover" (from Prince, 1979) 00:34:38   The "I Wanna Be Your Lover" Music Video https://youtu.be/Rp8WL621uGM 00:41:10   "Disco Away” by the Rebels (1979 recording) 00:43:15   "I Wanna Be Your Lover" (Live in Dortmund, 1988) 00:46:25   "I Wanna Be Your Lover" in "Purple Medley," 1995 00:47:47   The Alternate "Band Version" of the "I Wanna Be Your Lover" Video, with... Remastered Audio https://youtu.be/MitvKAuDUwU 00:49:07   The More Convincing Band Videos for "Dirty Mind," "Controversy," and "1999” https://youtu.be/c3GPPnVz1fw https://youtu.be/4gazNwzC4H0 https://youtu.be/rblt2EtFfC4 00:54:20   "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” (from Prince) 01:00:30   Dez, André, and Prince, 1980 Photo by Richard E. Aaron 01:01:12   "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" (Live in Lakeland, Florida, 1980) 01:15:04   "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" (Live in Vancouver, 2013) 01:17:13   "Sexy Dancer” (from Prince) 01:24:52   "Livin' on the Nile (Extended Club Re-mix)" by Egyptian Lover (1987 single) 01:30:15   "Sexy Dancer (Long Version)" (1980 single) 01:33:34   "When We're Dancing Close and Slow” (from Prince) 01:43:55   d / m / s / r Podcast with Erica Thompson 01:45:22   "When We're Dancing Close and Slow" (Live in Seattle, 2013) 01:52:33   "When We're Dancing Close and Slow" with Andy Allo (Live at North Sea Jazz, 2011) 01:55:17   "With You” (from Prince) 02:00:41   The Instrumental "With You" Interlude (Live at Denver Auditorium Arena, 1983) 02:03:33   "With You" (Live at Xenophobia Celebration, 2002) 02:08:13   "Bambi” (from Prince) 02:17:16   The Unaired "Bambi" Performance on The Ellen Degeneres Show, 2004 https://youtu.be/powjAdIpdxQ 02:19:39   "Still Waiting” (from Prince) 02:24:13   "Still Waiting" (Live at First Avenue, 1982) 02:30:05   "I Feel for You” (from Prince) 02:37:25   "I Feel for You" by Chaka Khan (from I Feel for You, 1984) 02:38:28   "It's Gonna Be Lonely” (from Prince) 02:44:55   Zach's Original Ranking of the Songs from Prince 03:04:25   "Bambi (Rap)" by T.C. Ellis (from True Confessions, 1991)

I gave myself a little hiatus from the dance / music / sex / romance podcast after Celebration 2018, but now we're back in business with guest Takuya Futaesaku, author of the book Words of Prince. Takki and I talk about his book and his experiences as a Prince fan in Japan; it was a pleasure to speak with him, so hopefully it will be a pleasure to listen, too! Special thanks this episode go to Crystal for helping me track down the Japanese shows you'll hear during the podcast. 00:00:00   "Around the World in a Day” (Live at Osaka-jō Hall, 1986) 00:02:39   "When Doves Cry” (Live at Osaka-jō Hall) 00:04:46   "Condition of the Heart” (Live at Osaka-jō Hall) 00:07:10   "Christopher Tracy's Parade” (Live at Osaka-jō Hall) 00:08:58   "Sometimes It Snows in April”  (Live at Yokohama Stadium, 1986) 00:13:24   "Bambi” (Live at the Tokyo Dome, 1990) 00:16:08   "Batdance” (Live at the Tokyo Dome, 1990) 00:18:38   "Vicki Waiting” (Live at Yokohama Stadium, 1996) 00:25:27   "Let's Go Crazy” (Live at the Tokyo Dome, 1989) 00:29:30    d / m / s / r Podcast with Duane Tudahl 00:33:55   "The Everlasting Now" (Live at the Nippon Budokan, 2002) 00:41:53    John Blackwell’s Drum Solo from "The Question of U” (Live at the Budokan) 00:47:09   "Xenophobia" (Live at the Budokan) 01:00:35   "Dance On” (Live at the Tokyo Dome, 1989) 01:01:14   Buy Words of Prince on Amazon

As listeners are no doubt aware, next week will be a big one for Prince fans in Minneapolis: Monday through Wednesday is Prince from Minneapolis, the second-ever (and first in the States) academic symposium devoted to papers about Prince; then, from Thursday to Sunday, Paisley Park will open its doors for its second annual posthumous Celebration event. I will be there for both, so I thought now was the perfect opportunity to talk to Stuart Willoughby, whose book Minneapolis Reign: A Guide to Prince's Hometown documented his own trip to last year's Celebration 2017. Stuart and I had a really fun conversation, which will hopefully give everyone else out there planning their own pilgrimages some pointers about where to go and what to do in Prince's hometown. As always, remember to subscribe to the d / m / s / r podcast on your service of choice (iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play), and to leave us a review if the spirit moves you. I look forward to meeting some of you in Minneapolis next week! 00:00:00   "Calhoun Square” (1993 Recording, available on Crystal Ball) 00:04:12   "1999” (from 1999, 1982) 00:08:28   "Cream” (from Diamonds and Pearls, 1991) 00:13:07   "Nothing Compares 2 U” (1991 Recording, available on Prince 4Ever) 00:30:23   "Paisley Park” (from Around the World in a Day, 1985) 00:34:48   Rudolph's Bar-B-Que 00:44:23   "All the Critics Love U in London” (Live at indigO2, London, 2007) 00:45:09   My Name is Prince Exhibition (Now in Amsterdam) 00:50:28   David Bowie Is Exhibition 00:52:03   Buy Stuart's Book on Amazon 00:54:11   "Rock 'N' Roll is Alive! (And It Lives in Minneapolis)" (1995 B-Side) 00:56:41   Snax on d / m / s / r 00:56:50   Contribute to Snax's Pledge Music Drive!

dance / music / sex / romance is fast approaching its third year, so to celebrate, we're going...backwards? That's right, to mark the 40th anniversary of Prince's debut album, I thought now was the perfect time to go ahead with an idea I've been toying with for a while: our own sub-series of review podcasts looking at each of Prince's albums in isolation. I'm doing this for a few reasons. First, it's a way to bring those of you who have been listening to the podcasts but not reading the blog into the loop on my chronological Prince project--and also a way for me to work through some of these albums before I can get to it with my glacially paced writing schedule. Second, I've known from the beginning of this project that if I really wanted to do Prince's catalogue justice, I would need to incorporate more voices and perspectives than just my own. We all have our biases and blind spots, and as a Prince fan I am acutely aware that one person's sentimental favorite can be another's unlistenable mess (and vice versa). That's why I asked my friends Harold and KaNisa, both of whose encyclopaedic knowledge of Prince's career dwarfs my own, to join me. I think you'll find that our tastes and opinions both intersect and diverge in a lot of interesting ways, which allowed us--and hopefully, will allow you--to take a different perspective on some of these songs and the context in which they were created. I hope you enjoy this new approach to an album that remains underappreciated in Prince's catalogue. If you do, I hope you'll subscribe to the podcast on your streaming app of choice (iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play), and if you're so inclined, leave a review! No matter what, thanks for listening, and see you again soon. 00:00:00   "For You” (1976 Recording) 00:01:01   Harold's Previous Appearance on d / m / s / r 00:01:10   The Prince Podcast 00:01:24   KaNisa's Tumblr 00:04:50   Duane Tudahl on d / m / s / r 00:06:54   "Soft and Wet” (from For You, 1978) 00:09:10   Here's Where to Read the Blog Entries on For You 00:09:19   The New Prince Issue of Wax Poetics 00:11:08   "I'm Under Your Spell" by Mind & Matter, written by and featuring the Artist Later Known as Jimmy Jam (1977 Recording, available on Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound) 00:14:35   "Everybody Dance" by Chic (from Chic, 1977) 00:14:46   "Shame" by Evelyn "Champagne" King (from Smooth Talk, 1977) 00:15:15   "Mary Jane" by Rick James and the Stone City Band (from Come Get It!, 1978) 00:18:35   "The Closer I Get to You" by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway (from Blue Lights in the Basement, 1977) 00:19:04   "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams (from You Light Up My Life, 1978) 00:21:06   "You and I" by Rick James and the Stone City Band (from Come Get It!) 00:22:54   Now This is More Like It © Warner Bros. 00:23:10 Getting There © Warner Bros. 00:24:37 Prince Meets His Public, 1978 Photo stolen from Noisey 00:29:58 "Well, I'm going to pick up a flute pretty soon." 00:32:12   "Just as Long as We're Together” (1977 Recording) 00:41:28   "Funkytown” by Lipps, Inc. (from Mouth to Mouth, 1979) 00:48:47   "For You" (from For You) 00:56:10   "For You" (1976 Recording) 01:01:08   "In Love” (from For You) 01:12:40   "Soft and Wet" (from For You) 01:16:08   "Soft and Wet" (1976 Recording) 01:19:22   The Futurama Fry Squint 01:20:58   The Bonobo Statue that Scarred Zach for Life https://www.instagram.com/p/BFaMU6xSsMn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 01:30:00 "Crazy You” (from For You) 01:32:40   Zach's Original Post on "Crazy You" 01:38:55   "Just as Long as We're Together" (from For You) 01:47:27   "Jelly Jam” (1977 Recording) 01:52:25   "Baby” (from For You) 01:56:49   "School of Life" by Tommy Tate (1972 Single) 02:01:29   "Eye Hate U” (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

For the first d / m / s / r podcast of 2018 (!), it was my pleasure to speak with budding educational historian and Prince scholar Kimberly C. Ransom. Kimberly presented at the University of Salford's interdisciplinary Prince conference last May--those of you who listened to my series of podcasts on that event probably heard her name come up once or twice--and her essay, "A Conceptual Falsetto: Re-Imagining Black Childhood Via One Girl's Exploration of Prince," was published last fall in the Journal of African American Studies’ special Prince issue. If any of my listeners haven't checked out that issue yet, I'm hoping this interview will offer some incentive: Kimberly's essay in particular brilliantly interweaves her lifelong love for Prince with an incisive critique our often-pathologized discourses of Black childhood. She also has a surprisingly lovely singing voice. As we embark on a brand new year of dance / music / sex / romance, allow me to direct your attention to our iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play feeds; if you feel compelled to subscribe, rate, or review us on your service of choice, it will be much appreciated. And of course, if you enjoy the podcast (or blog!), don't be afraid to spread the word. Lots more exciting things to come! 00:00:00   "Miss You” (1978 Recording) 00:01:35   Kimberly's First Shoutout on the d / m / s / r Podcast 00:06:02   "Do Me, Baby” (from Controversy, 1981) 00:10:11   One of the People I've Talked to about Prince's Intimacy 00:15:46   "Uptown” (from Dirty Mind, 1980) 00:19:26   "Schoolyard” (1990 Recording) 00:27:14   "The Sacrifice of Victor” (from O(+>, 1992) 00:34:23   "Private Joy" (from Controversy) 00:43:45   "Race" (from The Beautiful Experience, 1994) 00:49:33   "Lovesexy” (from Lovesexy, 1988) 00:57:27   The d / m / s / r Article Kimberly Quoted in Her Essay 01:03:55   "Crazy You” (from For You, 1978) 01:04:40   The Prince from Minneapolis Conference 01:05:20   Read Kimberly's Article (and the Rest of the JAAS Issue) Here

This is the last d / m / s / r podcast of 2017, and I have to say we're going out on a high note. It was my honor and privilege to speak with Marylou Badeaux: a former Warner Bros. executive who worked closely with Prince for his 17 years with the label, and the author of the newly-released memoir Moments... Remembering Prince. You can probably tell that I was a little nervous at the beginning of the conversation, but we warmed up quickly and had a great chat about Prince and his relationship with the label that, for better or worse, defined his era of peak artistic achievement. Now, I have one last item of business to conduct before the podcast goes on holiday break. There are actually two winners of my contest for iTunes and Stitcher reviews--one for each platform. The first is Louise Be, for her eloquent and incredibly flattering review on Stitcher; the second is Mafalda Taborda, who not only left a very nice review on iTunes, but was also the first person to review the podcast on any platform. Louise and Mafalda, if you're reading and/or listening to this, please email me and let me know which of the two recent Prince books you would prefer me to send: Marylou's Moments, or Duane Tudahl's Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions. And for everyone else who participated--and those who didn't!--thanks for making the first year of the dance / music / sex / romance podcast such a pleasure to put together. I can't wait to see where things go in 2018. 00:00:00   "We Can Work It Out” (1977 Recording) 00:07:42   Previous Podcast with Duane Tudahl 00:08:56   "Prince and the Band" (Live at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, 2004) 00:23:53   "Controversy” (1981 Single) 00:30:26   "When Doves Cry” (1984 Rehearsal) 00:36:36   "Dirty Mind” (from Dirty Mind, 1980) 00:37:45   Actual Photo of Prince at Warner Bros. H.Q., 1980 Photo by Allen Beaulieu 00:52:47 "Slave 2 the System" (1995 Recording) 01:00:47   "Nothing Compares 2 U” (1984 Recording) 01:20:27   Marylou's Facebook Page 01:20:45   Marylou's Website 01:22:48   "The Future" (from Batman, 1989)

It's been over half a year since the University of Salford's interdisciplinary Prince conference, but I keep connecting with people who presented there and whose topics of research are too interesting not to discuss. This time, I'm talking to actor and playwright Chambers Stevens, who has a fascinating theory about the influence of improv training on Prince's approach to life and performance. But we aren't just retreading Chambers' presentation from the Salford conference; he also has some hilarious stories to share about his own run-ins with Prince (and Chaka Khan), as well as some thoughts about the peculiar nature of Prince fandom. We had a lot of fun recording this--hopefully you'll have fun listening as well! And speaking of fun, there's still a little more time to participate in my giveaway for a free copy of Duane Tudahl’s new book Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984. The rules are simple: just subscribe to d / m / s / r on your podcast app of choice (logging into iTunes or Stitcher and searching "dance music sex romance" should do the trick), and leave a review. It doesn't have to be a positive review; feel free to rake me over the coals if you want, just make it well-written. On Tuesday, December 12, I'll look at all the reviews that have been submitted, pick my favorite--again, not necessarily the most positive!--and announce the winner on the next episode of the podcast. Oh, and speaking of that next episode, this is one you're not going to want to miss: I was fortunate enough to speak to the one and only Marylou Badeaux, former V.P. of Special Projects at Warner Bros. Records and author of the upcoming memoir Moments: Remembering Prince. Come back and listen to it next week! 00:00:00   "Irresistible Bitch” (1984 Rehearsal) 00:01:15   The University of Salford's Interdisciplinary Prince Conference 01:29:00   Band of Merrymakers 00:04:02   Previous Episode with Duane Tudahl 00:04:39   One More Plug for Duane's Facebook Group 00:07:14   Here's That Comment I'm Talking About 00:09:34   "Let's Go Crazy” (from Purple Rain, 1984) 00:19:40   The First Person I've Spoken to Who Has Interacted with Prince 00:20:27   "Irresistible Bitch" (1984 Rehearsal, Reprise) 00:22:42   Don Amendolia's Fimography 00:31:09   "Come” (from The Beautiful Experience, 1994) https://youtu.be/x7yUkrEpP6Y 00:33:01   A Few Clips from Glam Slam Ulysses, Courtesy of Dancer Kevin Stea https://youtu.be/0Z1mGSz0GwM 00:35:33   The New Purple Rain Remaster (and My Review) 00:38:12   (Chambers is Actually Talking about Sonny Thompson Here) 00:40:14   "Crazay" by Jesse Johnson featuring Sly Stone (from Shockadelica, 1987) 00:46:19   The Music Video for "Betcha by Golly Wow!”, 1996 https://youtu.be/qtsYubVEtEs 00:50:30   "Betcha by Golly Wow!" (from Emancipation, 1996) 01:03:20   The Infamous James Brown/Michael Jackson/Prince Moment https://youtu.be/Yy9L4ft7EGk 01:04:18   The Violet Reality 01:08:34   The Prince Podcast 01:12:05   "The Second Coming” (Live at the Met Center, Bloomington, MN, 1982) 01:17:20   "Let's Go Crazy" Makes a Cameo in Kingsman: The Golden Circle https://youtu.be/JAm5m-jvScc 01:21:26   "Soul Man/Kiss” (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, 2004)

Last week, Duane Tudahl’s long-awaited book Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 was finally published, and I was lucky enough to speak to him about it. If you haven't read the book yet, you need to listen to this podcast: Duane is a knowledgeable and passionate Prince fan-turned-scholar, and his enthusiasm for the project is infectious. And if you have read the book, you should still listen, because he has a lot to share not only about his research and writing process, but also about his experiences with the celebrated Uptown fanzine and his ideas for preserving Prince's legacy moving forward. NPG/Comerica/Warner Bros., if you're out there, give this man some consulting work; we can all benefit from someone with his dedication and expertise steering the ship. Now, for those of you who haven't read the book yet, allow me to sweeten the pot: I've already bought my copy, but I am planning to secure another one (hopefully signed by the author!) and gift it to a lucky listener who reviews d / m / s / r on their podcast app of choice (iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play). If you've never done this before, it's easy: just subscribe, give the podcast a rating, and leave a short review, then leave a comment on the blog so I know you did it. In about a month, I'll send my extra copy of Duane's book to whoever wrote my favorite review. Note that this doesn't mean your review has to be positive--if you hate my podcast and want to drag me, knock yourself out! As long as you leave a review and tell me where to look for it (and are willing to send me your mailing address, of course), you're eligible to receive the book. For now, I hope you enjoy this interview, and I hope you'll check out Duane's book--it really is phenomenal. Thanks for listening, and see you again soon! 00:00:00   "D.M.S.R.”  (1983 Rehearsal) 00:01:26   Prince in the Studio by Jake Brown 00:02:34  The Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn 00:21:53   "The Screams of Passion” (1984 recording) 00:23:05   Prince from Minneapolis Conference 00:31:07   "The Dance Electric” (1984 recording) 00:54:18   "Possessed” (1984 recording) 01:11:22   "Around the World in a Day" (1984 recording) 01:16:08   Visit Duane's Website for a Free Sample Chapter 01:16:47   Duane's Facebook Group 01:25:35   Cover Art for Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions by Rev © Rowman & Littlefield 01:26:38   "D.M.S.R." (1983 Rehearsal, Reprise)

After much delay, here is my conversation with Chris Aguilar-Garcia and Natalie Clifford, two presenters from this May's interdisciplinary Prince conference at the University of Salford. Both Chris and Nat identify as queer, and both have interesting things to say about Prince's legacy of "revolutionary queerness" and the space he created for less conventional expressions of gender and sexuality in the mainstream. If you liked the last episode with Snax, chances are you'll like this one. This is the part where I would normally say we're switching gears and moving away from the Salford conference, but as it happens, we already have another interview with a presenter in store. So basically, I'll keep doing these as long as people want to talk to me. If you still want to listen to me--and, more importantly, my eloquent guests--feel free to subscribe on your podcast service of choice (iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play), or listen on Mixcloud. And if you really like us, take that aforementioned podcast app and shoot us a rating or review; it will make us more "discoverable" and broaden the listening base. In the meantime, thanks as always for listening! 00:00:00   "Sexuality” (from Controversy, 1981) 00:03:07   The "Esoteric French" Podcast with Joni Todd and Karen Turman 00:12:08   Chris on a Recent Grown Folks Music Podcast with De Angela Duff 00:15:18   "Little Red Corvette (Dance Remix)" (1983 Recording, available on Ultimate Prince) 00:22:27   The Last Episode with Paul Bonomo (a.k.a. Snax) 00:27:23   "What's My Name" (1993 Recording, available on Crystal Ball) 00:29:25   One Infamous Example of These Comments 00:32:50   (The Artist Formerly Known as) Prince's Appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, 1996 00:34:02   An Earlier Episode with Erica Thompson 00:34:31   Erica's Blog Post about Her Interview with Robin Power 00:39:09   "Emancipation" (from Emancipation, 1996) 00:53:50   "Let's Go Crazy” (from the opening scene of Purple Rain, 1984) 00:59:45   Another Earlier Episode with Carmen Hoover 01:07:35   "Controversy” (from Controversy) 01:10:07   Young Thug's Unexpected Tribute to Prince 01:13:38   "Lovesexy” (from Lovesexy, 1988) 01:14:18   Chris' Presentation 01:24:51   "Y Should Eye Do That When Eye Can Do This?" (1999 Recording, available on The Slaughterhouse) 01:29:29   The Upcoming Prince from Minneapolis Conference 01:32:38   Here's the Presentation from My Old Gender Unit as a Graduate Instructor 01:33:57   Recent Article on the Minneapolis Sound by Rashad Shabazz 01:34:17   "I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)" (1984 B-Side, available on Purple Rain - Deluxe Edition) 01:36:48   Yet Another Earlier Episode with Harold Pride and Felicia Holman

This episode, I'm taking a little break from the University of Salford Purple Reign conference to talk to musician Paul Bonomo, a.k.a. Snax. We discuss Prince's professional and personal impact on Paul, of course, but we also speak more broadly to the two-way flow of influence between Prince and gay culture--an area that's been vastly underexplored in the popular discourse around the artist. I'm excited to see the extended conversation that comes out of this frank and at times provocative discussion. Next episode, we're returning to both Manchester and queerness with two presenters from one of the Purple Reign conference's Gender and Sexuality panels: independent scholars Chris Aguilar-Garcia and Natalie Clifford. If you like what you've heard of Snax, you can also follow him on Facebook and check out his new album, Shady Lights, when it releases on October 27. 00:00:00   "Just as Long as We're Together (Snax's Extended Ending Edit)" by Snax, 2017 00:02:02   One of the Earlier Episodes with Jane Jones 00:07:10   "Delirious (7" Edit) (1983 single, available on 4Ever) 00:11:30   The Cover of Dirty Mind, 1980 © Warner Bros. 00:13:09 "Do It All Night" (from Dirty Mind) 00:19:22   "Automatic” (from 1999, 1982) 00:25:06   "Chocolate” by the Time (from Pandemonium, 1990) 00:27:02   "If a Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)” by Vanity 6 (from Vanity 6, 1982) 00:35:18   "3121” (from 3121, 2006) 00:37:52   "Tasty Love" by Freddie Jackson (from Just Like the First Time, 1986) 00:40:00   "Movie Star" (1986 Recording, available on Crystal Ball) 00:42:25   Prince and Jerome Benton: Way More Chemistry than Prince and Kristin Scott Thomas © Warner Bros. 00:45:37   Here's the Prince Podcast Episode We're Talking About 00:49:30   "Jack U Off” (Live at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, New Jersey, 1982) 00:52:10   Troubling Prince Quote Number 1 00:52:47   Troubling Prince Quote Number 2 00:54:40   Prince's Totally Heteronormative Performance at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards https://youtu.be/dPToCnVCQCA 00:55:52   Previous Episode with Erica Thompson 00:57:25   "Let's Pretend We're Married” (from 1999) 01:06:09   Paul's Website 01:06:20   Shady Lights on Facebook 01:06:29   Snax on Facebook 01:06:49   "Turn It” by Snax featuring Mavin, from the Upcoming Album Shady Lights