When the news came of Prince’s death in spring last year, the reports were jumbled, contradictory, uncertain.
Ambulances had been called. There was some talk of the flu. There was something about his private jet landing days before. He was dead, then he wasn’t, then he was again. If this is notable, it’s not because early reporting was trying to figure out exactly had happened – errors and misinformation will always riddle breaking news – it is because everything was marked by a sense of disbelief. Prince – dead? ...dead, dead? 2016 had many celebrity demises but Prince’s seemed particularly out of time, particularly early. Prince always seemed to promise something new; there was always the idea that one day he’d roll up his puffed out sleeves, howl like Little Richard and deliver a new 1999. There was always the promise of a little more genius in the vaults. No more.
Instead, London fans have new exhibition My Name Is Prince, open now at the O2 until January 7. The first official Prince exhibition – ever – documents the superstar's purple reign as one of pops most artfully weird gurus. It being at the O2 feels appropriate, with this year marking ten years since his record-breaking run of 21 sold-out shows there, a feat that’s still not been topped.
Below are five highlights of the new show, though perhaps the best endorsement comes from his family, who said the new display “is like having him right there in front of us”. It’s closer than many of us ever got before, and it’s closer than any of us ever will get now.
The Purple Rain tour outfits
What would Prince be without the ruffs and cuffs? Prince knew frills mean thrills and the 1984/1985 Purple Rain tour saw him dressed up head to toe in lace and velvet, a funked up buccaneer who’d swapped his swords for a Telecaster.
The Purple Rain tour, which brought the world backing band The Revolution, cemented Prince as a star to rival Michael Jackson. It was this tour, and these outfits, which formed the iconic image of him; in purple, hair coiffed, strutting on heels, looking something like the Napoleon of rock n’ roll, but with a much bigger d***. There are costumes from the '88/89 LoveSexy tour, too.
The guitar he made his TV debut with
If you can find it, the surviving clip of Prince making his television debut is sweet, adorable, and sweetly, adorably weird. A 21-year-old Prince seems to toy with host Dick Clark, telling him he’s 19 and answering most of his questions with one word mumbles – although behind the shyness, flashes of his unwavering confidence are there (Clark: ‘How many instruments do you play?’ Prince: “Um, thousands”). After the interview, Prince and his band launch into a badly mimed version of Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad, where Prince dances so vigorously his guitar – the Gibson L6S below – clatters to the ground. Prince doesn’t miss a beat and the show goes on.
Interestingly, the guitar was nothing like it looks now: it was simpler, no leopard print, and it hadn’t been modified (this one has been quite heavily butchered, with the bottom horn chopped away). Prince, then, had still been playing with it, tinkering away, despite it not seeing the public light of day since the Dirty Mind tour wrapped up in ‘81. There are stories in this guitar. Look for them.
Source: standard
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