Also from Our Gossip Girl: Miss Diana Ross to tour … K.D. Lang – Living a quiet life, still making magnificent music!
“WITHOUT MUSIC life would be a mistake!” Thus spoke Nietzsche.
TWENTY–SIX years ago, rock-star Prince set the world on fire with his epic semi-autobiographical movie musical “Purple Rain.” The film (and the album) spawned giant hits such as “Baby, I’m a Star,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “When Doves Cry” and, of course, “Purple Rain.”
The high-heeled genius never looked back and never had to, through all his incarnations – remember when he was The Artist Formerly Known as Prince? He has set the standard for funk, pop, soul and new-wave sounds.
On the stage he’s a diminutive glam version of Bruce Springsteen, playing hot guitar – and other instruments – performing for hours on end, until his audience is reduced to screaming pulp.
Now, at age 51, we are told that Prince is definitely planning to film a sequel to “Purple Rain.” (We are assured this “definite” is more definite than past definites.)
Once again, the movie will touch on his own experiences. The ambitious character he played in the original, “The Kid,” is now a famous 50-year-old, with no record contract and forced to compete with younger artists in an unrecognizable music industry.
If this is gonna happen, it better start filming … yesterday. Prince wants an Oscar for his score, and already he is talking about how he’ll knock ‘em out performing on next year’s Academy Awards. (Apparently, he was offered a slot on this year’s show, but declined. Interesting. I can’t imagine the people behind the Oscarcast were planning on having him do the Neil Patrick Harris number?!)
However, Prince would have really livened up Oscar. I’ll never forget him at the MTV Video Music Awards way back in the day. He wore skintight pants that were revealing enough from the front. He was a guy, for sure. Then he turned around and only a sheer layer of fishnet stood between Prince and total exposure.
Lady GaGa ain’t got nothing on The Purple One.
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GOOD NEWS for fans of a real star. On May 15, in Boston, Miss Diana Ross kicks off a cross-country tour, titled “More Today Than Yesterday.”
The supreme Supreme will hit Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Cleveland, Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri, California and Canada.
I don’t have to urge Miss Ross’s fanatically devoted fans to rush to make sure to see her, but let me try to convince those of you who aren’t so sure.
This woman puts on one hell of a show. Like Cher, Diana gives the audience what it wants. Glamour! Costumes! Big hair! And … hit after hit after hit. The Supremes’ songs, the solo smashes, the disco era, the “Lady Sings the Blues” medley – you want it, Diana is more than happy to oblige. And, her show doesn’t drag on forever. At least it didn’t last time I saw her in New York. It’s like 100 minutes of POW! and then she’s gone in a moveable feast of glittering tulle.
Unlike our girl Madonna, who wants to challenge and provoke amid the spectacle, Diana wants people to have a good time, feeling perhaps we are all challenged and provoked enough just trying to get through the day.
