I must be the only music journalist in the world never to have seen "Purple Rain" , the film that broke Prince world-wide back in 1984.
I've obviously seen the videos that accompany such stand-out songs as "Let's Go Crazy", "When Doves Cry" and "Purple Rain" itself, but the actual film has so far eluded me - along with that famous moment everyone goes on about where Prince is late for rehearsal, rushes into the room where his band is playing, straps on his guitar, plugs in and is right in the groove from the get-go. That sort of thing never happens in real life, you say, and until two weeks ago I would have agreed with you had something similar not happened to me. Gretel, the all-female band I have the honour of playing with, was scheduled to support San Francisco avant-garde fireball Death Sentence: Panda! at the Hirscheneck club here in Basel, and I had to step outside for ten minutes after sound-checking my bass to accompany our friend Michelle to the bus stop on the first leg of her long journey back to London. When I got back to the venue, the rest of Gretel was onstage playing a song called "Indians" which is set to make our next CD (no matter what our producer Kieran Kennedy says). I ripped off my leather jacket, picked up my bass from its stand, jumped onstage, plugged in and was on point within a beat or two. Not many people were present to witness my Prince moment, but that doesn't stop me from feeling it was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. So next time I see something in a film that makes me think "that couldn't happen in real life", I'll think again before passing judgement.
Not easy for someone who makes a living out of being opinionated; I'm sure you'd agree.
1 comment:
I think the Joyce's would agree that I have created my own "Hi Fidelity" moments. Of course I mean the book and not the memorable track from "The Kids From Fame". I have tracked down nearly all of my past amoures, (didn't quite have 10), realised the guy I'd been hankering after since the age of 13 wasn't as funny/attractive as I thought he was in 1976 and settled on my last love of 1981. The final chapter comes soon when I am reunited with the sister of a guy I got engaged to at the age of 18. I finally get to ask the top 10 things his family hated about me....but never got round to telling me.
Top 10 things you should know about Nick Joyce:
1. He loves Branston Pickle
2. He once played a Toad in a school play and had to be painted green.
3. His favourite Howard Keele song is "Higher than a hawk".
4. He has a chat up line which involves the use of ginger biscuits.
5.Red wine does funny things to him.
6. He owns a "Take That" CD, does that make him a fan?
7. He is the world's greatest expert in Swiss train timetables.
8. His guitar was once allegedly damaged at school by having a pair of underpants thrown at it.
9. He was Head Boy at his school.
10. He married a Saint.
Ms Monroe.
Post a Comment