PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION
©2002 NPG RECORDS
Photos by Afshin Shahidi and Inam
Design by Sam Jennings
Recorded Live by Scottie P. - Direct to DAT
Minimal overdubs recorded by Joseph Lepinski and Femi Jiya at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota
One Night Alone... Live! 1:
Track 1 recorded in Washington D.C., March 31st
Track 2, 5, 7, 8 recorded in Indianapolis, IN, March 11th
Track 3, 4, 10 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
Track 6 recorded in Lakeland, FL, April 4th
Track 9 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 20th
One Night Alone... Live! 2:
Track 1, 3, 4, 7, 10-12, 16 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
Track 2 recorded in Oakland, CA, April 24th
Track 5, 13-15 recorded in Seattle, WA, April 29th
Track 6, 8, 9 recorded in Houston, TX, April 14th
Track 17 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 19th
It Ain't Over:
Track 1-3 recorded in New York City, April 9th
Track 4, 5, 7-9 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 20th
Track 6 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
"I have seen Prince almost every time he's played in L.A. since 1985, and last night as a new member of the club, my husband & I were treated to the finest Prince experience ever. I also want to say that we met the absolute coolest people while we were waiting in line."
-From Miriam
"NPG fams are so friendly! I made two new friends that I plan to keep in touch with. The concert... as I said, extraordinary. I had seats so close that, well... there are all sorts of interesting things you can see up close. He wore us out."
-From Serona
"I had no clue so many folks were members in my city. I had the chance to meet some great people, put some faces to names and see some good folks again! A packed house, 5 rows of NPGMC members and a Prince that wasted no time getting down to business. That's my idea of a great Saturday night!"
-From B.S.
"I am so impressed with the class the NPG Music Club members showed. Everyone was very friendly, polite, and respectful. We all knew we were getting the best seats in the house, and we respected each other' places in line. I got to meet so many wonderful people, too."
-From T
"I went to the Prince concert expecting to see an excellent show but what I saw was much more than excellent, words cannot explain the show."
-From Greg
"The best thing about the whole evening was meeting all the wonderful NPG members. It felt like a real family and I thank all of you."
-From Sylvia
"I must say I've never seen such a diverse crowd of people, we truly are the RAINBOW CHILDREN, and everyone seemed so friendly."
-From Vyper
"I went 2 the concert alone, but fortunately, I wasn't alone once I go there... not with all the other members I was surrounded by."
-From Funkwild
"I met several Fam members on line they were great! We shared fruit, water, and one big umbrella. We had lots of fun together."
-From Donna
"What can be better than being in line with NPG fams off of Hollywood Boulevard taking in the scene and making new friendships?"
-From Janitri
"Prince would have definitely been proud of how his 'family' took care of one another. Being courteous, respectful and all loving. It was an experience we have never felt before. Spirit and harmony were one and the camaraderie we all felt throughout the whole evening specks of high regards and great volume of the man himself."
-From Ursala
"WOW! Thank U Prince & the N.P.G. 4 another fabulous night. It just keeps getting better and better. The sound check was 2 cool. Watching Prince and his crew at work and loving what they do B4 the concert. Having just the members in there B4 the rest of the crowd made it feel more intimate. Thank U 4 having such a great idea."
-From James
"I honestly didn't know what to expect because I purposely tried not to read too much detail about the other cities' shows... but when the FUNK hit, it tore through the gorgeous Paramount Theatre like a Minneapolis snow storm. I was overwhelmed with seeing and hearing TRC Live! P gave me a whole new appreciation for it.
-From GiGi
"Thanks to the NPG Music Club the seats for the NYC show were awesome and the sound check was something I could only have dreamed of a few years ago. He just seemed a more happier and more content person. He made eye contact with the crowd, spoke, joked, dissed, smiled and drew everyone in. At one point he asked us how we liked the new Prince and I think we all were in overwhelming agreement that we loved it."
-From Jaclyn
"As soon as I walked into the venue for the sound check, I could hear Prince's voice say, 'Do ya'll see the sister that look just like Star Jones?' Well of course I started looking around to see who he was talking about... then I heard him say, 'now she's looking around trying to see who I'm talking about!' I couldn't believe he was talking about me. That was pretty cool."
-From Sherri
"During the soundcheck, two members of the NPGMC got on stage to play guitar. The first guy had done so at the Louisville show I was at, and took the stage with the confidence of a rock star. He put on the Homer, then went over to the band and whispered some instructions, and then started playing "Love Rollercoaster" It was amazing; the NPG completely backed him up. Prince yelled out, 'Hey... U tryin 2 steal my set? Play something U wrote!' He then jammed for a good 5 minutes, politely asking if he could use the foot pedals, and he was AMAZING. Prince called out from the back of the theater, '...on the one!' and the NPG (with its new lead guitarist) stopped the jam perfectly. Very tight!!"
-From Matt
"I shared a poem I had written while in Atlanta (after the first show.) Prince allowed me to read it to everyone during the soundcheck, which seemed like it opened up the fascinating group conversation about love, spirituality, religion, and God( the kind of conversations that I LOVE!)"
-From Dana D
"the sound check... We loved just walking in the theatre and seeing Rhonda, Candy, Greg and Renato on stage just kickin' back and having fun with the music, and last but surely not least seeing Prince come out relaxed and ready for a night of fun w/the fams."
-From The Donoghues
"I was fortunate enough to catch almost the entire soundcheck, which was terrific. Prince's sense of humor really came through, and I was ecstatic to hear old gems like 'Power Fantastic' live for the first time."
-From Tieboyane
"Prince gave more of himself than any big name artist of his stature. I was in the first row at the sound check and show. I heard every note. You and the N.P.G. are fantastic! As a member of the club we were truly treated like royalty! He let a fan from the audience bring his guitar on stage and play with him."
-From Clayton
"Prince was in rare form during the entire sound check.Cracking jokes on late arrivers and allowing one fan to actually get on stage and jam with him and the NPG for a moment. At one point he told us of a story of how at 17 he remembers visiting the city with his older sister and being smacked in back of the head for continuing to stare up at the skyscrapers."
-From Lela
"From the moment I walked in the sound check and saw him throwing down on his guitar I knew I was in for a great night. Hearing rare gems like 'Power Fantastic' and 'Extraordinary', the sound check was worth the price of admission alone. It was cool just seeing him sitting amongst the fans performing."
-From Tine
"I have always come to expect nothing less than a beyond great performance from Prince. He set a very high standard for live shoes. I was 13 when 1999 rolled into town. OK, well once again I was proven right."
-From R.
"By the time we sat down at the soundcheck (in our fifth row seats!!!!) Prince gave up his guitar and walked off the stage, (right by us!!) and took a seat a few rows back. After a short while, and a really great performance by an NPGMC member (the one in the hat), the band stopped playing and the dialogue broke out."
-From Tressa
"I never would have believed one day I'd be sitting in a theater talking God, Truth, Race, & Religion with Prince and about 50 other new friends 2 hours b4 a concert. That was worth the price of the NPG Music Club by itself!"
-From Nathan
"The sound check was incredible, a real PEACH for sure, and the rap session with Prince was beyond enlightening, priceless, really, and well worth the ticket before the show even started. Who'd a thunk we'd ever be afforded the gift of asking Prince questions, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, and finding out that he wants to hear what we have to say."
-From M
"Prince has the amazing ability to be in a room with a couple hundred people and still make U feel as if it's only the 2 of U."
-From Angie
"At sound check Prince was taking requests, talking with us, I couldn't believe it, he was sitting three rows behind me and singing 'Joy n Repetition'!!"
-From Dominga
"During the soundcheck, Prince put his guitar down and preceded 2 walk off the stage and in-2 the audience! He grabbed a seat a few of rows behind every one and then asked if there were any guitar players in the house. My wife proceeded 2 put my hand up 4 me and everybody started yelling stand up! Prince then asked ME and another guy 2 get up on stage and play something. The 1st guy did really well. I on the other hand was so nervous up there, I started playing 'Alphabet St.' and totally messed up. It was all good though. It was something that I will cherish 4 the rest of my life. Thank you Prince 4 that. I almost couldn't enjoy the moment because I was so nervous. I know I could have played better, but everyone after the sound check gave me much love. After I walked off the stage Prince started up a discussion with the crowd by asking the question do u believe in religion. 2 mics were passed out 2 the crowd and a 30 2 45 min. discussion began on things from God 2 the war and so 4th."
-From Baron
I DON'T REALLY KNOW Y WE HAVE 2 GO R SEPARATE WAYS.
WHETHER OR NOT WE GROW AFTER THE SEEDS R SOWN
ONLY TIME CAN SAY...
"Prince remains on of the greatest pop performers alive, sexy and menacing without any of the awkward self-regard that often afflicts so-called legends."
-New York Times
"At one point, Prince shouted out 'real music by real musicians' in a clear rebellion against the synthetically derived music that clogs the airwaves today."
-Newsday
"Prince operates on so many levels it's hard to keep up with him. 'Last time I checked this is not 1974,' he rapped shortly after taking the stage at Avery Fisher Hall on April 9. 'If you came to get your Purple Rain on you might as well hit the door.' The current New Power Generation, a three-piece (plus brass) with a wicked snap-crackle-pop, was tearing through the classically funky fusion of his most recent record, The Rainbow Children."
-The Village Voice
"The three-hour performance by Prince and his band - which included inimitable alto saxophonist Maceo Parker of peak James Brown fame -- was so powerful that the concert already has joined the coveted ranks of one of the greats."
-The Phoenix New Times
"He effortlessly fired off one staccato guitar burst after another."
-The Times-Pacayune
"Having divorced himself from the corporate music industry, he may no longer be quite the blockbuster he was. But his fans know better; Two decades on, nothing compares 2 Prince."
-The San Francisco Globe
"If his current tour marks a new phase of Prince's career, then there's reason for hope. The new recording, The Rainbow Children, is his best in years, and Tuesday night he and his New Power Generation quintet turned in a set so full of impressively arranged new songs, cannily redone classics and choice covers that the almost three hour concert felt concise.
-Newsday
"Asked once to pick the most underrated guitarist he'd ever played with, Carlos Santana picked Prince, and you could hear why during his sinuous, airy solos. But then, astoundingly, he would show the same brilliance with his falsetto and on the electric piano."
-The San Jose Mercury News
The world of modern entertainment and pop culture today is controlled, 4 the most part, by a handful of "multimedia" multinationals, which r no longer competing against each other 4 artistic merit, but 4 financial profit.
This world-wide competition of corporate giants has generated a whole industry of "consultants" and "cool hunters" who specialize in identifying new trends and providing their insight 2 their corporate clients, so that they, in turn, can capitalize on these trends as soon as they surface and b4 they fizzle out.
The trouble is that the methods employed by these "cool hunters" have become so intrusive and so connected 2 the actual world they r supposed 2 observe that the line between the observers and what's being observed has become blurred. In other works, we have reached a point where the corporate machine is so well-oiled that, through its"market research" activities, customer serveys and "focus groups" of paid participants, it is actually in the process of creating the very trends that it is supposed 2 detect.
In popular culture and entertainment, the giant corporations r machines that have become so well-oiled that they r now RUNNING ON EMPTY.
It is highly unlikely that the corporate "culture" will ever b smart enough 2 try and reach beyond the so-called "trends" that it is actually creating at the same time as it is observing them. And the reason 4 this is simple: it doesn't need 2. The corporate world is pretty content with a captive audience in which it can invest with the bullet-roof guarantee that it will get more than its money back.
By eliminating all artistic, ethical, philosophical, and emotional considerations from the way it operates, the corporate machine haas achieved the economic Holy Grail of a system that feeds itself and doesn't ask 4 more. And it seems that we have reached a point where, by commercializing the very act of commercializing itself (selling music that advertises clothes that advertises beverages that advertises movies that advertises music that...), they have succeeded in creating a self-sufficient system with no escape where the escape itself is part of the system.
Except that no one can deny that there is still great music being made and making it through this maze and managing 2 reach ears that have not yet been deafened.
No one can deny that there r still artists whose art manages 2 reach and touch an audience that is willing 2 do the work required 2 ACCESS and xperience this art. How is that possible?
The corporate machine has succeeded by forcing the human factor out of the equation. In their words, "they don't call it human research or people research, they call it market research". By creating trends instead of allowing them 2 surface, the corporate machine has complete control over the whole cycle of producing and consuming. It has managed 2 become quicker than time itself and created a situation that amounts 2 a cultural standstill.
What it hasn't done yet, however, is take control of r own free will. The corporate world knows what makes us consumers. But it has no idea of what makes us human. It has no idea of what makes art art. It doesn't know what an emotion actually is. It can copy it, mimic it, package it, sell it - but it cannot grasp it.
There r still true artists out there who share this intimate knowledge of what makes us what we r and, thru a single musical phrase or written sentence, can literally open worlds 4 us 2 xplore. And many people r persuaded that providing access 2 these artists and their art is something that is worth fighting 4.
It requires patience. It can seem hopeless at times. But humanity knows how 2 surpass itself, and when it does - well, it's freezer burn compared 2 cool.
"... the virtue in most request in society is conformity. Conformity loves not realities and creators, but names and customs. Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
The mission was one that would be enviable by many. In my early twenties and just getting started in the music business, it was with great delight that I received a call to be a band technician for Prince. This was, of course, an artist to whom I had listened for years and a man who had virtually supplied the soundtrack to my life as a teenager in the Minneapolis area. The following four years of rehearsals and concert tours were spent learning from, and learning how to work for, Prince. When I left Paisley Park in 1994 to embark upon a career as a live sound engineer, I took with me knowledge that would help carry me through working for some of the top acts in pop music. None, though, that have embodied as much courage as Prince. A revolutionary in his life as well as in his art, Prince belongs to what may be a vanishing breed. In an age of conformity, he remains a defiant nonconformist.
Coming back to work for him as an engineer in the middle of 2000, one of the components I've most often seen in Prince is that of an innate desire to more connect both he and his music to the live audience. The mystery and allure of his performances in years past have given way to a deeper but more extroverted contact with his concertgoers. This contact is greatly magnified at the handful of late night after shows performed in small, intimate bars and clubs scattered amongst the cities throughout the 'One Nite Alone' tour. These are most often my favorite moments of our collective courage. With no set list, rented band gear and no curfew, Prince and the members of the New Power Generation march fearlessly into compositions, both written and often times not, and leave his fans, the people that mean the most to him, hungry for more. Those are the actions that I think set Prince apart from his contemporaries. His seemingly endless desire to give birth to new music and challenge the conformity which now rules the music business. After all, should music even be a business? To me it is best left as an experience.
It is with great pride that I have been a responsible part of both the 'One Nite Alone' concert and 'It Ain't Over' CDs contained in this set being recorded directly from my soundboard to 2-track for release. This process is unheard of in today's world of multi-track recording, overdubs and remixes. But in doing so, Prince has continued to retain the courage of an independent artist in an industry full of people who are so often besieged by the incubus of habit.
Who knows what the future will hold for 2003 and beyond. But here, today, you get to enjoy The Everlasting Now...
~~Scottie Pakulski
~~July, 2002
"Thank you Prince for educating my daughters, Anastasia (8) and Epiphany (9), about real music at your concert. The girls can't stop talking about how great the concert was and how remarkable it was that Prince and his band played all of the music live and how other artists do not. Music is a lot like food. If you grew up on junk food, then that is all you know and unfortunately, that is all that you like. But ultimately you are being deprived of what you really need. Similarly, you are being deprived if you only listen to what they play on the radio now. The worst part is that at least with food, you have a choice, but with music it seems that we don not because of what is played on radio, MTV, BET, etc. We have forgotten the staples; therefore, we have lost our basis. We eat beans and rice in my house, and we listen to Prince, Donny Hathaway, Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, Zapp, and others. We have to do something about what is happening, because I can only imagine what music will sound like in twenty years if we do not. But like everything else, it starts at home and I'm trying to do my part. By the way, Epiphany wants you to come see her and her sister play tennis and come to dinner the next time you are in town. We;lll be sure to serve beans and rice."
-From Donald
"My cousin Jackie wants you 2 know that the song you sang about Abraham Lincoln ('Avalanche') was one of the most powerful things she has ever heard u do. She is hoping 2 have a recording of it someday."
-From Paul K.
"I was so touched that U did not shy away from political sensitive subjects. When U said 'The opposite of NATO is monotheism' I was like 'whoops, there it is!' Songs like '1+1+1=3', 'The Everlasting Now' and 'Avalanche' were sorely needed now, especially in the heart of NYC."
-From Jenn
"The concert refashioned my spirit. The resounding theme was liberation. I was moved by the visuals of the slave trade bills and the many documents related to slavery. My pastor says though we are free, Egypt yet runs through our veins. True. There's bondage to many things - most importantly our own belief systems. (We owe our ancestors better than that) But 'One Night Alone' felt like a reprieve. 'Anna Stesia', 'Joy in Repetition', 'How Come U Don't Call Me', 'Raspberry Beret' - did i say 'Joy in Repetition'? Come on! It just don't get no better than that!"
-From Joy
"The real treat of the evening was the aftershow at the World... SIMPLY AMAZING!!! AWE INSPIRING!! I have NEVER heard anyone (including Prince) play the guitar like he did when he opened the aftershow with a scathing version of 'Joy In Repetition'!! To hear that song, along with 'The Ballad of Dorothy Parker', and to see the Grandfather of Funk George Clinton on stage with Prince, was almost too much for me to handle!! I had already lost my voice by the end of the Avery Fisher show, but Prince, I was the funky little white boy dead center right in front at the aftershow... THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!"
-From tieboyone
"Bouncing from keyboards, bass, guitar, and cheerleader, Prince chalked up another aftershow performance for the ages."
-From Raymond
"At the aftershow, 'The Ride' sounded awesome. 'Calhoun Square' just floored me! It will be a long time before I get over it. Then came 'Paisley Park'! This was a surprise and great! He did a lot of talking for this song....' NPG members where U at? Next time I go on tour I'm just taking U...goin' 2 put U in the bus. But our money goes 2 the instruments so I can't do catering... naw now I'm serious, no catering' as he;s still singing 'Paisley Park'. Then just more unbelievable jamming."
-From Kari
"The aftershow was breathtaking. We were privy to the royalty of the Old School and the New at their best. Musiq, Alicia, Doug E. (Beatboxing's original master!!), Larry, ?uestlove... need I say more? It was incredible."
-From Mike
"I will keep last night in my heart forever. The band is probably the best you've ever assembled. Thank you for sharing your God given blessing with us."
-From Maryrose
"The After Party - We partied with a purpose. Knowing we were part of the NPG. We knew we were a part of the EVERLASTING NOW and forever. As you jammed again with Larry Graham, Sheila E., Maceo and the rest of the fam, thank you for keeping us on the path as you continue to walk down yours."
-From Sal
"This aftershow was amazing. The guitar solos on 'Bambi' just rocked! Peach sounded jazzier than before. 'Beautiful Strange' sounded awesome live. And 'Calhoun Square' sounded so much better live. They were jamming on both those songs for about 10 minutes each. After nearly 12 hours of Prince music over 2 days, I'm in heaven, and it's obvious that he likes to jam!"
-From Alan
"The aftershow!!! Well, just a grand as the concert. He was happy and that made us happy! He played with such energy and made the guitar blaze with heavenly glory!!!"
-From Angela
"The energy... No, it was the guitar work... Oh wait, it was when Prince pulled out '7779311' and 'Paisley Park'. Hmmm, I'm thinkin' it was an education. Yea that's it. I felt like I learned last night to respect the music in a whole new way."
-From Karen
"Working with Prince has proven to be both exciting and rewarding to me. It has been a while since I've seen so many beautiful people, that make up his audience, come and enjoy themselves. They love him, his music and his performance. I;m very proud to be part of that. Thanks for having me.... We love you"
-Maceo Parker
"The most memorable aftershow for me was the one in L.A. in the 'House of Blues', where I jammed with Sheila E., Larry Graham, Prince and the rest of the band. It truly was the funkiest gig I've ever been a part of. I really can't describe the feeling of suddenly being amongst the musicians you respect most and instead of listening to them you're suddenly one of them, wow, I get chills up my spine when I think of that show. Some of you might think that receiving a gold record or something would be the greatest achievement in my life for me, but I'm telling you: playing together with Maceo and Greg and Prince and Larry and getting it tight, those are the moments I'm really proud of!"
"The rest of the tour was just as fun, although I got teased sometimes by Maceo and Greg most noticeably about something called the 'turnaround incident'. Turn around means turn around, you know a 180-degree-turn, but it's also a name for a certain part of a song. So when Prince said somewhere in the show: 'Candy turnaround!', I figured he wanted me to turn my face to the band, in the process showing my big butt to the audience, me bing the obedient little girl I am. Sadly, he meant 'play the turnaround!' It almost killed Maceo and Greg and I had to hear it for a couple of days."
-Candy Dulfer, saxophone
"My favorite moment on tour was watching how laid back my oldest kids, Adrian & Amanda, were when I intrduced them to Prince before the DC concert. They're just so 'cool'..."
"My least favorite moment was being five minutes late for the show in LA. There was a huge wedding at the hotel that tied up all the elevators and the stairs were closed off to the lobby!"
-Greg Boyer, trombone
"There is grace among people who share dreams. I hope you share this too."
-Renato Neto, keyboards
"The most memorable moment of The One Nite Alone Tour 4 me was seeing the people RISE from their seats as we would swing our way through 'The Rainbow Children'. They loved the 'jazz' of it which told me that REAL music still has a place in the world..."
"My least favorite moment is when the show is over because I want 2 keep playing! It's funny how when you're enjoying yourself and the people are in2 it, and all of a sudden it's 12:00 AM. The people wanted more, but we couldn't give it 2 them because we had 2 keep moving 2 the next city. The tour also meant alot 2 me because we were gibing the people an important message about GOD and how important it is 2 start studying the Bible (The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures). We were also out 2 show the people that real music is still first and foremost."
LEAVE THOSE MACHINES ALONE, JUST SAY NO!
-John Blackwell, drums
"Being part of the ONA tour was a wonderful blessing as well as a learning experience. Not being sure at first just how the audiences would receive our musical experimentation... it was fun watching us all grow a little."
"It's rare these days to find artists that want to embellish their creations as Prince does, always challenging you, and in my case, playing a different supporting role in the newest NPG evolution."
"And of course, anytime I can get the opportunity to play more acoustic bass (my Vektor, I love this bass...), there's nothing better..."
-All the bass, Rhonda Smith
" 'Real music by real musicians,' Prince has said of the tour, which includes appearances by veteran saxophonist Maceo Parker and drummer John Blackwell. There will be no choreography or lip syncing, and - if previous shoes are any indicator - good luck searching for any method to a maddening mix of covers, jams, solos and new tunes."
- The Seattle Times
"The show was occasionally surprising but never shocking. Based on his attire alone - a tight-fitting blue-gray suit with a black shirt - one immediately got the sense that Prince's recent conversion to the Jehovah's Witnesses has affected more than his private life. The anticipated bumps and grinds, the graphically sexy songs, and the overall flamboyancy were definitely missed by many an attending fan."
- Jam Music Canada
"With no set list and hundreds of tunes to sift through (although most picks will be from his 2001 release The Rainbow Children), audiences should expect nothing short of spontaneity"
- The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"The aftershow at the House of Blues was like one of those legendary jams I had only read about from years ago. When Prince would just show up somewhere after a 3 hour concert and effortlessly kick off another 3 hour jam in2 the wee hours of the morning. I have been waiting and waiting 2 experience one in person and last night, Prince & the NPG did not disappoint! I wouldn't have missed the concert at the Kodak for anything, but the aftershow was such a cool experience because it allowed Prince and the band to stretch out and just go with the flow, without the structure of the earlier production. This was a show where they could launch in2 'Holly Rock' if the mood commanded it, or just groove in 'The jam' 4 a good 15 minutes if the time was right. Solo after solo showed off what the NPGMC members know, this band is filled with musicians at the top of their game. No room 4 amateurs or half-steppers. Harmony ruled this stage. And whether Prince was on guitar, keys or just the mic, that harmony just kept getting stronger and stronger."
- Mase
"This show was a display of an artist continuing to evolve. Gone were the song and dance routines of recent tours. This was a show which highlighted Prince at his purest as a musician along with his band mates."
- Aldape4
Muse 2 The Pharaoh
Xenophobia
Extraordinary
Mellow
1 + 1 + 1 is 3
The Other Side of The Pillow
Strange Relationship
When U Were Mine
Avalanche
Take Me With U
Raspberry Beret
Everlasting Now
One Nite Alone...
Adore
I Wanna B Ur Lover
Do Me, Baby
Condition Of The Heart (Interlude)
Diamonds & Pearls
The Beautiful Ones
Nothing Compares 2 U
Free
Starfish & Coffee
Sometimes it Snows in April
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Anna Stesia
We Do This (featuring George Clinton)
Medley: Just Friends (Sunny)/If You Want Me To Stay(per4med by Musiq and Prince & the NPG)
2 Nigs United 4 West Compton
Alphabet St.
Peach (extended jam)
Dorothy Parker
Girls & Boys
The Everlasting Now (vamp)
©2002 NPG RECORDS
Photos by Afshin Shahidi and Inam
Design by Sam Jennings
Recorded Live by Scottie P. - Direct to DAT
Minimal overdubs recorded by Joseph Lepinski and Femi Jiya at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota
One Night Alone... Live! 1:
Track 1 recorded in Washington D.C., March 31st
Track 2, 5, 7, 8 recorded in Indianapolis, IN, March 11th
Track 3, 4, 10 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
Track 6 recorded in Lakeland, FL, April 4th
Track 9 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 20th
One Night Alone... Live! 2:
Track 1, 3, 4, 7, 10-12, 16 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
Track 2 recorded in Oakland, CA, April 24th
Track 5, 13-15 recorded in Seattle, WA, April 29th
Track 6, 8, 9 recorded in Houston, TX, April 14th
Track 17 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 19th
It Ain't Over:
Track 1-3 recorded in New York City, April 9th
Track 4, 5, 7-9 recorded in Los Angeles, CA, April 20th
Track 6 recorded in Portland, OR, April 30th
-From Miriam
"NPG fams are so friendly! I made two new friends that I plan to keep in touch with. The concert... as I said, extraordinary. I had seats so close that, well... there are all sorts of interesting things you can see up close. He wore us out."
-From Serona
"I had no clue so many folks were members in my city. I had the chance to meet some great people, put some faces to names and see some good folks again! A packed house, 5 rows of NPGMC members and a Prince that wasted no time getting down to business. That's my idea of a great Saturday night!"
-From B.S.
"I am so impressed with the class the NPG Music Club members showed. Everyone was very friendly, polite, and respectful. We all knew we were getting the best seats in the house, and we respected each other' places in line. I got to meet so many wonderful people, too."
-From T
"I went to the Prince concert expecting to see an excellent show but what I saw was much more than excellent, words cannot explain the show."
-From Greg
"The best thing about the whole evening was meeting all the wonderful NPG members. It felt like a real family and I thank all of you."
-From Sylvia
-From Vyper
"I went 2 the concert alone, but fortunately, I wasn't alone once I go there... not with all the other members I was surrounded by."
-From Funkwild
"I met several Fam members on line they were great! We shared fruit, water, and one big umbrella. We had lots of fun together."
-From Donna
"What can be better than being in line with NPG fams off of Hollywood Boulevard taking in the scene and making new friendships?"
-From Janitri
"Prince would have definitely been proud of how his 'family' took care of one another. Being courteous, respectful and all loving. It was an experience we have never felt before. Spirit and harmony were one and the camaraderie we all felt throughout the whole evening specks of high regards and great volume of the man himself."
-From Ursala
"WOW! Thank U Prince & the N.P.G. 4 another fabulous night. It just keeps getting better and better. The sound check was 2 cool. Watching Prince and his crew at work and loving what they do B4 the concert. Having just the members in there B4 the rest of the crowd made it feel more intimate. Thank U 4 having such a great idea."
-From James
-From GiGi
"Thanks to the NPG Music Club the seats for the NYC show were awesome and the sound check was something I could only have dreamed of a few years ago. He just seemed a more happier and more content person. He made eye contact with the crowd, spoke, joked, dissed, smiled and drew everyone in. At one point he asked us how we liked the new Prince and I think we all were in overwhelming agreement that we loved it."
-From Jaclyn
"As soon as I walked into the venue for the sound check, I could hear Prince's voice say, 'Do ya'll see the sister that look just like Star Jones?' Well of course I started looking around to see who he was talking about... then I heard him say, 'now she's looking around trying to see who I'm talking about!' I couldn't believe he was talking about me. That was pretty cool."
-From Sherri
"During the soundcheck, two members of the NPGMC got on stage to play guitar. The first guy had done so at the Louisville show I was at, and took the stage with the confidence of a rock star. He put on the Homer, then went over to the band and whispered some instructions, and then started playing "Love Rollercoaster" It was amazing; the NPG completely backed him up. Prince yelled out, 'Hey... U tryin 2 steal my set? Play something U wrote!' He then jammed for a good 5 minutes, politely asking if he could use the foot pedals, and he was AMAZING. Prince called out from the back of the theater, '...on the one!' and the NPG (with its new lead guitarist) stopped the jam perfectly. Very tight!!"
-From Matt
-From Dana D
"the sound check... We loved just walking in the theatre and seeing Rhonda, Candy, Greg and Renato on stage just kickin' back and having fun with the music, and last but surely not least seeing Prince come out relaxed and ready for a night of fun w/the fams."
-From The Donoghues
"I was fortunate enough to catch almost the entire soundcheck, which was terrific. Prince's sense of humor really came through, and I was ecstatic to hear old gems like 'Power Fantastic' live for the first time."
-From Tieboyane
"Prince gave more of himself than any big name artist of his stature. I was in the first row at the sound check and show. I heard every note. You and the N.P.G. are fantastic! As a member of the club we were truly treated like royalty! He let a fan from the audience bring his guitar on stage and play with him."
-From Clayton
-From Lela
"From the moment I walked in the sound check and saw him throwing down on his guitar I knew I was in for a great night. Hearing rare gems like 'Power Fantastic' and 'Extraordinary', the sound check was worth the price of admission alone. It was cool just seeing him sitting amongst the fans performing."
-From Tine
"I have always come to expect nothing less than a beyond great performance from Prince. He set a very high standard for live shoes. I was 13 when 1999 rolled into town. OK, well once again I was proven right."
-From R.
"By the time we sat down at the soundcheck (in our fifth row seats!!!!) Prince gave up his guitar and walked off the stage, (right by us!!) and took a seat a few rows back. After a short while, and a really great performance by an NPGMC member (the one in the hat), the band stopped playing and the dialogue broke out."
-From Tressa
"I never would have believed one day I'd be sitting in a theater talking God, Truth, Race, & Religion with Prince and about 50 other new friends 2 hours b4 a concert. That was worth the price of the NPG Music Club by itself!"
-From Nathan
"The sound check was incredible, a real PEACH for sure, and the rap session with Prince was beyond enlightening, priceless, really, and well worth the ticket before the show even started. Who'd a thunk we'd ever be afforded the gift of asking Prince questions, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, and finding out that he wants to hear what we have to say."
-From M
-From Angie
"At sound check Prince was taking requests, talking with us, I couldn't believe it, he was sitting three rows behind me and singing 'Joy n Repetition'!!"
-From Dominga
"During the soundcheck, Prince put his guitar down and preceded 2 walk off the stage and in-2 the audience! He grabbed a seat a few of rows behind every one and then asked if there were any guitar players in the house. My wife proceeded 2 put my hand up 4 me and everybody started yelling stand up! Prince then asked ME and another guy 2 get up on stage and play something. The 1st guy did really well. I on the other hand was so nervous up there, I started playing 'Alphabet St.' and totally messed up. It was all good though. It was something that I will cherish 4 the rest of my life. Thank you Prince 4 that. I almost couldn't enjoy the moment because I was so nervous. I know I could have played better, but everyone after the sound check gave me much love. After I walked off the stage Prince started up a discussion with the crowd by asking the question do u believe in religion. 2 mics were passed out 2 the crowd and a 30 2 45 min. discussion began on things from God 2 the war and so 4th."
-From Baron
I DON'T REALLY KNOW Y WE HAVE 2 GO R SEPARATE WAYS.
WHETHER OR NOT WE GROW AFTER THE SEEDS R SOWN
ONLY TIME CAN SAY...
"Prince remains on of the greatest pop performers alive, sexy and menacing without any of the awkward self-regard that often afflicts so-called legends."
-New York Times
-Newsday
"Prince operates on so many levels it's hard to keep up with him. 'Last time I checked this is not 1974,' he rapped shortly after taking the stage at Avery Fisher Hall on April 9. 'If you came to get your Purple Rain on you might as well hit the door.' The current New Power Generation, a three-piece (plus brass) with a wicked snap-crackle-pop, was tearing through the classically funky fusion of his most recent record, The Rainbow Children."
-The Village Voice
"The three-hour performance by Prince and his band - which included inimitable alto saxophonist Maceo Parker of peak James Brown fame -- was so powerful that the concert already has joined the coveted ranks of one of the greats."
-The Phoenix New Times
"He effortlessly fired off one staccato guitar burst after another."
-The Times-Pacayune
"Having divorced himself from the corporate music industry, he may no longer be quite the blockbuster he was. But his fans know better; Two decades on, nothing compares 2 Prince."
-The San Francisco Globe
"If his current tour marks a new phase of Prince's career, then there's reason for hope. The new recording, The Rainbow Children, is his best in years, and Tuesday night he and his New Power Generation quintet turned in a set so full of impressively arranged new songs, cannily redone classics and choice covers that the almost three hour concert felt concise.
-Newsday
"Asked once to pick the most underrated guitarist he'd ever played with, Carlos Santana picked Prince, and you could hear why during his sinuous, airy solos. But then, astoundingly, he would show the same brilliance with his falsetto and on the electric piano."
-The San Jose Mercury News
THE DEATH OF COOL: RUNNING ON EMPTY
The world of modern entertainment and pop culture today is controlled, 4 the most part, by a handful of "multimedia" multinationals, which r no longer competing against each other 4 artistic merit, but 4 financial profit.
This world-wide competition of corporate giants has generated a whole industry of "consultants" and "cool hunters" who specialize in identifying new trends and providing their insight 2 their corporate clients, so that they, in turn, can capitalize on these trends as soon as they surface and b4 they fizzle out.
The trouble is that the methods employed by these "cool hunters" have become so intrusive and so connected 2 the actual world they r supposed 2 observe that the line between the observers and what's being observed has become blurred. In other works, we have reached a point where the corporate machine is so well-oiled that, through its"market research" activities, customer serveys and "focus groups" of paid participants, it is actually in the process of creating the very trends that it is supposed 2 detect.
In popular culture and entertainment, the giant corporations r machines that have become so well-oiled that they r now RUNNING ON EMPTY.
It is highly unlikely that the corporate "culture" will ever b smart enough 2 try and reach beyond the so-called "trends" that it is actually creating at the same time as it is observing them. And the reason 4 this is simple: it doesn't need 2. The corporate world is pretty content with a captive audience in which it can invest with the bullet-roof guarantee that it will get more than its money back.
By eliminating all artistic, ethical, philosophical, and emotional considerations from the way it operates, the corporate machine haas achieved the economic Holy Grail of a system that feeds itself and doesn't ask 4 more. And it seems that we have reached a point where, by commercializing the very act of commercializing itself (selling music that advertises clothes that advertises beverages that advertises movies that advertises music that...), they have succeeded in creating a self-sufficient system with no escape where the escape itself is part of the system.
No one can deny that there r still artists whose art manages 2 reach and touch an audience that is willing 2 do the work required 2 ACCESS and xperience this art. How is that possible?
The corporate machine has succeeded by forcing the human factor out of the equation. In their words, "they don't call it human research or people research, they call it market research". By creating trends instead of allowing them 2 surface, the corporate machine has complete control over the whole cycle of producing and consuming. It has managed 2 become quicker than time itself and created a situation that amounts 2 a cultural standstill.
What it hasn't done yet, however, is take control of r own free will. The corporate world knows what makes us consumers. But it has no idea of what makes us human. It has no idea of what makes art art. It doesn't know what an emotion actually is. It can copy it, mimic it, package it, sell it - but it cannot grasp it.
There r still true artists out there who share this intimate knowledge of what makes us what we r and, thru a single musical phrase or written sentence, can literally open worlds 4 us 2 xplore. And many people r persuaded that providing access 2 these artists and their art is something that is worth fighting 4.
It requires patience. It can seem hopeless at times. But humanity knows how 2 surpass itself, and when it does - well, it's freezer burn compared 2 cool.
Courage Over Conformity
"... the virtue in most request in society is conformity. Conformity loves not realities and creators, but names and customs. Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
The mission was one that would be enviable by many. In my early twenties and just getting started in the music business, it was with great delight that I received a call to be a band technician for Prince. This was, of course, an artist to whom I had listened for years and a man who had virtually supplied the soundtrack to my life as a teenager in the Minneapolis area. The following four years of rehearsals and concert tours were spent learning from, and learning how to work for, Prince. When I left Paisley Park in 1994 to embark upon a career as a live sound engineer, I took with me knowledge that would help carry me through working for some of the top acts in pop music. None, though, that have embodied as much courage as Prince. A revolutionary in his life as well as in his art, Prince belongs to what may be a vanishing breed. In an age of conformity, he remains a defiant nonconformist.
Coming back to work for him as an engineer in the middle of 2000, one of the components I've most often seen in Prince is that of an innate desire to more connect both he and his music to the live audience. The mystery and allure of his performances in years past have given way to a deeper but more extroverted contact with his concertgoers. This contact is greatly magnified at the handful of late night after shows performed in small, intimate bars and clubs scattered amongst the cities throughout the 'One Nite Alone' tour. These are most often my favorite moments of our collective courage. With no set list, rented band gear and no curfew, Prince and the members of the New Power Generation march fearlessly into compositions, both written and often times not, and leave his fans, the people that mean the most to him, hungry for more. Those are the actions that I think set Prince apart from his contemporaries. His seemingly endless desire to give birth to new music and challenge the conformity which now rules the music business. After all, should music even be a business? To me it is best left as an experience.
It is with great pride that I have been a responsible part of both the 'One Nite Alone' concert and 'It Ain't Over' CDs contained in this set being recorded directly from my soundboard to 2-track for release. This process is unheard of in today's world of multi-track recording, overdubs and remixes. But in doing so, Prince has continued to retain the courage of an independent artist in an industry full of people who are so often besieged by the incubus of habit.
Who knows what the future will hold for 2003 and beyond. But here, today, you get to enjoy The Everlasting Now...
~~Scottie Pakulski
~~July, 2002
-From Donald
"My cousin Jackie wants you 2 know that the song you sang about Abraham Lincoln ('Avalanche') was one of the most powerful things she has ever heard u do. She is hoping 2 have a recording of it someday."
-From Paul K.
"I was so touched that U did not shy away from political sensitive subjects. When U said 'The opposite of NATO is monotheism' I was like 'whoops, there it is!' Songs like '1+1+1=3', 'The Everlasting Now' and 'Avalanche' were sorely needed now, especially in the heart of NYC."
-From Jenn
"The concert refashioned my spirit. The resounding theme was liberation. I was moved by the visuals of the slave trade bills and the many documents related to slavery. My pastor says though we are free, Egypt yet runs through our veins. True. There's bondage to many things - most importantly our own belief systems. (We owe our ancestors better than that) But 'One Night Alone' felt like a reprieve. 'Anna Stesia', 'Joy in Repetition', 'How Come U Don't Call Me', 'Raspberry Beret' - did i say 'Joy in Repetition'? Come on! It just don't get no better than that!"
-From Joy
-From tieboyone
"Bouncing from keyboards, bass, guitar, and cheerleader, Prince chalked up another aftershow performance for the ages."
-From Raymond
"At the aftershow, 'The Ride' sounded awesome. 'Calhoun Square' just floored me! It will be a long time before I get over it. Then came 'Paisley Park'! This was a surprise and great! He did a lot of talking for this song....' NPG members where U at? Next time I go on tour I'm just taking U...goin' 2 put U in the bus. But our money goes 2 the instruments so I can't do catering... naw now I'm serious, no catering' as he;s still singing 'Paisley Park'. Then just more unbelievable jamming."
-From Kari
"The aftershow was breathtaking. We were privy to the royalty of the Old School and the New at their best. Musiq, Alicia, Doug E. (Beatboxing's original master!!), Larry, ?uestlove... need I say more? It was incredible."
-From Mike
"I will keep last night in my heart forever. The band is probably the best you've ever assembled. Thank you for sharing your God given blessing with us."
-From Maryrose
"The After Party - We partied with a purpose. Knowing we were part of the NPG. We knew we were a part of the EVERLASTING NOW and forever. As you jammed again with Larry Graham, Sheila E., Maceo and the rest of the fam, thank you for keeping us on the path as you continue to walk down yours."
-From Sal
-From Alan
"The aftershow!!! Well, just a grand as the concert. He was happy and that made us happy! He played with such energy and made the guitar blaze with heavenly glory!!!"
-From Angela
"The energy... No, it was the guitar work... Oh wait, it was when Prince pulled out '7779311' and 'Paisley Park'. Hmmm, I'm thinkin' it was an education. Yea that's it. I felt like I learned last night to respect the music in a whole new way."
-From Karen
"Working with Prince has proven to be both exciting and rewarding to me. It has been a while since I've seen so many beautiful people, that make up his audience, come and enjoy themselves. They love him, his music and his performance. I;m very proud to be part of that. Thanks for having me.... We love you"
-Maceo Parker
"The most memorable aftershow for me was the one in L.A. in the 'House of Blues', where I jammed with Sheila E., Larry Graham, Prince and the rest of the band. It truly was the funkiest gig I've ever been a part of. I really can't describe the feeling of suddenly being amongst the musicians you respect most and instead of listening to them you're suddenly one of them, wow, I get chills up my spine when I think of that show. Some of you might think that receiving a gold record or something would be the greatest achievement in my life for me, but I'm telling you: playing together with Maceo and Greg and Prince and Larry and getting it tight, those are the moments I'm really proud of!"
"The rest of the tour was just as fun, although I got teased sometimes by Maceo and Greg most noticeably about something called the 'turnaround incident'. Turn around means turn around, you know a 180-degree-turn, but it's also a name for a certain part of a song. So when Prince said somewhere in the show: 'Candy turnaround!', I figured he wanted me to turn my face to the band, in the process showing my big butt to the audience, me bing the obedient little girl I am. Sadly, he meant 'play the turnaround!' It almost killed Maceo and Greg and I had to hear it for a couple of days."
-Candy Dulfer, saxophone
"My favorite moment on tour was watching how laid back my oldest kids, Adrian & Amanda, were when I intrduced them to Prince before the DC concert. They're just so 'cool'..."
"My least favorite moment was being five minutes late for the show in LA. There was a huge wedding at the hotel that tied up all the elevators and the stairs were closed off to the lobby!"
-Greg Boyer, trombone
"There is grace among people who share dreams. I hope you share this too."
-Renato Neto, keyboards
"The most memorable moment of The One Nite Alone Tour 4 me was seeing the people RISE from their seats as we would swing our way through 'The Rainbow Children'. They loved the 'jazz' of it which told me that REAL music still has a place in the world..."
"My least favorite moment is when the show is over because I want 2 keep playing! It's funny how when you're enjoying yourself and the people are in2 it, and all of a sudden it's 12:00 AM. The people wanted more, but we couldn't give it 2 them because we had 2 keep moving 2 the next city. The tour also meant alot 2 me because we were gibing the people an important message about GOD and how important it is 2 start studying the Bible (The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures). We were also out 2 show the people that real music is still first and foremost."
LEAVE THOSE MACHINES ALONE, JUST SAY NO!
-John Blackwell, drums
"Being part of the ONA tour was a wonderful blessing as well as a learning experience. Not being sure at first just how the audiences would receive our musical experimentation... it was fun watching us all grow a little."
"It's rare these days to find artists that want to embellish their creations as Prince does, always challenging you, and in my case, playing a different supporting role in the newest NPG evolution."
"And of course, anytime I can get the opportunity to play more acoustic bass (my Vektor, I love this bass...), there's nothing better..."
-All the bass, Rhonda Smith
" 'Real music by real musicians,' Prince has said of the tour, which includes appearances by veteran saxophonist Maceo Parker and drummer John Blackwell. There will be no choreography or lip syncing, and - if previous shoes are any indicator - good luck searching for any method to a maddening mix of covers, jams, solos and new tunes."
- The Seattle Times
"The show was occasionally surprising but never shocking. Based on his attire alone - a tight-fitting blue-gray suit with a black shirt - one immediately got the sense that Prince's recent conversion to the Jehovah's Witnesses has affected more than his private life. The anticipated bumps and grinds, the graphically sexy songs, and the overall flamboyancy were definitely missed by many an attending fan."
- Jam Music Canada
"With no set list and hundreds of tunes to sift through (although most picks will be from his 2001 release The Rainbow Children), audiences should expect nothing short of spontaneity"
- The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Mase
"This show was a display of an artist continuing to evolve. Gone were the song and dance routines of recent tours. This was a show which highlighted Prince at his purest as a musician along with his band mates."
- Aldape4
ONE NITE ALONE... LIVE!
Disc One
Rainbow ChildrenMuse 2 The Pharaoh
Xenophobia
Extraordinary
Mellow
1 + 1 + 1 is 3
The Other Side of The Pillow
Strange Relationship
When U Were Mine
Avalanche
Disc Two
Family NameTake Me With U
Raspberry Beret
Everlasting Now
One Nite Alone...
Adore
I Wanna B Ur Lover
Do Me, Baby
Condition Of The Heart (Interlude)
Diamonds & Pearls
The Beautiful Ones
Nothing Compares 2 U
Free
Starfish & Coffee
Sometimes it Snows in April
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Anna Stesia
Bonus Disc
Joy In RepetitionWe Do This (featuring George Clinton)
Medley: Just Friends (Sunny)/If You Want Me To Stay(per4med by Musiq and Prince & the NPG)
2 Nigs United 4 West Compton
Alphabet St.
Peach (extended jam)
Dorothy Parker
Girls & Boys
The Everlasting Now (vamp)
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