LP Vol. 5 - The Legend of the Purple Hallway
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is my favorite opportunity to downshift and unwind from the fall grind with a smattering of media choices - and YouTube has emerged as my most important source for human ingenuity and cultural greatness. As long as you're careful to avoid overtly political topics that will pervert your algorithmic experience into a hell-hole of radicalization and conspiracy, YouTube can feel like a glorious vinyl record that can entertain for hours no matter where you drop the needle.
This Sunday, let's ignore the pandemic and it's consequences for another few hours and peel back some layers on the elusive and enigmatic force that was and will forever be known as Prince. While he may be gone, like an extinguished sun whose light will stay visible for centuries to come, his give no fucks attitude and pursuit of a singular and everlasting vibe lives on.
The Purple Hallway Approach to Life
Wherever Prince went, he shaped and bent his immediate surroundings to his eclectic taste, no matter the cost. Here's NBA star Carlos Boozer on what it was like renting his house to Prince for a few months:
And here's a post-concert story from a member of Janelle Monae's band about the time they opened for Prince in Chicago:
That Afterparty Vibe
Prince was famous for his concerts, but infamous for the post-concert afterparty. Questlove recounts pulling together a last minute afterparty in Philadelphia while watching Prince perform from backstage:
It really tells you something that when recounting the absolutely absurd SNL 40th anniversary show experience, that Prince somehow eclipses all the celebrity star-power at, where else, the afterparty:
(My favorite part of the performance is Heidi Gardner mouthing to Maya Rudolph 'What the fuck is going on' while Martin Short is just hanging out next to them on stage)
The Forum Run
In 2011, Prince played a legendary 21-night residency at the LA forum. Dave Grohl recounts an incredible experience meeting and jamming with Prince during that run:
The run at the Forum is the backdrop for my favorite tweetstorm of all-time:
Epic Performances
The best Purple Rain:
The infamous and legendary cover of Radiohead's Creep at Cochella (and the backstory of Prince's decade-long quest to keep it off the Internet):
While My Guitar Gently Weeps with Tom Petty, Dhani Harrison and others at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
(1/ Is his security guy prepped for the mid-solo crowd dive and 2/ where does the god damn guitar go at the end?!)
When You’re Prince, Sometimes Walls Actually Talk
Finally, it’s inconclusive whether or not Prince communed with spirits, but here is undeniable proof that sometimes walls actually do talk:
Until next week.
Woody