#just opened up the kleenex boxes i ordered and not an inch of space was wasted

[confinesofmy]

do you ever open a package and just know that the associate at the distribution center was really really satisfied with their packaging skills on your box

[cyclecuba1]

Dearly Beloved

Some days, I still can’t quite believe it. No more ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ plus one passes to one of the infamous after show parties, the Purple One brushing past us to leap on to the stage for the best jamming session I’ve ever been lucky enough to witness. No more crazy queuing with Jean for £10 pop-up shows in tiny venues solely for the hardcore fans (or ‘stalkers’ as Sabina liked to refer to us), the goose-bump inducing bass line from Hot Thing kicking in as the crowd and stage simultaneously erupt.

No more awesome medleys, unbelievable guitar solos or missing the Piano & A Microphone Tour by one week in Sydney. No more dodgy shops in Camden in the late Eighties, only talking through an interpreter, Formerly Known As, expecting the unexpected, bad spelling, Parental Advisory lyrics, questionable films with Grammy award winning soundtracks, outlandish stage sets, minimal stage sets, fabulous outfits, dubious outfits, four inch heels, unfounded rumours, sex and religion. Prince was the soundtrack to my teenage years and beyond and now he’s gone.

As the Paisley Park estate tentatively opened its doors to the public late in 2016, it seemed inevitable that two flights and almost twenty four hours in transit later I should find myself checking into the Chanhassen Inn, an American motel located in a little known suburb of the same name in the state of Minnesota.

Since my formative teenage years I had always envisaged that I would one day visit Paisley Park, the 65,000 sq ft state of the art music and film production facility, performance space and business studios that Prince called home, if only to stand at the perimeter fence rather than as one of the chosen few allowed entry into the hallowed grounds. Still, I lived in hope and named my dog Paisley in honour of all things purple. Walking alongside the vast highway in freezing cold temperatures to the first of the two Paisley Park tours that I had booked however, I wholeheartedly wished that my visit was not in such sombre circumstances.

Built in the late Eighties following the meteoric rise to success of Purple Rain; the single, album and film all reaching number one simultaneously; Paisley Park with its hard edged, all white, grid-like exterior looked unnervingly like a pharmaceuticals research facility rather than the purple epicentre.

Run by Graceland Holdings, the same company that oversee Elvis’ former home, Paisley Park opened to the public less than six months after Prince’s death, whereas it took Graceland five years. With both visits undertaken in the museum’s infancy, the Park still felt very much like Prince’s personal and creative sanctuary rather than a tourist attraction, his presence so strong that you expected him to walk in at any point.

Quite what Prince would have thought of the tour guides’ ill-fitting obligatory purple tops, the velvet rope dividers in the entrance foyer with their Stringfellow overtones (purple again, naturally), or of his ashes being housed in a 3-D replica of Paisley Park; complete with signature purple Yamaha piano and working lights; strategically placed boxes of Kleenex at the ready, is anyone’s guess. A work in progress, since my visit the urn, previously occupying centre stage of the atrium, has been moved to a more ‘neutral position’ following requests from the family, the merchandise tent at the rear of the property now has a permanent location inside, whilst Prince’s former chef still continues to create fantastic vegetarian food for the new influx of visitors. Here are some highlights and observations from my visit to both the Park and other sites in Minnesota.

Prince’s House, Prince’s Rules. The same apply now as when he was alive, so that means no ‘phones, no photography, no alcohol and definitely no meat. Stricter than Heathrow’s Terminal 5, expect to have your camera and mobile ‘phone ’secured’ upon entry. Hence, please note all interior shots have been appropriated from other sources.

The Purple Rose of Cairo. Prince’s love of all things Egyptian is omnipresent in the architecture of Paisley Park, with the roof featuring a total of six glass pyramids which in later years would glow purple to denote when Prince was at home. “He loved pyramids. The glass pyramid marked the entrance to the building, and there were skylight pyramids on top of his office.” Bret Theony, the twenty three year old architect who designed the complex in collaboration with Prince in 1985.

Twilight World. With the exception of the Atrium; the only room in the complex where there is an abundance of light, its skylights and cloud paintings representing an absence of creative limitations; windows are deliberately scarce at Paisley Park due to Prince’s need for privacy. Or a desire to live in a 24/7 nightclub.

The Framed White House Letter Of Condolence To Prince’s Family And Friends. Signed by Barack and Michelle in purple ink. Pure class (something that Trump would know absolutely nothing about).

Waxworks. Prior to the onslaught of visitors to Paisley Park, the complex was littered with candles, the heady scent so infused in everything that every single carpet had to be replaced.

The Little Kitchen. Leading off from the main atrium, a mini diner with two booths, a small catering area and a sofa where Prince liked to hang out and watch Minnesotan basketball team the Timberwolves live on a large screen. Jeez, all sounding absurdly normal.

Shoulder Pads. Shares in these must have plummeted on the Dow Jones since his passing. Seriously.

Diminutive Stature. Officially 5ft 2” with a 27” waist, it is hard to believe that even these measurements weren’t the result of extensive poetic license. Of the many stage outfits on display, it was the iconic yellow suit from the Diamond & Pearls Tour that left myself and other fellow visitors in shocked awe. ‘Tiny’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Batman. Still under contract to Warner Brothers in 1989, Prince was asked to create the soundtrack for the Batman movie, a feat that he excitedly completed in just six weeks, the original Batman theme tune being the first thing he ever taught himself to play on the piano.

The Mother Of All Sound Stages. 12,000 sq ft and with a capacity of 18,000 this was the site of many a pre-tour rehearsal, live shows and events with Graffiti Bridge filmed in its entirety here.

NPG Music Club. A small, intimate room leading off from the main sound stage with high ceilings and sofas scattered both on stage and off. With audience members such as Madonna fortunate enough to watch Prince perform here, you absolutely know that this was the place to be.

All That Jazz. Prince’s reverence for Miles Davis is well documented and in his final few weeks he had completed seven tracks from a forthcoming jazz album, two of which were played to us on the tours. Here’s hoping a release date is scheduled soon.

Where The Magic Happens. Of the three initial recording studios at Paisley Park, two remain intact; eerily so in fact; with half used candles, potpourri and a ping pong table all a nod to happier times.

Studio A. The expansive recording studio houses two booths; one lined in wood, the other in granite in order to capture sound differently; the iconic Linn Drum Machine synonymous with the Minneapolis Sound and an editing suite where Prince chose to lay down his own vocals but only after having cleared the studio first (he hated people watching him record).

Studio B. Having noticed discrepancies between the dimensions on the original blueprint for Paisley Park and the actual dimensions of the editing suite in Studio B, a secret door has recently been discovered behind one of the panels that leads to a U shaped room. Not the infamous ‘Vault’ which incidentally, genuinely does exist, but instead a space containing hundreds of video tapes dating as far back as Seventies Betamax, recordings of backstage workings, sound checks and the like which Prince would watch obsessively so as to make any future changes he felt necessary. Oh, and the room also contained a suitcase full of money. Monopoly money. Go figure.

Under A Cherry Moon. With the fabulous Parade album as its soundtrack, this was also Kristin Scott Thomas’ feature film debut as the love interest of Prince. Who knew?

Hall of Fame. Two renowned corridors exist within Paisley Park. A large mural featuring Prince dominates the wall in Influence Hallway, depicting artists who have influenced him on his left including Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Tower of Power, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Miles Davis and Larry Graham (responsible for introducing Prince to the faith of the Jehovah’s Witnesses) and on his right his numerous protégés and collaborators including The Revolution, André Cymone, Sheila E, Vanity 6, Apollonia, Maurice Day & The Time, The Family and Cat. 

Meanwhile, History Hall features iconic photographs of Prince taken throughout his career. If this seems a tad narcissistic, it is worth noting that whilst a few hundred people were lucky enough to tour the estate during his lifetime, both his sister Tyka and his longtime collaborator Sheila E have spoken about Prince's aim to open Paisley Park as a museum, with much of his design and vision for this already in place prior to his death.

Schimmel Pegasus Grand Piano. Located in one of the few rooms with windows, and not to be confused with the purple piano that featured on Prince’s final tour, this part sculpture, part Myla sex toy feat of ergonomic engineering is one of only fourteen in the world. The result of a collaboration between the world renowned Schimmel piano manufacturers and German designer Professor Luigi Colani; a man for whom, apparently, there is nothing beautiful about straight lines; each instrument is produced to individual specifications, with Prince’s featuring his ‘symbol’. Other celebrity owners include Elton John, Lenny Kravitz and Eddie Murphy.

The Inner Sanctum. Prince’s personal living quarters on the first floor, out of respect for his desire for privacy, will never be opened to the public. Instead, the closest we have to anything revealing the inner machinations of the Purple One is one of the floors in his former office. Dimly lit with dark gold walls and a bronze coloured floor, the decor had overtones of a Thai restaurant. The whole room was cleared and cleaned after his death, with only select pieces put back in (notably, not the rumoured beds), the guide tactfully avoiding saying that it was a tip. A couple of pairs of white trainers with ‘build ups’ lay on the floor, as well as a cat basket for the long since deceased feline ‘Paisley’ and framed family photographs. The scene perfectly homogenised for the visiting public, no doubt.

Hardcore. You know you’re a true fan (stalker), when you can answer the questions addressed to the tour guide quicker and more comprehensively than they can.

Chanhassen Cinema Mural. The local flick’s tribute to their V.I.P. customer, with favourite films including Some Like It Hot and Finding Nemo.

Electric Fetus. If Carlsberg made record shops and a Prince stalwart.

Dig If You Will A Picture. The painted mural on the side of the former Schmidt music building in downtown Minneapolis has become something of a Prince landmark, serving as a backdrop for Robert Whitman’s photograph of Prince early in his career.

First Avenue. As the beating heart of the Minneapolis sound, this now iconic music venue was the setting for Purple Rain’s live music scenes, being the Purple One’s favourite hometown club. Also the site of an impromptu, all night block party following the news of Prince’s untimely death.

Going For Gold. Days after his passing, Prince’s star on the wall of fame outside First Avenue was immortalised in gold with Peyton Russell, an artist who had hung with the Paisley crew, responsible for the gold leaf makeover.

And Finally. No matter who you talk to, from the car park attendant at Paisley to the taxi driver from St Paul airport or the receptionist at the Chanhassen Inn, the respect for the Purple One is overwhelming, with an understanding of his need for privacy; even in death; gratitude for his discreet charitable donations, an appreciation of his outstanding musical accomplishments and most importantly, for always keeping it local. 

Prince Rogers Nelson, thank you for the good times.

NEED TO KNOW:

Paisley Park. 7801 Audubon Road, Chanhassen, MN 55317. www.officialpaisleypark.com

First Avenue. 701 1st Avenue North, Minneapolis MN 55403.

Electric Fetus. 2000 4th Avenue South, Minneapolis MN 55404.

Schmitt Music Mural. South 10th Street / Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis.

Chanhassen Inn. 531 W.79th Street, Chanhassen MN 55317. www.chaninn.com

Chanhassen Cinema Mural. West wall of Chanhassen Cinema. 570 Market Street, Chanhassen MN 55317.