The Artist Chats Up Live Album

Is there a live album from the Artist Formerly (and still commonly) Known as Prince in our future? There is, according to the Artist himself.

"In the works,” is what the Purple One said in answer to a Wall of Sound inquiry about such a project. Because of his energetic and inventive live shows, a concert souvenir is something his fans have been clamoring for since he was known as Prince. In fact, he’s one of the most bootlegged of all pop performers, both for archival studio outtakes and live material. But so far he’s offering no specifics about which of his many tapes he’ll use for a live album. His last two releases under his own name (or symbol), Emancipation and Crystal Ball, were triple CDs, while the New Power Soul album that more prominently features his New Power Generation band is a single disc.

But the Artist promises he will most definitely take his fans into account. “Crystal Ball was designed to their needs,” he says. “We already knew through online discussion that it would be a success. Having no restrictions on my career allows me to release what our extended-only family wants. Many surprises await us in the new millennium.”

Besides the live outing, the Artist says he’s planning more archival releases such as Crystal Ball ("The best is yet to come,” he promises), as well as a set of his own new material, which he says will be “a different animal indeed” than New Power Soul. On top of all that, the Artist’s Love 4 One Another Web site (www.love4oneanother.com) recently revealed that while in the U.K., the Artist spent time in Hyde Park shooting scenes for “a new full-length concert film titled Newpower Soul.” “Freedom is a double-edged sword,” he notes. “Do I sleep? Do I record? Do I vacation? The golden rule is no rule.”