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Prince Appreciation Thread - For Fans

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LeRoy Bennett is a lighting and stage designer who began his career working with Prince. Since then, he's worked with such artists as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, and on the Grammy Awards

Prince: The Story of 1999: LeRoy Bennett, 'Prince was beyond anybody'​

by Andrea Swensson, 2 January 2020

"While making the doc series Prince: The Story of 1999, I called up LeRoy Bennett. Roy is a lighting and stage designer whose work started with Prince around the Dirty Mind and Controversy era. He designed so many of those iconic looks from Prince's early tours — like 1999, like Purple Rain and Sign O' the Times ..."


"He'd record every show, and then after the show, there was the show again in his suite, in his hotel room, where we'd all — the band and myself — would all sit up there and go through the entire show. And Prince was a perfectionist, and he wanted everything -- everything — done to that level. So we would spend a lot of time building a show, playing a show, reviewing the show.

***************************

Something I've been thinking about a lot is — you say Prince is a perfectionist, but then I'm hearing all these stories of him in the studio where he's basically working so fast, he doesn't have time for perfection. I think it was Susan Rogers once told me it was like he was a volcano erupting and she was just trying to run around and get pots and pans to catch the lava as it came out. So I'm wondering how would you explain that? Like he always had all these new ideas and was always moving forward, but then he did have this level of excellence that he expected out of everybody.

Well, I think, creatively, when he's in the studio he was a volcano. He believed that whatever came out was what's supposed to be. Live-wise was a different situation. Because he had already gone through the process of blasting out whatever he was trying to do in the studio. Once that was established, then he would hone it in. I always felt that he was better live than he was on an album.

Why do you say that? Because it was more refined?

It was more refined. There was a lot more power to it. There was a lot more emotion to it, and it got deeper because he had time to digest what it was."

www.thecurrent.org

Prince: The Story of 1999 bonus feature: LeRoy Bennett, 'Prince was beyond anybody'

Production/lighting designer LeRoy Bennett began working with Prince in 1980 and continued working with him until 1994. 'I was blessed that I started my life and this career with him,' says Bennett, who has gone on to work with such artists as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. 'Prince pushed you...
www.thecurrent.org www.thecurrent.org
 
November - December 2019

Prince: The Story of 1999 is a four-part audio documentary series brought to you by The Current in collaboration with the Prince Estate, Paisley Park, and Warner Records. Listen Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Central, and read a written version, below. The series is also available as a podcast on multiple platforms.



www.thecurrent.org

Prince: The Story of 1999, Episode 1: My Mind Says Prepare to Fight

Prince: The Story of 1999 is a four-part audio documentary series brought to you by The Current in collaboration with the Prince Estate, Paisley Park, and Warner Records.
www.thecurrent.org www.thecurrent.org
www.thecurrent.org

Prince: The Story of 1999, Episode 2: Rearrange

Prince: The Story of 1999 is a four-part audio documentary series brought to you by The Current in collaboration with the Prince Estate, Paisley Park, and Warner Records.
www.thecurrent.org www.thecurrent.org
www.thecurrent.org

Prince: The Story of 1999, Episode 3: The Idolmaker

Prince: The Story of 1999 is a four-part audio documentary series brought to you by The Current in collaboration with the Prince Estate, Paisley Park, and Warner Records.
www.thecurrent.org www.thecurrent.org
www.thecurrent.org

Prince: The Story of 1999, Episode 4: Let's Work

Prince: The Story of 1999 is a four-part audio documentary series brought to you by The Current in collaboration with the Prince Estate, Paisley Park, and Warner Records.
www.thecurrent.org www.thecurrent.org
 
"With many rumoured inspirations (David Bowie, Quadrophenia (1979), Adam Ant to name a few) Prince adopted the trench coat from 1980 to 1985. The garment needed to be adapted for on-screen. Marie France altered the pre-existing trench coat fabric, investing in high-quality silk that worked better in the camera lights. The upper collar was altered so that it mimicked a mandarin collar with an abundance of ruffles spilling from his chest."

www.housequake.com

The Beautiful One: Fashioning The Kid in Purple Rain

Today on the 35th anniversary of the film's release of PurpleRain, Casci Ritchie discusses what makes 'The Kid' fashion so memorable.
www.housequake.com www.housequake.com
 
wendijane said:
wow @zinniabooklover You have been finding a ton of interesting things on P.'s thread thank you for that. gonna read up uup up
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Yeah, I went a bit mad there, lol. I now have tons of reading to do! Some of the stuff I posted I have read but galloped through it really quickly. And some of it I only had time to glance at it. So I'll be going back over it in the next few days. There is so much stuff that I love out there. It was really nice finding all of that stuff. Mr Media Shy Prince sure had a lot to say to the media but I'm not gonna complain. Those podcast transcripts I posted? I wish we had stuff like that from MJE. Those Prince fans are lucky although I think I've seen people saying they complain quite a lot. So maybe it's a case of 'the grass is greener ...' 🤷‍♀️ I love the interview with the stage / lighting designer guy. That's the one that kicked it all off, really. Once I found him I couldn't stop.

I liked that Rosie O'Donnell interview. There must be more of it somewhere. No way is 3 - 4 minutes the whole thing. Not gonna look for it now bc I want to go back over this stuff. jeez, I posted SO much. :ROFLMAO: But maybe later on I'll go looking for it. He's so relaxed here. She didn't really say anything different but somehow it was much more interesting than those chat show things usually are.
 
zinniabooklover said:
Yeah, I went a bit mad there, lol. I now have tons of reading to do!
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Oh @zinniabooklover that was a huge surprise to come back to thank you love , I'm not complaining because it is really handy to have so much info. Especially at this stage for some of us. well people like me anyway
zinniabooklover said:
Some of the stuff I posted I have read but galloped through it really quickly. And some of it I only had time to glance at it. So I'll be going back over it in the next few days.
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I think i am going to have to too n all ~ he still does my head in -there is so much fashion stuff which is really cool i have to admit that. but my interest does waiver. I still ugh with him = it's weird
zinniabooklover said:
There is so much stuff that I love out there. It was really nice finding all of that stuff.
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And thanks for finding and posting so much n sooo many interesting things. oh god yeah , Imagine when i found a video yesterday saying M and P were supposed to be doing BatDance together , ? like ............................ back then. seriously. ....That was like - um...... what did i just hear ? Michael was supposed to be bloody batman but couldn't cause m was on the bad tour. and the bloke was going to be that evil joker , This would have so passed over my head , maybe in worse ways since i didn't care for well, you know , bad too much. But if m had of been Batman i was trying to picture that yesterday ..well , probably ignored them both ! god forbid!..But if Batman had been ' darker ' same as GB i would have picked up on it because it would have possibly been more rock , more edge This stuff is a shock to the kid in me -system to be fair.
zinniabooklover said:
Mr Media Shy Prince sure had a lot to say to the media but I'm not gonna complain.
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I like when he was tora tora because he is quiet then doesn't keep rabbiting on lol
zinniabooklover said:
Those podcast transcripts I posted?
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yeah i think so...there is so much babe
zinniabooklover said:
I wish we had stuff like that from MJE.
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i mean this is true ...yeah i have to agree. The things around P. seem more 'exciting' so, .... more 'normal' so that part is refreshing [and i don't agree on much with this guy but i do agree on his taste of ladies , I can name more than 3 girls i like that he was with ] but cos i am conditioned in a way to not see an artist any other way than m , this is a new experience in itself for me . i think i like PP more than P . . haha but m 🔒 is more 'exciting'🖤🔒 to me. I like the rock star in P. though ...maybe not like , maybe appreciate a bit more.
zinniabooklover said:
Those Prince fans are lucky although I think I've seen people saying they complain quite a lot. So maybe it's a case of 'the grass is greener ...' 🤷‍♀️
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I wonder what they think of us lot situation then ? i mean ...we have jack shat basically :( ....i mean ..is that why i crossed to the other side ~ maybe ? well i have not crossed .P. can still stay far away lol .. but yeah suppose . Our community and the purple people do both share a common ground though, as our fan bases are parallel with the fact both artists have gone, so definitely aligned.
zinniabooklover said:
I love the interview with the stage / lighting designer guy.
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I am a bit bloody lost now lol I am not over the Kim interview ! haha
zinniabooklover said:
That's the one that kicked it all off, really. Once I found him I couldn't stop.
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Right ...alright sounds good, i , for one will have a snout.
zinniabooklover said:
I liked that Rosie O'Donnell interview. There must be more of it somewhere. No way is 3 - 4 minutes the whole thing. Not gonna look for it now bc I want to go back over this stuff.
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I only came over here to maybe post a couple photos from 1993- 1994 era because i need to get my hands on a certain book ~i like his vision there, i'd say , I think that i prefer his books to the [most] music but don't know , early , early days and boredom is looming again lol but then zin you go hit me with the realms of info haha and links ...Fashion links !:eek:💯
Fab though Honestly , it is appreciated.
zinniabooklover said:
jeez, I posted SO much. :ROFLMAO: But maybe later on I'll go looking for it.
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I'm an astounded bunny babe
zinniabooklover said:
He's so relaxed here.
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he is too relaxed hes so mellow, too grown up - i don;t care for his interview style so far . we'll see
zinniabooklover said:
She didn't really say anything different but somehow it was much more interesting than those chat show things usually are.
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yeah i'll give it a go , To be honest i got a DVD of his interviews other day and i turned it straight off :ROFLMAO: yeah ...still that block lingers.. it is not going away lol
O but i DO like when he is with Rosie Gaines on Money Don't Matter Tonight . That is fab ...So , there is that. i do like the dark dance with the devil original song which was supposed to be original for batman 89, so there is that.

But ...well i must say thank you for posting Kim Berry side of the story [She was P.'s hair dresser] because she had integrity , that lovely real lady. and i immediately loved what she was saying. and how she was saying it. She was not a fan. I like her. She is like me . i bought her book. I think i for one could have worked at pp. because i certainly don't have that "ooh P!". you know, :ROFLMAO:.
Who was his make up artist ? ! Do we know ?:unsure: m had the wonderful Karen . Who did he have then ?

~anyway , i shall be back .. i was supposed 2 be checking out that damage , no. .. dirty mind album , but then , i think the Gold ..no. an orange 3 Cd album came and i ~no .at ..., it , so that listening experience went really well . i'm ignoring the - eye hate u - CD single as well , so gosh it is all fine n dandy so far lol

i will be back.🖤
 
zinniabooklover said:
I liked that Rosie O'Donnell interview. There must be more of it somewhere. No way is 3 - 4 minutes the whole thing. Not gonna look for it now bc I want to go back over this stuff. jeez, I posted SO much. :ROFLMAO: But maybe later on I'll go looking for it. He's so relaxed here. She didn't really say anything different but somehow it was much more interesting than those chat show things usually are.
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Well there was a nice playful vibe to this 1 zin . Personally , I think this is one of the better ones. i think she makes it better though. She seems genuine, because there are some out there and especially on my dvd where P. maybe realises what they are asking or trying to get out of him and then it gets all defensive , it all becomes tabloid fodder and i don't think , well :unsure:i get a sort of inking that P. didn't have alot of faith / trust in people at all , so Rosie's style was good and could have possibly put P. at ease. Also he was married to his woman there , and i think the m word was important to him. I think he thrived on marriage. I'd like to see more too to form a better opinion. because well, who knows really ?
 
wendijane said:
Oh @zinniabooklover that was a huge surprise to come back to thank you love , I'm not complaining because it is really handy to have so much info. Especially at this stage for some of us. well people like me anyway
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What can I say? I definitely went a bit bonkers with the posting :ROFLMAO:

What was that I was saying about taking a Prince sabbatical?

wendijane said:
I think i am going to have to too n all ~ he still does my head in -there is so much fashion stuff which is really cool i have to admit that. but my interest does waiver.
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oh, for sure. I'm not 100% into this guy. My interest goes back and forth. It probably looks like more than it should bc I just posted ten tons of stuff - like I must be into him 24/7 - but I can go off him in a heartbeat. Especially when he's annoying me, lol.

That does not happen with Michael.

wendijane said:
And thanks for finding and posting so much n sooo many interesting things. oh god yeah , Imagine when i found a video yesterday saying M and P were supposed to be doing BatDance together ,
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oh, I just ignore that. And how would it even have worked? Their styles were so different. Ngl, I don't rate Prince as a dancer. He can move, sure, but, I dunno, it doesn't hold my attention. I mean, yes, I posted a clip of the Kiss dance but that was bc of the lighting, not bc of Prince's dancing. The lighting was beautiful. That clip is what got me looking for the lighting guy, actually.

wendijane said:
i mean this is true ...yeah i have to agree. The things around P. seem more 'exciting' so
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That is it. That is bloody it!!!!

Yes, all the stuff around him is what fascinates me the most. Sometimes the guy at the centre also fascinates me but sometimes he really doesn't, lol.

wendijane said:
, .... more 'normal' so that part is refreshing [and i don't agree on much with this guy but i do agree on his taste of ladies
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oh god, I cannot stand his taste in women. god, no!

wendijane said:
I like the rock star in P. though
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I like the Camden Palace rock star Prince. I love him so much, he's so cool. Flouncy Prince in the 80's, not so much.

wendijane said:
I wonder what they think of us lot situation then ?
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It's interesting, isn't it? I'm sure I've seen some comments about this here on the board but which thread? Not this one bc I never went back over this. I never went back to the beginning of it but I know I've seen it somewhere. And it wasn't on a Prince board bc I've hardly done any of that and only when I was looking for specific info re a song or a doc.

wendijane said:
i mean ...we have jack shat basically
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Tell me about it. I look at what they get given and I'm pleased for them, don't get me wrong. I'm proper pleased for them but I'm envious, ngl.

wendijane said:
....i mean ..is that why i crossed to the other side
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No, you didn't, doll. You will never cross over bc that would mean going away from darling Michael and you would never ever do that. You've simply seen some stuff that piqued your interest and, just like Michael, you wanted to check out some music and cultural stuff that was new to you or a bit different.

wendijane said:
~ maybe ? well i have not crossed .P. can still stay far away lol .. but yeah suppose . Our community and the purple people do both share a common ground though, as our fan bases are parallel with the fact both artists have gone, so definitely aligned.
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So many parallels. So much overlap. Both for Michael and Prince and for the two fan bases.

wendijane said:
I am a bit bloody lost now lol I am not over the Kim interview ! haha
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She is great. I love her so much. 29 years!

wendijane said:
I only came over here to maybe post a couple photos from 1993- 1994 era because i need to get my hands on a certain book ~i like his vision there, i'd say , I think that i prefer his books to the [most] music but don't know , early , early days and boredom is looming again lol but then zin you go hit me with the realms of info haha and links ...Fashion links !:eek:💯
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I'm really into his hats, atm.

wendijane said:
he is too relaxed hes so mellow, too grown up - i don;t care for his interview style so far . we'll see
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I adore him in interviews. I am biased bc I love interviews. I just love them to bits. And I love his interview persona. Very controlled, very quiet and polite. It's a persona, of course. Michael is very guarded, Prince is very controlled. But I love it. I am probably my most enthusiastic about Prince when he's in an interview. That and him at the piano. That's all I really need.

And some hats!

wendijane said:
yeah i'll give it a go , To be honest i got a DVD of his interviews other day and i turned it straight off :ROFLMAO: yeah ...still that block lingers.. it is not going away lol
O but i DO like when he is with Rosie Gaines on Money Don't Matter Tonight .
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She doesn't do it for me at all.

wendijane said:
But ...well i must say thank you for posting Kim Berry side of the story [She was P.'s hair dresser] because she had integrity , that lovely real lady. and i immediately loved what she was saying. and how she was saying it. She was not a fan. I like her. She is like me . i bought her book. I think i for one could have worked at pp. because i certainly don't have that "ooh P!". you know, :ROFLMAO:.
Who was his make up artist ? ! Do we know
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I did go and look. Can't remember what I found, lol. I know I found 2 of his designers that worked with him from 2011 - 2016 and they seemed quite boring so I dropped that. I think they are called Call&Response. I mean, they are probably fine but the piece I found, it just didn't work for me. They never met him, they did all the work over the phone / email, afaik.

wendijane said:
?:unsure: m had the wonderful Karen . Who did he have then ?
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I know I looked for a make-up artist but I can't remember if they bored me as well or if I was just running out of steam after the mega posting sesh, lol.

wendijane said:
~anyway , i shall be back .. i was supposed 2 be checking out that damage , no. .. dirty mind album , but then , i think the Gold ..no. an orange 3 Cd album came and i ~no .at ..., it , so that listening experience went really well . i'm ignoring the - eye hate u - CD single as well , so gosh it is all fine n dandy so far lol
Click to expand...
Well, I'm toying with the idea of checking out Dirty Mind but maybe SOTT but maybe more gospel / Christian stuff. 🤔

Or maybe that sabbatical would be a good idea!
 
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