Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 (Prince Studio Sessions)

Every so often over the years, I would come across a book that would help to give me a window into this magical, musical world, most notably, books and material compiled and written by Per Nilsen, all of which are now either difficult to find and/or enormously expensive due to their rarity. But now, I believe that I have read a work that has exceeded all of my expectations for what a volume of Prince "behind-the scenes" could possibly be, so much so that I think it has also transcended its core subject matter to make a grand statement about the nature of art, inspiration and creativity itself."Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Session 1983 and 1984" from Author Duane Tudahl (once an associate of the aforementioned Per Nilsen) is indispensable, for fans of Prince and frankly, of music itself. This meticulous, exhaustively researched tome, complete with prologue, epilogue and an introduction written by like minded and self described "Prince scholar" Ahmir "Questlove' Thompson, Tudahl takes one specific period in Prince's musical history from January 1983 through December 1984 and details it extensively in almost diary format, all the while chronicling the end of the era of "1999 "the beginnings and recordings of the songs that would constitute "Purple Rain" plus The Time's "Ice Cream Castle," "Apollonia 6," Shelia E.'s "The Glamorous Life" and even the bulk of what would become Prince and the Revolution's "Around The World In A Day" and even the one and only release from "The Family."Add to even that, there are the details of the concerts performed and rehearsed, the writing, filming and release of Director Albert Magnoli's "Purple Rain" film plus the preparations and frustrations of the "Purple Rain" tour, the disillusion of The Time and the rise of The Family, Prince's struggles with post "Purple Rain" superstardom after having existed as a cult hero, his constant need to find inspiration to create and his astonishing dedication to his craft throughout.In addition to Tudahl's clean, elegant prose, he includes copious interview segments, both archived and newly granted, from a variety of the principal cast of characters of this specific era. Memories from The Revolution, The Time, The Family, Vanity/Apollonia 6 and more are all here plus those from exceedingly crucial players, most notably Engineer Susan Rogers, who shared an intensely close working relationship with Prince over the duration of the period when his most celebrated material was created.What I loved so terribly much about this book was how Tudahl brilliantly weaved a narrative that succeeded on a variety of levels. First, he cuts past the notions of Prince's place as a celebrity and enigmatic public figure to focus directly upon what tends to be somewhat lost when people write or possibly even think of him, and that is his extraordinary work ethic. At the outset of this posting, I questioned just how did Prince ever accomplish all that he did and even after reading, I still question it because of his excessive determination and inner drive to play, to create, and to release his gifts to the world.With the book's chronological, month-by-month, day-by-day structure, we are witness to how Prince would record for hours on end without sleep and therefore, requiring and daring his associates, from bandmates to engineers, to keeping up with his seemingly impossible pace, as well as some eccentric recording habits, like recording his vocals with little to no one present as he desired privacy in this area as well as having beds delivered to studios as he liked feeling "at home" as he wrote lyrics.Beyond that, I was astounded to regard the man's crystal clear clarity as he was able to focus with laser like efficiency on whatever project he was recording for, especially as he was working on several albums at the same time. He had an uncanny ability to know precisely which song would work best for whichever project, even if it confounded those closest to him. Furthermore, Tudahl also demonstrates that what was new to us as listeners, was already old and in the distant past to him, making Prince an artistic figure that was forever restless with his own creativity. To regard that "Around The World In A Day" was essentially completed and in the can as the "Purple Rain" tour was beginning was astonishing to me, plus the fact that so much material that still remains unreleased was created during this period as well, which Tudahl also details.From this aspect of the book, I think Tudahl has delivered a powerful service, especially in our era of severe instant gratification and entitlement. Nothing worth doing arrives without the work that one puts into it and Tudahl illustrates over and again that Prince was not a genius because he snapped his fingers and magic happened. He was a genius because he took it to the woodshed, so to speak, every single time, demanding nothing but the best of himself plus whomever happened to be working with him at the time, performing what felt to be impossible and discovering newfound abilities and talents along the way.And to that end, Duane Tudahl's book speaks to the nature of art and creativity itself as he presents just exactly how Prince found himself inspired in the first place, and how he feverishly tried to keep tapping into that specific spirit for every new song that emerged in his brain. Certainly not an easy process but one that Prince was demonstrably in service towards. The search never ceased just as the pursuit for excellence, and if anything has been captured to such a towering degree is that very pursuit for the work was never truly finished--and in that regard, that sentiment works just as equally for Duane Tudahl as it did for Prince.I can only imagine just what Tudahl endured creatively to make a work like this one come to life. From the interviews, of course, but just think of the archived studio logs and information that is now over 30 years old and having to sift through all of it in order to make this narrative function to its very best. Knowing that he is planning further installments, therefore making this book the very first of a series, I am already salivating at the opportunity to dive in again to read about what reportedly will cover the years 1985 and 1986, especially and creatively productive and turbulent times for Prince.For now, we have this initial volume, a work that proves without question that it is an essential document of two years in the life of one of the most idiosyncratic artists we have been fortunate enough to experience. Duane Tudahl has created a work that not only demands and deserves its own reverence, it is equal to the artistic nature and commitment of its subject.

Sorry, not sorry. Long, gushing review ahead.Whether you're a Prince fan, a musician, a recording studio technician, music educator or just curious enough to want to know how the mind of a musical genius works then this book is for you. Duane Tudahl interviewed over 50 Prince collaborators to document a cohesive and definitive overview during one of his most creative periods, 1983 to 1984. The writing, recording and filming of Purple Rain. Not to mention the writing and recording and production of the albums for The Time, The Family, both Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6 as well as Stevie Nicks "Stand Back" (uncredited) and Sheena Easton's "Sugar Walls with the latter being written and produced by Prince alter ego Alexander Nevermind. Not to mention every other waking hour spent on rehearsals and live performance while keeping a very wide lens on every aspect of the world around him. Who needs sleep? Obviously, not Prince.This book is brilliant. And thrilling. And simply an astonishing read especially when Duane breaks it all down to it's most simplest explanation. Here was this 24 year old musical prodigy, on the cusp of mega stardom, who knew exactly what he wanted even when everyone around him were scratching their heads. Like his vision and talent, his confidence was otherworldly. He had no doubt he was going to do what he set out to do. This is a reference guide like no other and with Duane looking at writing for other eras, I for one cannot wait. If this were an actual class, I would sharpen my No. 2 pencils so fast!As someone who writes and records, this is now a textbook. Filled with handwritten notes, highlighted passages and underlined step by step directions on how Prince moved through the studio process. Not quitting a song until it was completely finished. From conception to completion. Pushing everyone as hard as he pushed himself. The faster he worked, the quicker a song would be done because he already had another one scrambling to get out. He would drive himself and his engineers to the brink of exhaustion but the results of this frenetic pace changed the musical landscape forever. There is so much fascinating information spilling out in this monster of a book but one thing I keep coming back to is Prince doing his vocals in the control room. Right at the board. Alone. He'd kick everyone out so he could focus on getting his best performance. Can you imagine being outside that door while he recorded the vocals for The Beautiful Ones? Probably in the hours right before the sun came up and hearing those screaming pleas at the end but not hearing the music yet? "Do you want him or do you want me? Because I want you." Can someone please get that isolated vocal out into the world because oh my God!Seriously, "Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983 and 1984" is not only one of the best Prince books I have ever read but just a fantastic book in general. Such important musical history that needs to be chronicled. Thank you Duane for doing the work. How lucky we are.

THE best book if you want to know how Princes amazing songs were created in the first place. A must read for every fan and highly recommended for every music lover

For any Prince fan who has had their fill of the usual biography, regurgitating the same facts and "celebrity gossip" this is the antidote. Duane has chosen to concentrate on just one period of Prince's incredible career, the payoff being more depth of knowledge being brought forth than in ANY other Prince book. Per Nielson has been the benchmark for such scholarly Prince works, but by just looking at 2 years of Prince's career this book builds on his work and quite simply surpasses it in almost every regard. Whilst casual fans may be turned off by the level of minutia here, hard core fans will delight and revel in it. The vast amount of research that went into this book is readily apparent and it gives fans a whole new level of appreciation for Prince's talent and his incredible work ethic. It doesn't just deliver dry facts though, Duane Tudahl has a fluid, enjoyable writing style that makes this an excellent read. There are many revelations in this book, some great stories, and an incredible list of Prince associates imparting their first hand knowledge of Prince's work process. I've been a deep level fan for 30 years and this book was packed with information I had never heard or read before. It's been a great source of new inspiration, inspiring me to dig back into Prince and his associated artists back catalogue to reg-listen to the tracks he is describing. It's quite the experience to listen to an obscure track whilst reading about what exactly was happening during it's creation and who was doing what on the recording.If you're a big enough fan to own a bootleg, this is the Prince book you MUST own. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and can only hope that Duane will continue the work and produce a series of books - the definitive collection on Prince.

I'd been looking forward to this book since it was first announced, and I'm delighted to say it didn't disappoint me at all. If the title makes it sound as though it will be a geeky / anoraky encyclopedic list of pedals and other equipment used in the studio sessions, it isn't. Instead it's a thick hardback book with small text detailing two years in Prince's life during which he toured, wrote and recorded the Purple Rain album, and also numerous other tracks, some of which appeared on later albums, some as B-sides, some as songs for other artists, and several which haven't been officially released. The book is written as a diary of sorts, so each day is chronicled. If he was playing a show, the venue is stated, along with its capacity and how many tickets were sold, but the bulk of the book details the studio sessions themselves - what was recorded, when, who engineered - and these entries are superb. Duane Tudahl has interviewed lots of Prince's former band members and collaborators and they offer tremendous insights into the recording process, the atmosphere in the studio, and so on. It's a fascinating account, and although it isn't one for casual fans it's an absolute must-have for Prince fanatics. I really hope Duane writes other books about the other key albums Prince released during his life.

La littérature de qualité sur la musique et l'univers de Prince est suffisamment rare pour ne pas signaler cet ouvrage.Un concentré rempli de détails forts instructifs pour celles et ceux qui souhaitent découvrir, approfondir ou redécouvrir cette période si dense et riche.L'auteur Duane Tudhal, ayant déjà participé à l'équipée du magazine Uptown des années 1990 aux côtés de Per Nielsen, a su creuser et décortiquer le quotidien en studio de Prince parmi deux de ses années les plus prolifiques, grace a ses recherches studio, interviews des protagonistes proches de cette époque.Bonne lecture à vous

[Para la critica en castellano, leed más abajo]I give this book a 5 star rating because I can't give more.Duane Tudahl offers us a extraordinary glimpse at Prince and his creative process (in the studio as well as in rehearsals and jam sessions) and let's us se trough a keyhole the guy behind the music, a extremely talented guy but a guy nonetheless, with flaws and passions as any other human.Tudahl's attention to detail is sick. What I like the most about this book is how is structured: it covers 2 years, every chapter is a month and every month is divided in days indicating wich day a song was recorded/rehearsed/concieved at what time, where and maybe why .The book is told in a confesional manner, Tudahl uses hundreds of hours of interviews with the people that was there when it happened (sound technitians/engineers, band members, friends.) and sews a enlighting story that is very easy to follow and without any distracting footnotes.U can read it without previous knowledge of technical stuff (the books explains the most dificult stuff very well) but I myself been a sound technitian, I find a bonus of information.I highly recomend this book to any Prince fan, casual or hardcore that loves Purple Rain era and the guy behind all.And to everyone else that doesn't hear real music by real musicians I say: U may want to read this, it will show U how it's done.I sincerely hope this is the first volume of a series covering from "For You"(1978) to "Hit'n'Run Phase Two" (2016).Well done Duane!.----------------------Le doy a este libro 5 estrellas porque no le puedo dar más.Duane Tudahl nos ofrece un extraordinario vistazo al mundo de Prince y su proceso creativo (en el estudio, así como en ensayos y sesiones improvisadas) y nos permite ver a través de la cerradura al hombre detrás de la música, un chico extremadamente talentoso pero un chico de 25 años al fin y al cabo con sus defectos y virtudes como cualquier otro ser humano.La atención al detalle de Tudahl es enfermiza. Lo que más me gusta de este libro es cómo está estructurado: abarca 2 años, cada capítulo es un mes y cada mes se divide en días, indicando en qué día se grabó / ensayó / concibió una canción en qué momento, dónde y quizás el por qué.El libro es contado de manera confesional, Tudahl usa cientos de horas de entrevistas con la gente que estaba allí cuando sucedió (técnicos/ingenieros de sonido, miembros de la banda, amigos) y teje una historia esclarecedora que es muy fácil de seguir y sin ninguna nota a pie de pagina.Se puede leer sin conocimientos previos de jerga técnica (el libros explica muy bien las cosas más difíciles) pero yo mismo siendo técnico de sonido, encuentro un plus de información.Recomiendo encarecidamente este libro a cualquier fan de Prince, añejo o nuevo que le encante la época de Purple Rain y el hombre detrás de todo.Y a todos aquellos que no escuchan música real por músicos reales les digo: quizás queráis leer esto, así es cómo se hace.Espero sinceramente que este sea el primer volumen de una serie que abarque desde "For You" (1978) hasta "Hit'n'Run Phase Two" (2016).¡Bien hecho Duane!.