First Avenue 8 March 1982 (Soundboard)

 Recently Mace2theO commented that this bootleg from 1982 was the equivalent of his first girlfriend. We all have a similar first girlfriend experience – she may have had braces and carried some puppy fat, but she will always be special by the fact she was the first and painted in nostalgic hues forever more because of this. It was our first proper relationship and doomed to a crushing teenage ending, but always conjures up warm memories that do not fade as time passes. 

I’m sorry Mace2theO, but in this case, your first girlfriend got around a bit. Not only was she your first girlfriend, but she was also my first girlfriend too. Mace2theO acquired this concert on cassette (and all the nostalgic currency that carries), while for me I found this bootleg on CD hidden away at the back of the record store. It was far from perfect in sound quality but I can assure you that when I took a listen it shook me to my core, and the fact that 35 years on I am blogging about Prince bootlegs demonstrates how much of an influence it had over the rest of my life. Like that first girlfriend, it was a formative experience. I didn’t quite know what I was doing and I have had better relationships since but retains a special place in my heart. 

A couple of weeks ago the soundboard recording of this show became widely available. It’s not always comfortable when we meet ex-girlfriends later in life, with a messy divorce behind them, a couple of kids under their arms, and the first signs of a drinking problem hiding behind their forced smile, but in this case, my first girlfriend has grown up into somebody I want to spend a lot of time with. The roughness of the audience recording is gone, replaced with a shiny soundboard, all slender legs, short skirts, and long luxurious hair. Oh yes, my first girlfriend is now the hottest chick on the block. She has grown up in every way while retaining all the charms that I first fell in love with all those years ago. I may have talked about this first girlfriend before, but now she is in full bloom and stirring up those old feelings in me. It’s not very often that I spend time with ex-girlfriends, but in this case I am going to roll back the clock and wine and dine this girl one more time. 

So with my first bootleg love rekindled, let us douse ourselves in cheap cologne, grease up the hair, and head straight to the heart of 1982. 

8th March 1982, First Avenue, Minneapolis 

There is a heat between the thighs from the opening minute, a few quick words by Prince, and then a rage of guitar pulled down by Dez. With a punk rock assault, Prince and the band hang it all out in these first minutes with both power and panache. In a frenzy of guitar scuzz “Bambi” storms into the room. It’s a wild-eyed performance that bounces off the walls in a maelstrom of fuzzed-up guitar and shrieked lyrics, capturing the listener's attention from the start. It is much cleaner than the previous audience recording, and the soundboard brings the musicianship to the fore while retaining the fierce sound of the more familiar recording. That first girlfriend has cleaned up her defiant punk-rock hairstyle but still has a fiery intent in her eyes that hints at underlying violence that could bubble over at any second. 

“All The Critics Love U In New York” is the most Princely sui genius song of the evening, and maps out the territory that he will roam in the next few years. It wears its uniqueness proudly, face-melting guitar work grafted to the undeniable beat that appeals to both my gut and my feet. I am never quite sure if I should be dancing or punching the air, the music insisting that I move my body in any way possible as Prince gives us perhaps the greatest performance of this song ever recorded. The keyboard solo gains on this pristine recording, Fink’s solo standing out among the more forceful blazing guitar and holding his calm center at the eye of the storm. For a minute we are in another world before the hurricane of guitar solos returns and swallow up all the sound. 

 

There is a glimpse of the first girlfriend I used to know in the opening of “When You Were Mine,” both the title and the sound taking me back to youthful summers that were equally long and lost. It is easy to project these feelings back on a song that has been with us so long, but even at this show, it has a nostalgic feel – although it was only recorded just two years previous. This is the most comfortable song of the concert and captures the exact feelings that I first had when I heard it all those years ago. 

There is a world of difference between the audience recording and this soundboard recording when it comes to “Sexy Dancer.” A far more nuanced performance emerges on this recording, and whereas before it was strident and bold, here it becomes much more of a sassy walk rather than a march into battle. Both the bass and the keyboard via for attention, each adding to a show that I am already eminently familiar with. While the bass remains holding the song together, Dr. Fink spins off into an intergalactic sound with his keyboards, making me draw a sharp breath in the thrill of it all. It is Dez who gets to put an end to these flights of fancy, his solo serving as an exclamation mark on all that has come before. 

 

Things slow, sex and lust are temporarily forgotten as Prince dips into a song of love and yearning with “Still Waiting.” Prince is on lead vocals, but it is Sue Ann Carwell who is the star attraction with her contribution. At almost ten minutes long there is plenty of time for the candles of love to flicker and flame, and musically one can hear the lights being turned down as the song slows to a velvety and warm breakdown. In this circumstance, it is grating to hear Prince saying “I got cause to celebrate because my girlfriend died” but as Brown Marks bass rises from this crushed velvet sea all is forgiven, and I am again transported away on the winds of Sue Ann Carwell’s voice. 

 

The recording slaps me in the face and snaps me out of this reverie with a furious “Head.” On the previous recording, it was nasty and slutty, on this recording, it is far more sexy and erotic. While the audience recording sounded like a blowjob in the Walmart carpark, this one speaks in the language of fellatio and sex on the hood of a Porsche at a Beverly Hills party. The outcome is still the same, but it doesn’t threaten to be as dangerous, and despite some superlative bass work, I am comfortable that when it is all over I won’t be visiting the clinic in the morning. 

If there is a moment that demonstrates how much better this new recording is, it is the final minute of the “Head” when we can hear Prince preparing the band for “Sexuality.” We have heard him yell into the microphone before, but this time we can hear him say it a couple of times earlier to the audience. It’s not a big thing, but it does show just how good the sound is. “Sexuality” is relatively short, most of the song is given over to the audience sing-a-long that dominates. It does lose some of its impact on this soundboard recording, the audience recording does a far better job of capturing this moment with the audience. This is crying out for someone to combine the two recordings in a matrix mix that would better give us that electrifying live sound that makes this recording so vital. 

 

Prince’s brief speech introducing The Time has been often discussed, and for good reason. His easy banter with Morris is refreshing, and it's hilarious to hear him and Morris go back and forth, trading lines and barbs that belie the darker waters that swirl just under the surface. “Dance To The Beat” maintains this veneer of lightheartedness and provides a pop twist to a show that has been thus far guitar-heavy and drenched in intensity. There is a lift in the atmosphere and the recording shines bright for these minutes. 

Prince continues to fire broadsides at the band between songs, this time with the comment “I didn’t like that, play something you know how to play.” The response from The Time is a taunt version of “The Stick” that would satisfy the most demanding of audiences. As much as I like The Time and this song, it does feel as if they have gate-crashed the date, and there is an awkward third-wheel experience to hearing them on the bootleg. The real drawcard though isn’t the music itself, but rather their dynamic tension with Prince, a tension that fuels his music and will provide some of his most dramatic work in the following years. 

 

“Partyup” fuses these two elements in a climactic finish that delivers all it promises. The opening talk between Prince and Morris sets the scene, the back and forth continues between them continues as Morris takes his place at the drum kit for this final stomp. Prince and his guitar lead from the front, but most fans will be focused on Morris and his drumming. He lives up to expectations, and the foreplay of the opening talk is forgotten as the song becomes further arousing. Morris’s drum solo almost brings us to orgasm, but Prince pulls him back just in time with some great bass work from Brown Mark. The final climax comes with an inflamed guitar solo from Prince, but as with the audience recording, there is coitus interruptus as the tape fades out, the rest of the solo never realized and leaving us to only wonder what might have been. 

I have loved this concert for as long as I can remember. I have grown older, but it has remained forever young, even with the imperfections of the long-circulating audience recording. With this soundboard recording, we have a chance to revisit our youth, and a chance to reconnect with that elusive first girlfriend. I have mixed feelings as I know that the first girlfriend is forever gone and never again will I listen to the audience recording. This new recording has created new memories and sparked a new love. It is time to move on and file the audience recording in my box of faded photos, yellowed love letters, and yesterday's glories. I am firmly looking forward as with this soundboard recording I feel reinvigorated, my love burning with a new intensity. I have made up my mind, this is the recording that I want to spend the rest of my life with. 

-Hamish 

Bonus material: 

Mace2theO messaged me this quickfire review when I told him I was covering this bootleg. It’s not written with public consumption in mind, but he has agreed that I could share it with you. I am in full agreement with everything he has written here, and he is far more succinct than me! 

Re 82 – reasons the show is important to me, rediscovered with the SBDs 

The First Ave show came the night after the main show at the Met Centre so going back to a small club, it has the feel of an aftershow. It is the first Revolution in all its glory, with Dez as a proper Keith Richards lead as the Black Rolling Stones, all pre-Purple Rain. Starting with a raw punk version of Bambi, it then goes into a monster version of All the Critics. While “Let ’em out of his cage” is great, my favorite is before Doc’s solo when Prince and Dez start soloing and Prince yells “Wait a minute, Dez” before ripping off a monster solo. 

Sometimes audiences make the boot and I had been living with the crowd singing at the end of Sexuality for so many years, it took me a minute to adjust to the soundboard. Same with All The Critics – without that kickdrum in your face, the SBD didn’t feel the power of the earlier version…although it sounds much better. 

Most important – this is really the closest we will ever get the inspiration for the Purple Rain battle. Before all the controlling issues that came along in 83-84, you can feel the real affection between Morris and Prince (“We used to be friends”) – as trivia, it has the only time in bootleg history where someone gives Prince shit “You wanna borrow my comb?” Also history, as only time live Prince with Morris on drums. 

I have fallen in love with my first girlfriend all over again – not looking forward to telling the wife 

First Avenue 8 March 1982 (audience)

 It blows my mind that this gig was recorded just five weeks after the Passaic gig that I listened to the other week. It’s got a completely different feel to it, showcases new material, resurrects some old material, but as always features some outstanding musicianship. Such is life in the world of Prince, things change pretty fast. This gig was recorded at First Avenue, between Controversy and 1999 tours, and yet it doesn’t sound like either one of those tours. Most of the material played here does not appear on either tour, and the band has a chance to play out and jam on some songs. As I seem to say every week, this is one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to write about it. 

8th March 1982, First Avenue, Minneapolis 

I have listened to this gig so many times that I can recite the opening lines from the top of my head. After a brief prelude Prince opens the gig by telling the crowd that “This is not a concert, this is a dance, if you can dance to stuff, you’re a better man to me. The only reason we’re here is that there is no place else to go”. “Bambi” starts and it’s heavy right from the go. I know “Bambi” is always a heavy guitar-driven song, but here it is even more so. The guitars’ don’t let up at all, even during the verses, and Prince's vocals struggle to get out above the din. You can hear him fine, but the guitar noise and band are very rowdy and wild. There is a great heavy guitar chugging underneath and some wild guitars over the top. It has a garage band feel to it, but a very talented garage band! Dez’s playing is excellent, as is Prince's solos over the top. I have heard plenty of great versions of Bambi, but this one tops them all. It’s a fantastic way to start the gig, and already I feel breathless by the end of the first song. Prince does some guitar noodling after the bulk of the song before the band enters for a final onslaught to finish. 

 

A steady beat, then the now-familiar keyboard run of “All The Critics Love You In New York” begins. Prince intones “This is a new song, probably won’t be out for another year or six” The steady beat goes on for a very long time before Prince begins to sing, and in that time there are some grinding guitar flashes. The sound is, obviously, much heavier than on record, and it has a darker feel to it. The guitar is much dirtier sounding and much louder. Prince is not as restrained as he sounds on the record, especially as he sings “look out all you hippies, you aren’t as sharp as me” But mostly the song isn’t about the vocals, it’s very much a guitar song, with plenty of guitar played over the beat. It sounds great, and I can only wish that I could have been there. The guitars pull back for a moment, and Prince asks Dr. Fink if he wants to solo. He duly obliges while Dez calls for a drink. The keyboard solo is fast, yet delicate. Sounds very good and clean. Prince then asks Dez, “Did you get your drink?” Dez responds yes and Prince asks does he want to play, then with a yell “Let him outta his cage!” Dez plays a fantastic solo. Completely different from what Prince would come up with, it has a heavy rock sound about it. It is short but very rock-orientated. The guitars stay low for a bit, and the song sounds much more like what it does on the album. The song only lasts another minute or two after this before it ends with a synth howl. 

Keeping in tune with the evening so far, the next song is a guitar-heavy “When You Were Mine.” There is more lead guitar on this than we normally hear, and it’s an interesting arrangement. The rhythm guitar sound that normally drives it is absent, and instead some long mournful notes on the lead guitar replace it. It’s still as upbeat as ever, but it does have a more rock sound to it. Dr. Finks's solo is more familiar territory, and after this the more familiar rhythm guitar we are used to returns. There is a break, with just Prince on his guitar and the crowd clapping, and he stretches it out for a couple of minutes like this. I like it here, when he sings a few lines, then knocks out the rhythm for a bit while the crowd claps along. The band all jumps in back in for the final verse before it all races to the finish. 

 

After thanking the crowd “Give yourself a hand, that was some mean clapping” Prince and the band get funky with “Sexy Dancer.” It’s a welcome break from the guitar noise of the first few songs. I love guitar, but I also enjoy the variation that Prince gives us. Sexy dancer is full sounding, propelled along by the bass and drum, but there is plenty of playing over the top. Again Dr. Fink plays a great solo, and it’s stretched out, he plays for a couple of minutes on it. It’s very enjoyable, and as I so often do, I find myself in admiration of the skills of the good Doctor. Dez follows up with a restrained but loud solo. It’s in complete contrast to the solo that Dr. Fink plays and yet complements the song well. The song ends with a Dez solo, and there is a pause in the action. 

Prince tells the crowd he wants to play a slow song if they want to go get a drink. He calls for Sue Ann and then plays “Still Waiting.” The recording still has a garage band sound to it, which doesn’t suit this song. However, Prince's vocals sound very good, especially harmonizing with Sue Ann on the chorus. It’s in the quieter more delicate moments of the gig that the limitations of recordings like this are exposed. The song itself is very good, as we have come to expect from Prince, but I would want to hear a better recording of it. There is some very nice vocal work from Prince here, and some great interplay between him and the backing singers, especially in the breakdown. There is one weird vocal ad-lib from Prince when he tells the crowd ‘I got cause to celebrate because my girlfriend died” I didn’t notice it for years, but I can’t help but hear it this time. Sue Ann gets a moment to sing solo, and she is remarkably good. She’s not the most distinctive singer I have ever heard, but she is nice and strong. Prince responds with some of his shriekings and screaming before the song comes to an end. 

 

There is a pause, and then the band plays a heavy and slightly quicker version of “Head.” It’s not as dirty or nasty as I have heard elsewhere, but the guitars are nice and strong, and I do enjoy the grittiness of this recording. Prince lets the crowd sing a lot of it, choosing to sing every other line himself. The recording doesn’t pick up the crowd singing very well, but if I had been there you would have heard me! After the first verse there isn’t much singing, mostly a lot of keyboards, solos, and grooves. It’s not a bad thing at all, and I like it very much in this way. Prince picks up the mic for some more singing, but again he only sings every other line, letting the crowd fill in the spaces. Dr. Finks's solo is excellent as always before the music pulls back for a breakdown. There is some very enthusiastic singing of head from the crowd, as always, and then some nice funk guitar from the band. It then descends into the usual guitar solo and keyboard sounds that we have heard so many times before. 

A couple of beats and Prince calls “Read my lips, Sexuality”. Things take off here, the beat jumps up, and after several screams from the man himself the bass and scratch guitar jump in. It’s played fast, and the drums and bass provide great energy. This song is a favorite of mine, and it’s a shame there are not more live recordings of it out there. As with the other songs, the sound is very full, and all the instruments are battling to be heard. The six band members sure do make a big noise! The bulk of the song is over before I know it, it was fast and furious throughout. The band all pulls out, except Bobby Z, and Prince sings “Sexuality” as the crowd claps along. The crowd then takes up the singing of sexuality, while Prince takes a break. This section goes for as long as the main song itself, and it sounds as if the crowd is having a great time. Prince finishes by singing “Never let it be said, white folk ain’t got no soul”. 

 

Prince tells the crowd that they are going to take a break, and then the Time plays a couple of songs. The recording covers the bands changing over, and it takes some minutes, with plenty of banter while it happens. Especially funny to me is when Prince tells the crowd “We share the same management, and they say they gotta play too” 

The first song they play is “Dance to The Beat.” It’s up-tempo and fun, but it comes and goes before I can properly register it. It does sound like it would have been good to be there, but on the recording it doesn’t do much for me. 

Much better is “The Stick.” The bass and the keyboards have a deep groove and the overall sound is something I enjoy. This is The Time that I like the most. Jimmy Jam and Jesse both solo, before Morris calls for a mirror. The classic Time that we all know and love is in full effect. 

The song ends, and Prince asks Morris if he can still play the drums. Once again there is plenty of banter, as Morris moves to the drums and Prince is running things again. They then play an enthusiastic version of “Partyup.” The band sounds nice and loose, as does Prince’s singing. Again, it’s a sense of fun that I get when I listen to this recording. Prince calls for a breakdown and the band finds a nice groove while the crowd begins to clap along. Prince tells the crowd “Give the drummer some” and then Morris plays a drum break. It’s not overly cohesive, but it does fit with the fun of the gig. Brownmark brings things back with some nice bass playing, and then Lisa puts some nice rhythmic keyboard work over top. There is then some fantastic-sounding guitar solo played over the top but to my great disappointment the recording fades out here and ends. 

 

This was one of the first recordings I ever brought, and I have listened to it many times over the years. In more recent years better releases of the same gig have appeared, and this has greatly added to my enjoyment of it. As I said earlier, I love the garage band sound of this, and the loose feel of the band. All The Critics Love You In New York is a standout for me, as is Sexuality. I was one very happy man at the end of listening to this. 

San Francisco 14 February 1982

 There have been two new releases recently and both of them are covering the same show. It always gives me a warm feeling when new soundboards surface, and this week has been a very good week for me. I have not heard the Eye records release, it is more complete than the 4DF release, but I have to say the 4DF release has a great cover, even if the show itself is not complete. I was going to wait for the Eye records release before I blogged about it, but to be honest, patience is not one of my virtues, so I am going to give the 4DF release a listen in meantime. The show itself is not new to me, I have heard an audience recording, but nothing can beat that pristine sound of a soundboard recording as we have here. I am looking forward to a heavy dose of nostalgia and plenty of energy from this show. It’s a beautiful summer's evening here, all the doors and windows are open, a cold drink in my hand, and the stereo cranked up, I am definitely in the right mood for this one. 

14 February 1982, San Francisco Auditorium 

This particular recording is missing the opening with “The Second Coming,” but that doesn’t concern me too much as we get right down to it from the start. The setlists from the Controversy tour don’t vary too much, so there aren’t any surprises when the first song is “Uptown.” I was wondering if I would feel jaded listening to a recording from a tour I know so well, but any reservations are well and truly laid to rest when that glorious clean soundboard recording is heard.  The sound leaps out of the speakers, and Prince's youthful enthusiasm is evident for all to hear. “Uptown” sounds great, and one of the things that strikes me most is the bass sound. It’s not deep and heavy, but it has a fantastic popping sound to it, and the recording captures it perfectly. I like that the sound is much more even on this recording, and no one instrument dominates as you often hear on audience recordings. 

 

After a short Uptown Prince calls “Are you ready” in his full sounding, deeper speaking voice and we spin off into “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad.” The guitars seesaw behind him, and again I am struck by the balance of the recording, they are well behind his voice, and never too loud. I must say, Prince is sounding on top of his game, and his voice is playful and strong. As the guitars start their soloing there are some excellent bass pops that the recording picks up, and I am thankful I can hear this as it was meant to be heard. Prince calls “John!” right before the second section of the solos, I don’t know who it is directed at, or what it is about, but after listening to hundreds of bootlegs like this I sometimes find myself wondering about little moments like this. The song ends with a coda from Prince, and for me this is the real highlight. It’s not a howling guitar solo, just some fun licks on his guitar for a minute, but it adds to the sense of youth and playfulness. 

“When You Were Mine” elicits no surprise from me, and again I rejoice in the quality of the recording, especially when I hear Prince’s vocals and every inflection in his voice. He sings, he speaks, he pouts, he emotes, and I can feel the whole performance through the recording. There is more playfulness near the end of the song as Prince plays guitar runs and speaks during the breakdown. He draws it out, and I almost find myself screaming along with the ladies in the crowd. His voice is teasing and fun, and he backs it with guitar playing that sounds similar in nature. We are three songs in, and already I have decided that this is my ‘go to’ recording for the Controversy tour. 

 

This thought continues as “I Wanna Be Your Lover” begins, it sparkles and shines, and it too has a youthfulness to it. The vocals of Prince and Lisa are bold and loud, the whole song sounding very strong throughout. I appreciate it for what it is, but being the fan I am, I am already anticipating the song that will follow. 

“Head” is the centerpiece of the concert, it runs for 13 minutes, and is everything you could wish for.  The guitar is slippery, the keyboards heaving, and the bass and vocals are both dirty sounding. Like everything else on this recording, the balance is perfect, and there are many small details for me to enjoy as I listen close. I love the vocals of Lisa, as well as Prince. The energy of the show is very apparent, and as I said earlier, it does jump out of the speakers at me. I don’t get the nostalgic feeling at all, it still sounds fresh and new to me, and I feel younger just for listening to it. I decide not to bother writing anything at all as the singing stops and the bass and guitar take over, it’s all too good and I want to wallow in the sound of it. Needless to say, it doesn’t disappoint at all. 

The keyboards of “Annie Christian” gain a lot on this soundboard recording, they sound brighter and louder, while the guitar is more in the background. Prince’s vocal performance is energetic and the song itself gathers a lot of momentum as it goes, and there is a great release when Prince starts his guitar break. It’s only the last minute of the song when the guitar is more to the front than the keyboards, and I am enjoying the mix of this recording just as much as the performance itself. 

I wonder how “Dirty Mind” is going to go, on some other Controversy shows it is the highlight for me, here we have had many highlights already and I wonder how it will compete. It gets off to a good start with a slightly longer intro, and Prince sounds more relaxed as he begins to sing. I don’t have to tell you, it’s energetic and lives up to my expectations. Prince’s “Somebody say yeah” shouts add a sense of urgency and energy to it all, and I get a kick out of it when Prince asks “Does the groove feel alright?” I like that I can clearly hear Bobby Z play on this, and indeed I can everyone very well, it gives me a lot of new things to listen for. 

It’s game over as “Do Me, Baby” begins, seriously I am just about to turn off the lights and start some ‘night maneuvers’ as it plays. It doesn’t have a long intro, but Prince's vocals more than makeup for it. It’s easy to forget that he is playing for 8000 people at the show, his vocals are dripping with lust and emotion, and the crowd is feeling it too as he stops and lets them sing a few lines for themselves. I would love to see this performance as well as hear it. Prince ad-libs mid-song, using his “Do you believe in love at first sight, do you believe in making love on the first night” -lines that I normally associate with Dirty Mind. The song runs for nigh on eight minutes, and I have already mentally filed it as a song I must revisit soon. 

“Controversy” lacks the intensity of the previous half-hour. The song is tight so I can’t fault it in any way, however, it does feel like a step down from what we have just heard. I think it’s because I can’t hear the guitar as strongly as I like, and it’s very much a keyboard-driven affair. I do hear the funky guitar later, and its sharpness adds some shape that I was missing earlier. It gets even better for me at the five-minute mark when the guitars come right to the fore. Prince still sounds like he’s having a great time with his vocals, and the song ends on a high. 

The 4DF recording ends with “Let’s Work.” Prince works the crowd, and there is lots of interaction between Prince and the band, as well as the audience. It’s a difficult song to sit and listen to, I feel the music just as much as I hear it, and when I listen to this I have a strong urge to get up and dance. The bass and drum combination is tight as you might expect, and the wonderful thing is you can hear their interaction and togetherness clearly on this recording. There is a long breakdown in particular where they hold the groove down, and there is plenty of time to enjoy their talents. Listening to it here you can also hear how much of a horn line the keyboards are playing, it’s very easy to imagine those lines as horns playing, and you can see Prince is making the most of what he has available to him in terms of instruments and personnel. 

 

My very first bootleg was a recording from the Controversy tour, and it’s still a favorite to this day. I never thought I would hear another show from that period that filled me with the same sense of enjoyment and energy, but this recording proved me wrong. This is an outstanding recording, the songs may not be new to my ears, but the quality of the show is very high, and a lot of things gain an extra dimension when I listen to them in soundboard quality. I have heard many shows, and now when I listen to bootlegs I find it’s the little things I notice and enjoy most, and having a show of this quality there are many little things that I pick up and enjoy. 33 years after the fact this recording is just as exciting as anything I heard when I was a teenager. I am hoping the full show on Eye records is every bit as good as what we have here. 

New Orleans 28 February 1982

 After my last post, my good friend Viv suggested that rather than choosing a random gig from the collection, I should select something that I recommend or one that is special to me. Great idea Viv, I have just the very thing. Today’s gig more than covers both of those options. This recording is special to me in many ways and is the most played in my collection. It was the first bootleg I ever bought and is still played regularly at my house. 

February 28TH 1982, New Orleans. 

WOW! This is it for me, ground zero. It is the point where I went from being a fan to a fanatic. This gig blew my mind when I first heard it, and I am not exaggerating when I say it changed my life (my music listening at least). I had been a fan of Prince since I first heard 1999, but I had never bothered to go back through his back catalog. One day when I was 16 I skipped school for the day and went into town to visit my favorite record store (I hope my mother doesn’t read this). It would have been 1989. I was looking through the Prince CDs, not expecting anything new, just from habit. And there, with all the regular albums I knew so well, was another CD, with a strange cover I had never seen before. I had heard of bootlegs, but I had never seen one before. I was a little shocked by the price, it was twice as much as the regular CDs, but the song-list was full of early songs which I had never heard before. I went home and got all my money together, and the next day after school I rushed into town and bought it. Because I had never heard a bootleg before I was unaware that they vary in quality, but I got lucky with this one, an excellent soundboard recording of an excellent gig. 

We used to have one stereo in the house, it was in the lounge. I wasn’t allowed to play Prince, my parents thought I shouldn’t be listening to this sort of thing, so I had to wait until later that night when everyone was asleep, then put it on quietly and listen in the dark. The sound that came out of the speakers that night was so energetic, so real, so raw, I couldn’t help but be transported away by it. I felt a million miles from small-town New Zealand. 

25 years on and I still love to play this one. I listened to it three times while writing this, and will probably listen to it another couple of times before I finish. 

 

The recording begins with a long drum roll. You cannot imagine the excitement that fills me every time I hear this. Prince hits us with a few good “Awwws” then BANG the guitars and keyboards jump into “Uptown.” The music is instantly lively and accessible. Looking at the Controversy tour schedule, Prince and the band were playing almost every single night. This gig falls near the end of the tour, but they don’t sound the least bit tired or jaded. The music just leaps out of the speakers at me. The guitars and keyboard propel the song forward, as with most of the songs on this recording the music has a real feeling of moving forward. Prince himself seems caught up in it all and yells out “What’s up New Orleans”. It adds an urgency when he yells out between his singing, I especially like when he sings “are you gay?” then a couple of lines later yells “NO, is yo mamma!” It’s so raw compared to the recorded version. I have to give a special mention to the drums, they have a great electronic crash to them, it livens every song when Bobby Z comes in with his crash. 

Prince yells “Are you all ready!” and we are into “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad.” Again we have the crash drum from Bobby Z and grinding guitar. The riff repeats a few times, and it’s very uplifting. The guitars and keyboard pull back for the verses and give Prince room to sing. It seems so quiet after the first five minutes we have heard. Prince speaks rather than sings the line “Ain’t that enough” and you can hear that it’s a real person singing the song, it adds just enough touch of emotion to it. It was songs like this that made me choose Prince over other music that was available in the 1980s. Prince sings like he means every single word. This is another song I would like to hear make a comeback on his setlists. I think it would still work well today. The guitar solos begin at the three-minute mark, and at four minutes there is a very nice piece where one phrase is repeated over and over then the second guitar joins in. My ears love this sort of thing. There is a brief bridge, a bit of a drum roll then Prince screams “that’s right, I’m crazy”, “Why you wanna treat me so bad -bitch!” and lurches into another guitar solo, this time a litter lower, and less frenetic. The song ends with Prince singing a capella “If I really did it to you good, if I really did it to you good, why you wanna treat me so bad” before all the band jump in for squealing guitars and drum finish. 

The next song starts simply with a basic beat and Prince implores the crowd with “Hey” “New Orleans” “Hey”, then the classic new wave guitar and keyboard sound take over, and “When You Were Mine” begins. I have always been a fan of these lyrics, I think here Prince nailed the perfect pop song. There is a very nice contrast between this song and the previous two. There is a lot more keyboard in this song, and it feels like a nice rest. In fact, there is more keyboard here than in the modern version. which is strange, because nowadays this is played as one of his more guitar-driven songs. The guitars and keyboard play in sync a lot during this song, and indeed through the whole gig. It gives a nice strong sound and is one of the distinctive sounds of his songs at this period. and for the record- I love it! It’s very hard for me to write anything about these songs, I keep putting my pen down and just sit listening to the music. The song winds down with Prince quietly singing with just his guitar “All I ever wanted to do”……pause…..”Now I spend my time”…pause….” Following him where ever he goes” then the band joins in while he yelps ” When you were my babe, my babe, my babe”. I feel his pain. 

The next song begins with a long synthesizer twinkle, spacey type sound. Prince dedicates this one to all the ladies – “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” The keyboard hook comes in, and it’s just too damn catchy, it’s going to be rattling around my head for the rest of the day. The backing singers chime in on the chorus with “Lover” and it just sounds so joyful and uplifting. I can’t even imagine being in a bad mood listening to this song. The crowd sings a few lines from the versus and Prince gives them space to sing the chorus with the backing singers. Lisa plays a very nice synth solo, it has got an electric feel to it as well as an electric sound. The song transitions here, and feels a little darker and slower, it begins to slip into a nice groove with more bass and some funky guitar playing. A sudden synth stab and we enter new territory with “Head.” 

I knew the reputation of the song head before I actually heard it. Hearing it here on this recording was the first time for me, and it's one of my ‘moments’ when growing up! The beat of this song is sublime, and the synth is deliciously sharp and electric. This song is F U N K Y! The keyboard is everywhere, over and under the music, and the funky guitar is prominent. The whole song just reeks of dirtiness, griminess, and filth, it's so dark and slinky. Just everything locks into the overall sound of it. The guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums all sound just as dirty as the lyrical content. Dr. Finks's work on this song is legendary, and rightly so. Nobody plays the solo quite like that, and it’s one of the distinctive sounds of this song. Here, as always, he is brilliant and frantic. Prince encourages the crowd to chant “Head” and it sounds like they don’t need much encouragement to join along. There is some amazing funky guitar, I just find myself shaking my head and saying “wow”. Now, that wouldn’t be much of a review, would it! 

There is an filthy guitar break, it's just so dirty. And then another great stabbing solo. In the background the cymbals keep ringing along, it all contributes to the atmosphere of the song. This song is the centerpiece of the gig. It runs for 12 minutes, and for me, it is everything I love about Prince, the funkiness, the guitar playing, and the naughtiness. The song cuts back to just bass and cymbals, then some more solo Prince work on the guitar. There is squealing and grinding guitar noise, and I guess at this point he is simulating masturbation with his guitar, The song ends with a long prolonged guitar howl. 

With a steady sound of cymbals and synths, “Annie Christian” takes half a minute before Dez and his chugging guitar are heard. Cymbals are very prominent in the whole gig, and no more so than here. I always associate Prince with the sharp snare drum, but in this period, especially live, the cymbals are right at the front. The guitar is very raw, and rock sounding, however it doesn’t overwhelm the song, the mix is just the right balance. With a yell of “Turn it up!” there are the obligatory guitar solos. They seem to play back and forth between the two of them before it comes to an end of keyboard and guitar noise. 

Catch your breath, there is a second's silence before the drumbeat starts and the keyboard hits the pulsating groove that is “Dirty Mind.” Again the guitar plays along with the keyboard lines. It pushes it forward through the whole song and gives it all a fantastic energy. The rhythm guitar on every track here is outstanding. Several times Prince strips the song back to just the beat for a few bars, then back into it. Each time it builds the song up and takes us back to the chorus. The chorus itself is great, with the female voices backing Prince well. Again it’s all sung with a lot of energy. 

When I was a teenager, Prince singing “I don’t want to hurt you, baby, I only want to lay you down” really spoke to me. I still find myself singing this at inappropriate moments 25 years on! There is a quick rhythm guitar break, then that is matched by an equally impressive keyboard freak out. Five minutes and all the guitars drop out. The first five minutes passed by so quickly, that it doesn’t feel like a long song at all, and I put that down to the sheer energy of it all. With just the keyboards and beat underneath Prince goes into a long spoken/quasi sung section. It is typical of one of the seduction scenes that frequently appear in his songs. He begins by singing “New Orleans, do you feel alright” a couple of times, before he changes to a more smutty theme. He asks if she is wearing any underwear, and then comes back with “neither am I” 

I said that “Head” was the centerpiece of this gig, but I take that all back. This is the centerpiece of it all, and the standout highlight for me. Prince continues his seduction, telling us he has” a big ole bed, just me and you, tell you what I wanna do” But the best part of it all for me is when he says ” Excuse me, baby, do you believe in love at first sight?’ “Excuse me, baby, do you believe in making love on the first night?”, the at a call of “Turn it up!” all the guitars reenter the song, the keyboard returns to the main riff, and the song is again driven forward. Unfortunately, the song fades here, so I don’t know where they take it next. But it was sounding pretty hot about the time the fade came. 

 

“Controversy” begins with Dez calling “party in here tonight, everyone on your feet.” It is played faster than on the album but is still very funky. There are some very fast and funky guitars and keyboards battling it out during the song. There is a breakdown with calls for people to raise their hands, and it turns into a call and response sing-along along the lines of “New Orleans, we know how to party” The guitar playing is very sharp here, it gets me moving. There is a great scream by Prince after his “people call me rude” lines. The song itself lasts for seven minutes, but it seemed to go by in a flash. A great song, and it feels a little lighter after the extended dramas of the previous couple of songs. The song closes with another long synthesizer-led crescendo. 

A quick “Thank you and Good night” ends the set. 

The band returns with “Let’s Work.” You know right away this is going to be a long dance workout, and it delivers. Dez affirms this when he calls out “It's officially party time, I want you to get up and party!” There is very little guitar in this one, it is all bass and keyboard as you might expect. It's a long groove of a song, with plenty of time to dance to it. Several times Prince chants “Work it, alright, work it, all night” and I get the feeling that this is exactly what the crowd is doing. 

Prince introduces the next song with “You know you can’t leave until I Jack U off”, a quick count of 1,2,3,4, and then a frenetic burst of the guitar. I am not a fan of this on record, and only like it slightly more live. It does highlight some very fine and fast guitar work, but beyond that, there is not much more. It’s fast and furious and does sound like fun. The song has a false ending, then Prince asks “If you anyone asks you, who you belong to? Who?” then another burst of sound and it ends. 

 

Phew, there it is. My most favorite live recording, although I do of course reserve the right to change my mind on any given day. I am not sure how I can best explain why I enjoy this one above all others. Maybe because the music on this one hasn’t been overplayed in a million different ways, like a “Purple Rain” or “Raspberry Beret.” Or maybe it's because the whole thing is played with energy and a feeling and belief in the music. When I listen to this one I do not doubt that Prince means every word he sings, every note he plays. Or maybe, and perhaps most realistically, I enjoy this one the most because it takes me back to when I was young and this whole journey of Prince fandom began. 

This is one gig that shows off all the aspects of Prince I love so much- his guitar playing, his funkiness, some dirty songs, some throw-away songs, all played with maximum power and pleasure. The only thing missing is one of his slower songs, but I think this is not the whole gig we have here- I find it hard to believe that Do Me baby wasn’t played at this time. That said, this recording is a MUST HAVE for any Prince fan 

I have a few other favorites that I will be covering in the next few weeks, so I hope you find a thing or two you enjoy. As always I am open to ideas of what I should listen to. 

Passaic 30 January 1982

 I am very excited about today’s recording. I am going to be listening to Prince playing Passaic in 1982. What is getting me excited though is I am watching this on a pro-shot DVD. Prince shows from this era are always very intense and enjoyable to listen to, but being able to see them as well as hear them adds so much more to the experience. I love the music, but I want to see the performance, see the dancing, see the funk face, see the band, see the moves, see the interaction on stage, and see the audience reaction. Today I get all of that - let's go! 

30 January 1982, Capitol Theatre, Passaic 

The show opens, as they did on this tour, with the sounds of Second Coming while the stage is in darkness. A soulful a capella number, it acts as a nice counterbalance for what is to follow. 

The band explodes after this with a very fast drum roll from Bobby Z, and plenty of Prince “Awws”. The first song is “Uptown,” which I suppose could be taken as Prince's agenda at the time. The band has a raw sound and with Dez on guitar a real rock presence. Asides from Prince, Dez seems to be the focus of a lot of what is happening on stage, and it’s great to see the interaction between him and Prince. 

 

“Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad” has an introduction that seems to ramp up the energy levels in the building. The crowd can be seen with hands in the air right from the go. The song pulls back, and Prince delivers the first verse, looking dead cool in his trench coat. The chorus sees Prince hamming it up with the crowd, pulling faces to the side of the stage. He seems to be putting a lot into this performance, pulling faces, and eyes at the crowd one moment, then closing his eyes and singing passionately the next. The guitar break is the highlight of the song and sees plenty of play back and forth with Prince and Dez. The playing is great, and as he starts playing Prince gives an expression that says he knows how good he is, and he’s about to kill it. Prince dominates this song with his playing and it's just as good as anything else I have heard on the tour, but Dez and Brownmark aren’t forgotten- they move plenty around the stage, and they make themselves heard on the recording. The song ends with Prince playing guitar and accompanying himself on the keyboard, it’s hard to describe but he does do it- playing his guitar one-handed before the band comes on board for a final crash and the finale of the song. 

 

The nice electronic sounds of the keyboards introduce the next song, “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” It’s always a favorite of mine, and here is a very good version, the crowd is clearly enjoying it too. Prince loses his trench coat and guitar for it and gives a nice performance. The song only lasts a few minutes, but Prince works the stage very well, giving plenty of attention to everyone. I have heard heavier more energetic versions, but this one isn’t bad. I was expecting the latter part to be played out longer, but there is only a minute of the groove before Prince picks up his guitar and the band segues into “Head.” 

“Head” sounds suitably nasty right from the start. The drums seem a little quieter compared to other recordings from the tour, but the sound of the band playing this great. It’s particularly good to hear Lisa’s vocals are nice and clear on here. There are plenty of cheers from the crowd, they are enjoying it as much as I am. Do I need to mention Dr. Fink’s solo? You know I love it! It’s so good to be able to watch him bobbing and twitching as he plays. Right after the solo, there is a breakdown and Prince encourages the crowd to sing along. It doesn’t take much, they are more than happy to yell “head!” The best is yet to come, and there is another breakdown and some great bass sound from Brownmark. Then over just the bass and cymbals, Prince indulges in some very good guitar work. Not fast at all, but very loud and clear. The song then lives up to its name, and Prince his reputation, when he engages in some very sexual acts with his guitar. It sounds crass, but I love it, and I know that this is why the teenage me became a fan. The guitar sound here is sometimes whiny, sometimes rhythmic, and yet always interesting. Although it goes on for some time, I just don’t have the words to describe it. But watching this was the highlight of the whole DVD for me. It ends with an orgasm, both visually and sonically. 

 

“Dirty Mind” bounces along very nicely. I like the sound of Dez’s guitar on this one, nice and rhythmic. Watching it, it’s apparent that Bobby Z is putting a lot into his playing, and seems to be pounding the drums. Prince too is giving it plenty and can be seen sweating. There is a lot of motion, but the music is always first, and it sounds just as good as it does on record. Prince plays a little keyboard himself, which is always great to see. There is an interlude mid-song, but it is not as long or drawn out as I like, nor does it have the intensity I have heard elsewhere. 

 

The more I write about these shows, the more I fall in love with some songs. “Do Me, Baby” is one of those songs. It’s gone from being a song that I like to be a song I love. There is a nice introduction to it on this recording, and Dez plays some very nice guitar with Prince looking over his shoulder. The song is a great showcase for Prince, and his vocal delivery is fantastic. I love every minute of this recording. His shrieks and yells are what make it for me, and they sound crystal clear. The spoken parts get the ladies in the crowd excited, but it doesn’t do anything for me. The song ends with him shirtless and sweaty, and the crowds are lapping it up. It’s not my sort of thing, but I must admit he’s in pretty good shape! 

 

Prince dons the trench coat again as the throb of “Controversy” begins. The band plays faithfully to what is heard on record, but that’s no bad thing, the song is pretty well perfect to me already. Brownmark gets plenty of shine on this one, and it’s nice to see him get some spotlight and play. Prince is back on the guitar by now and playing with plenty of vigor. Again his showmanship is outstanding, and the performance is mesmerizing. I have heard this song hundreds of times, but I find myself watching this performance transfixed. The crowd is enjoying it just as much as I am, there is a lot of very energetic dancing to be seen, and people losing themselves in the music. For a bit, I think the song may turn into a long jam, but it finishes up in good time. 

 

“Lets Work” begins with Prince dancing on the raised section of the stage before sliding down his fireman’s pole to deliver the opening lines. The trench coat is gone now, and the gig seems to change gear somewhat. The song gives Prince plenty of opportunities to dance, and he dutifully obliges. At this stage, he was no great dancer, and often he looks like he is doing calisthenics rather than dancing, but he is passionate about it, and the music does seem to genuinely move him. The song is played for fun, and the band seems to enjoy playing this one. The crowd picks up on this vibe, and there is plenty of dancing and singing along with them also. There is a fun moment mid-song when Dez sings “Let's Work” several times from the central microphone before Prince pushes him aside to take up the singing. The song ends in darkness as Prince says thank you and good night. 

 

Half a minute of chanting “we want Prince” and the lights come back on. Prince delivers a sly “Do you want some more” and the band career into “Jack U Off.” For me, “Jack U Off” was a quirky little song, that didn’t quite seem to fit on Controversy, but here in the live setting, it is brilliant. Prince doesn’t play guitar, all the furious playing is coming from Dez. . Dez sounded impressive on the recording, but seeing him play – he is even more so. Prince himself seems to love singing this one, he has a big grin on his face throughout the song. The song is very short, as it is on the album, but a lot is happening in those couple of minutes. I love seeing the interaction between the band, and the end of this is great, Prince gives five to a couple of people in the crowd, before heading over to Dez for some more skin. Then he is back to the mic for his “If anyone asks you, who you belong to?” He has such a big grin by now, and the crowd yells and screams his name. In a final crescendo, Prince waves bye and the show comes to an end. 

 

My final thoughts on the recording are very short. I loved it from the first second until the last. Not very objective, I know, but that’s the truth. I have heard plenty Controversy recordings where the energy and intensity could be heard in the music, but in the show that energy and intensity can be seen in all aspects of the show. As far as Controversy shows go, this one is a must-have. 

Carolina Coliseum 12 December 1981

 Although I have a great love for many of the peaks and troughs of Prince’s career, the Controversy tour will always have a special place in my still teenage heart. Not only was my first bootleg drawn from this period, but as a young punk more attracted to unbridled energy and raw power these concerts spoke to me in a far stronger voice than the funk and jazz-influenced sounds that I would later be ensnared by. While my ears often guide my hand to pulling a 1995 or 2002 concert from the shelf, my heart always sides with the electro-rock performances that are colored by time and place as much as the musical influence of the era. 

There are a variety of excellent soundboard recordings of this tour circulating thanks to the well-known City Lights series, and for today’s concert, I have decided to listen to the superb 4DF remaster of the December 12th concert from 1981. The 4DF recording expertly patches the five-second gap that had previously blighted other releases and makes for a crisp clean listen of this already well-known performance. The concert itself is one of the longest of the tour, clocking in at 78 minutes, and falls neatly between the equally well-known bootlegs of 21 November (Washington) and 20 December (Houston). 

12th December 1981, Carolina Coliseum, Columbia 

The bootleg is missing the opening “Second Coming,” but that matter little to me as “Uptown” bursts out of the speakers with a freshness that belies the age of this now almost 40-year-old recording. The energy of the music is equated with the vibrancy of the recording, and to my great delight, I can hear every yelp and breath of Prince with great clarity, along with the pop of the bass. The guitar is written in a smaller scrawl, it’s in the mix but sits just behind the rest of the music, adding texture and color rather than being a driving force. All in all, this opening number sets a high standard in both performance and recording quality, a standard that will be met consistently through the rest of the bootleg. 

“Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad” is more than a match for this opening salvo, and everything I enjoyed in that first song is here again, and better in every way possible. Prince’s vocals are stronger, his yelps becoming shouts, his guitar turned up and becoming the steel that sits at the center of the song. The keyboards are playing with bolder strokes, and the song itself is bulletproof in its intent to both rock and funk the watching audience. It has been quite some time since I listened to one of these shows and I had forgotten the fire and brimstone that Prince brings to his guitar solo’s here, and by the time his guitar ends in a final squall I am practically frothing at the mouth. Take that as a recommendation. 

 

Next, we have somewhat of a rarity for this tour, a live performance of “Sexy Dancer,” a performance that sees it freed of its dancefloor roots and upended with a jagged guitar line from Dez turning it into a raw and bloody battle for the soul of the song. Dez plays with a harder sound than Prince, his guitar work a blunt axe in comparison to Prince’s scalpel. It moves me, as all good music should, and it falls to Dr. Fink to pull the song from this unruliness and back to the dance floor with his electro-fused solo. 

The first lines of “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” are given to the crowd, who are captured surprisingly well by the recording, before Prince and the band return for the chorus. I expect Prince to take control at this stage, but he leaves it as it is – the crowd taking the vocals for the rest of the verse, and most of the chorus. It is in the final minutes of the song that its true intent is revealed as the dark clouds gather within the music and we tumble into the centerpiece of these shows – “Head.” 

 

A deep wave of funk carries us for the first minute, the slip and groove of the bass only highlighted by the bright stabs of synth that appear like shafts of light through the clouds. At times “Head” can sound like a single dark entity, but listening closely it is a many-layered beast, and I wallow in every sound as it continues to sprawl out over the next twelve minutes. As the singing subsides and we drop into the heart of the song it is Prince’s guitar that commands all the attention, sometimes scratching, sometimes whining, sometimes coming as a rhythmic chop, it always remains at the center of what is happening and always remains the musical essence of the song. I only wish I could see it as well as hear it. 

After the slow descent of “Head,” we are suddenly thrust upwards on the back of the tireless “Dirty Mind.” The lyrics may live up to the title, but the music has an innocent exuberance that injects energy into the recording that will carry it for the next few songs. This performance of “Dirty Mind,” isn’t as long as others I have heard on tour (Saenger Theatre, New Orleans springs to mind) but it delivers all it has to it in its allotted time. 

It is during “Do Me, Baby,” that 4DF’s work on the recording becomes apparent, the previous five-second gap repaired (I’m not sure if the same work has been done on the recent PGA release, I don’t have a copy on hand to check). The song itself is soaked in Prince’s sultry tone, although this version is more restrained than heard elsewhere, Prince’s vocals are not as pleading and desperate as I expect. Some of this emotion is lacking from the opening introduction, which although long, isn’t quite as drawn out and invested with feeling as is sometimes heard. Prince does deliver a smooth professional vocal performance though, and the song sounds pleasing on the ear. 

 

We return to some funk with the title track to the album and subsequent tour, “Controversy.” It is as dry as it’s heard on record, and although Prince and the band threaten to stretch it out, we don’t get much more than what is expected. I had hoped for a lot more of Prince’s trademark scratch guitar work but it fails to materialize. I am consoled by the fact that the quality of the bootleg remains of an impressively high standard. 

“Let’s Work” is the long funk jam that I had hoped “Controversy” would be. With its rollicking bassline and waves of synths, it keeps the dance floor moving under Prince’s steady command of “Let’s Work.” There is no drama to the song, Prince just keeps it moving under its own energy, letting the music and good times flow on their own accord. It is not the greatest song on this recording, but more than another song it captures the spirit of the times and the vibe that Prince was playing to. 

From the remains of “Let’s Work,” Prince once again sweeps the crowd into a party, this time with a message attached, as he drives the band into an infectious rendition of “Party Up,” so infectious in fact that I spend the first couple of minutes playing air bass rather than writing about it. The keyboards sprinkle their color all over this, while the bass and drums keep us locked on the groove, but for me, the real buzz comes with the blitzkrieg guitar break that Prince lavishes on the song as it reaches its climax. All the previous energy and power suddenly bubbling over with Prince’s hands ablaze the guitar. The final minutes are a steady comedown with Bobby Z stripping us back to just his sound, the bedrock of the song all along finally revealed. 

As with the other concerts of the Controversy tour, it is a blazing “Jack U Off,” that closes the show, an uncontrolled ball of music and dirty lyrics crashing across the end of the bootleg. Sometimes it comes across as silly, but I can’t help but like it, for its youthfulness and the feeling that anything works if you believe in it (and play it fast enough.) It is its standard three and a half minutes, but I am still in shock as it suddenly disappears just as quickly as it came, those three and a half minutes seemingly compressed into two. 

 

The Controversy tour is not the greatest tour of Prince’s career, nor is it a signpost of what’s to come (who could have predicted Parade based on what is heard here?), however, it is a great snapshot of his career up to this point, and an excellent marker before he steps up to the next and bigger stage. Energetic performance and a crystal-clear recording make this yet another outstanding bootleg of this tour, and for those who like their Prince unfiltered (and quite frankly, who doesn’t?) this is a recording that should always be near to hand. The funk is funkier, the rock is rockier, and this is one last untempered look at Prince before he trades away some of his wilder aspects in search of a wider audience. I followed him to this wider vision, but for me, this is where it all started, and as such will always have a special place in my heart. 

Pittsburgh 20 November 1981

 A funny thing happened on the way here tonight…… 

I had every intention of taking in another concert from Austria, as I have done the last couple of weeks, but when I turned on the computer this morning I was surprised to find a soundboard recording from 1981 waiting in my inbox. There are several things you should know about me at this point:

1. I love concerts from the Controversy tour

2. Especially soundboard recordings

3. I am not one to be patient and wait. 

So although I know this is a premature leak with a complete recording and artwork to come, I can’t help myself. All thoughts of the Austria concert are gone, and here I am with this 1981 soundboard recording blasting in my ears already. Oh, the joy. 

There is much more to it than being a simple soundboard recording. It is the first concert of the Controversy tour, and a mere four weeks after Prince opened for the Rolling Stones (we all know how well that went). So when we look at it in a historical context it becomes far more interesting than it might at first appear. With the typical Controversy setlist, and one of Prince’s more rock-orientated bands, this is one show where I know exactly what to expect, and quite frankly I can’t wait! 

20th November 1981, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Part of the trade-off of not waiting for the full release is that we don’t get to experience “The Second Coming” in way of an introduction.  Any thoughts of this are tossed aside as the band burst out of the speakers with “Sexuality.” My first thoughts are "My God, is this a 36-year-old recording.” It is so clear and fresh; I could swear I was on stage with the band. It doesn’t have the ragged glory of some of the other soundboards of the tour, Prince and the band are calm and measured at this stage, and the guitar especially sounds as if it is in the studio and someone has simply turned it up in the mix. We have several other soundboards from this tour already in circulation, and from the first song I can already say that this is perhaps the best sounding. With Prince right in my ear, it is a wild ride and a spectacular start to the recording. 

 

The phrase la petite mort bursts into reality with “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” With guitar in hand, Prince is a gentle lover, and as he reaches orgasmic heights he remains focused on the others in the room, pleasuring without overstepping into the realm of overindulgence and self-pleasure. It may be a guitar solo, but the moment belongs to all, and even if six minutes is disappointing by his standards (especially compared to some unhinged renditions later in the tour) it is still a satisfying experience that leaves me feeling like a post-coital cigarette. 

“Jack U Off” is the complete opposite. Not only is it a song about onanism, but Prince performs it in a manner that complements the material. It is an exercise in oneism, everything is about Prince as he pushes himself forward. His vocals and guitar fill the air, and although I know his tongue is placed firmly in cheek, it is just too much for me. I seek redemption in his final guitar solo, and I find it both in the quality of his playing and the quality of the recording. 

On other recordings, “When You Were Mine” leaves me giddy with its teenage energy and spunk. In this case, it is the recording that shines brightest, the out-of-control guitar lines reined in and Prince’s pristine vocals sitting at the center of the recording. It doesn’t lessen the moment at all, and I am just as enraptured by this version as I am by any other on the tour. 

The same can be said of the proceeding “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” All instruments are secondary to the vocals of Prince. That’s not by design, merely that the recording is so clean that Prince sounds much more in the heart of the moment. With the pristine recording, one can hear the precision of his delivery, and indeed of all the performers on stage. It is in the last minute when the guitar raises its head from its slumber, and it is with the guitar’s slippery funk that the band segues into the inevitable “Head” 

There are longer versions and there are dirtier versions, but the rendition of “Head” on this recording is a perfect fit with all that has come before. With a performance so tight that it is almost suffocating, Prince and the band leave no room for error and sound faultless and they turn the normally greasy funk of “Head” into something creamy. This can be heard nowhere more so than in the final minutes as the guitar again lights up the darkness. It is neither heavy nor forceful, but it takes the song apart with a scalpel-like precision that cuts but does not tear the song apart. 

The recording has brightened every song heard so far, yet “Annie Christian” seems to suffer in this case. It sounds strangely neutered throughout, the anger of the band and lyrics betrayed by the gentleness and crispness of the recording. There is some rage to be heard, especially Prince’s line about John Lennon being shot (only 11 months previous at this time), but it never becomes threatening or dangerous. 

Later in the tour “Dirty Mind” will become an epic centerpiece. The first night of the tour and here we have a standard rendition that gives no hint at what will come later. The payoff of this neat package of a performance is we can hear Lisa in all her glory as she sings with Prince. It is easy to forget all else as she appears on the recording, and even though Prince turns up the energy later in the song, it is the vocals of Lisa that linger longest once the song has finished. 

“Do Me, Baby” has a beauty that is infused into the heart. It may be a song of lust, but it retains its dignity through the reverential vocal delivery of Prince. Paired with equally seductive music, the song reaches out from the speakers, no longer just a song but instead taking on a life of its own and becoming an emotional experience. I have gushed over this song repeatedly in this blog, but here it is in its infancy and already one can hear that Prince has written his first great seduction ballad. Others may come in the future, but this will always remain the first. 

There is a snap, crackle, and pop to the bass line of “Let’s Work” that makes my heart skip a beat. Again, I can’t help but compare it to other renditions on tour. It is not as forceful or driven as some later concerts, but it does retain its groove and easy flow. Prince hasn’t turned it into a stomping party song just yet, but we can hear all the key components and they have never sounded as clear as they are here. 

The following “Controversy” is of a similar ilk. The song sounds great, there is no denying it, but it lacks the energy and impulsiveness that is heard later. There is still plenty to enjoy, the dry guitar line by Prince has me salivating as it wraps me up in its funk. Brown Mark carries a lot of the load through the song, and for me, it is just as enjoyable to listen to his contribution as anything else. 

I am surprised to hear the guitar so low in the mix for “Uptown.” The band plays with plenty of passion though, and although Prince remains the epicenter of all that happening on stage, this is the song where it feels like a complete band performance. Like everything else on this recording, it is faultless. Everything comes together in a holistic performance, and the only wiry moment that stands out to me is the final guitar solo which appears both spontaneous and fueled by a deeper emotion. 

“Party Up” takes “Uptown” and turns it up to 11. At this point, the band throws caution to the wind, and for the first time it feels as if they are playing with an inner freedom that seeps through the music. With choppy guitar lines, keyboards dropping in unexpectedly, and some wild-sounding yelps from Prince, this is a song I can instantly relate to as it seems to capture the inner workings of my mind.  The moment that sums up Prince’s performance most is when he tells the band to quieten as the crowd can’t hear themselves. He draws the room in at this moment and from here on in it is about performers and the crowd together in the spirit of the song.  It’s not a mind-crushing finale, but it is perfect for this recording, and as the final notes recede I sit back, still trying to digest this wonderful recording. 

There will never be another first time. This was my first time hearing this concert, and as such I will always remember this day. It was a day when I heard one of the best soundboards to appear in recent times, a recording that takes in another significant concert in Prince's career as he turns his back on the Rolling Stones debacle and begins his Controversy tour.  You may think I have been over the top with my praise for this recording, but it is another keystone bootleg in the discography and one that you need to hear. No controversy about this one, go out and get it. 

Los Angeles 11 October 1981

 Some recordings are considered more important than others. Some capture a band in peak form playing on those magical nights when you can almost feel the intensity and the sweat running down the walls. Others are crystal clear quality, every element caught in near perfection for us to enjoy. And then there are other recordings, capturing not just a performance, but a moment in time when something significant happens. A part of history. 

This recording, though not perfect, is one of these moments. 

October 11th, 1981 – Prince opening for the Rolling Stones. 

 

Like Michael Jordan being cut from his high school team, and then rising to complete domination of the NBA, the story of Prince being booed off opening for the Stones has now passed into part of his mythos, part of his struggle, and his legend. Would his ascent to the throne atop of pop music in the ’80s be quite as spectacular without adversary and this misstep from 1981? 

Much has been written about the two gigs when Prince opened for the Rolling Stones. I am sure it has been well covered, how Prince was roundly booed on both occasions and pelted with trash. Whether or not he was booed off the stage on October 11th is debatable, he certainly left mid-set. But the band does seem to finish their set, although it is brief and not without incident. 

It is not very often I listen to this recording, although of historical interest, it is not something I would choose to put on and listen to. But as it is significant I thought I would give a brief review. 

 

Prince wasn’t the only opening act that day. All three acts are recorded, J. Geils Band and George Thorogood both have three songs each on the recording I have. I don’t know if those are their complete sets, but it does help to put Princes’ five songs in perspective. 

 

Okay, enough of this talk, I’m here for the music, let's take a listen! 

Like any audience recording, it takes a few seconds to adjust to the grubby sound. At first, it's just noise, then sure enough the opening riff to “Bambi” can be made out. The first thing that struck me is how muscular and strong it sounds. Prince and Dez's guitars sound like they are cranked, and their playing is dead on. Bambi has always been a strong rock song, but here it sounds like they are pushing it. The other thing that stands out in the playing of this song for me is how well Brown Mark is playing. It’s one of his first gigs with them and in front of 94,000 people. I had read him saying how nervous he felt and scared when the stuff started flying, but in this song, his playing sounds very confident. 

When Prince starts singing it is not in his usual falsetto. And I’m surprised, but the song sounds better for it. Maybe it’s my rock background, but when he sings in his lower register on “Bambi” it hits me in the gut. This is how a great rock song should sound – not that I’m not a fan of it on record! The crowd doesn’t sound too hostile at this stage, they sound like any other crowd that is waiting in the hot sun for the support band to finish so they can see the main event- that is disinterested and slightly restless. 

Next up is one of my favorites from the early days “When You Were Mine.” Dez addresses the audience (I think it's Dez) during the intro, acknowledging that they are waiting for the Stones. At this point in the recording, a couple of the audience can be heard chatting. One guy says something like “one more song and then..” the rest of his sentence is lost. I always wonder what he was about to say. “one more song and then they’re off” or “One more song and then I’ll get a beer”? Another guy says (and again it is not clear so I’m guessing) “better in a small club”. The song kicks off, and for the first time, we hear the keyboards. They are not real prominent like the album, again the guitars are cranked to 11 for the rock crowd. I like the guitar sound in this version, they have a real buzz to them. Not the clean, new wave sound, but a more buzzing grunge sound. Again it appeals to my rock roots. The audience seems pretty boisterous throughout, and there is a bit of a cheer when the song ends (Is it an ironic cheer?) 

The band goes straight into “Jack U Off” without pause. It is during this song that it becomes apparent on the recording that they are playing to a hostile audience. Midway through the song an audience member comments “Look at all that trash”. I don’t know how much trash was thrown at them in the first couple of songs (Hey, I’m only listening on my stereo, not watching it!), but now it seems like the missiles are coming at them. The song ends with a loud and prolonged “boooooooo” 

 

“Uptown” next, and it is notable for the conspicuous absence of Prince himself. After whatever has gone down in the first few songs, he’s cut his losses and left the stage. And here I have to give credit to the band. They stay on, in front of 94,000 Rolling Stones fans, and play on without Prince. Best of all, they still sound good, a testament to how well-rehearsed and professional they were. Surprisingly the song itself doesn’t suffer too much from a lack of vocals. I kind of like this way. There is more room for the instruments to play, and Dez is sounding great on this one. I would like to hear more songs played like this. Normally “Uptown” is a bit overwhelmed by the lyrics and the message, but here the music itself comes out. I would love to hear this song in particular in better quality. 

Prince is back on board for the final song, “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” (Is he singing it for the crowd?) Again he is singing lower, especially in the chorus. I enjoy it this way, but maybe it's because I am so used to how he normally sings it. The crowd noise isn’t so prominent in this song, maybe they have settled down about after his departure from the stage. Unfortunately, the taper announces halfway through the song that he’s had enough and stops the tape, so I guess I will never know how it ends. It's a shame, because normally the second half of “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad” really takes off, would love to know how it went over with the Stones fans. I don’t know how the audience reacted when he finished, but I guess they went back to their beers and continued. 

 

So it ends, one of Prince’s most famous gigs, but for all the wrong reasons. What is my verdict? While the recording isn’t great, it’s a fascinating look at one of the significant moments in Prince’s career. The songs are played with the white Stones audience in mind, and it’s refreshing to hear them played this way. I have plenty of early recordings where Dez and Prince have their guitars right out front, but none more so than this. The recording has several shortcomings, but I am very grateful to the taper who recorded this moment for us all to enjoy. It’s a nice little addition to the collection. Not a must-have, but an interesting curio. 

Paris 4 June 1981

 It’s been quite some time since I last went back and listened to some shows from earlier in Prince's career, and today’s blog taking in the Paris show from 1981 is well overdue. I have previously written of shows from earlier in the year, the shows in March at both Sam’s Minneapolis and the Ritz New York, as well as the opening for the Rolling Stones later in October of the year. This show today falls right between those and neatly shows how quickly Prince is evolving. There is a lot more evolution yet to come, but here we see his look becoming a little less raw, and the overall show becoming more focused. There is still a long way to go, as we’ll see, but he is progressing forward at a great rate. 

4th June 1981, Théâtre Le Palace, Paris 

As the show begins Prince is looking all cool and calm, it seems his look has been toned down, certain from the raw look he had at the Ritz show. I wouldn’t go so far as calling his look polished, but it certainly would be more acceptable to my Mother. “Do It All Night” matches the look of Prince and the band, it sounds smooth and polished, even if the lyrics give a clue to what lies behind this façade. The band is together on the small stage, shoulder to shoulder, and this too can be heard in the music, the band is tight and playing as one. Sonically it’s the bass that I am drawn to most, it’s got a life to it that lifts the song, and it helps that Andre Cymone looks dead cool as he’s playing. In fact, with a front line of Andre, Prince, and Dez it’s hard to say who’s the coolest, and all of them are worth watching closely. 

 

“Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad” sees Prince stalking the front of the stage, guitar slung at his side ready for action. After the first verse he delivers, and along with Dez, there is a nice clean rock sound that comes across as warm rather than dangerous. That feeling changes as the song progress and Prince becomes more impassioned and bolder with his guitar playing as we get deeper into the song. Initially, it's Dez striking the guitar hero poses but soon enough Prince is again the center of attention as he has his guitar howling and crying. Even as the three of them stand shoulder to shoulder playing it is still Prince my eyes remain glued too, guitar in hand he is electrifying to watch. The last-minute even more so as he plays out the last minute of the song solo, every note stretched for maximum effect and emotional value, and I know that as a teenage boy the final pose of him atop of the amps shredding was about as good as it gets. 

 

The teenage me would not have been quite as excited by “Gotta Broken Heart Again” that follows, however the more mature me finds plenty to like about it. Eyes closed, gripping the microphone, Prince is in the moment and putting his all into the vocals. I haven’t seen this DVD in years, and watching it now I am seeing it with new eyes, Prince isn’t working the guitar or the audience, instead he’s pouring it out into the vocals and as a listener the reward is great. It’s not a song that I would generally rate for the vocals, today I am in a different frame of mind and it’s all I hear as he sings. 

The announcement that “this is a new song, “Jack U Off”” has me again paying attention closely, “Jack U Off” seems to have been around forever, but even it was a new song at some stage. The audience is fairly muted (as they are throughout) and it’s up to Prince to compensate with his dancing and energy onstage. His dancing is still at a primitive stage, it's Dez who gets all the cool points here with his guitar god moves and poses. The song finishes with a flourish before something more serious and well-known follows. 

Prince loses another layer of clothing as “When You Were Mine” soars into view. The song sounds sprightly, although onstage there are times when the band looks like they are going through the motions. They get a new less of life after the breakdown, and the second half of the song is played with great gusto. No matter what is happening on stage, it always sounds good in my ears and never once does the band drop the ball in this respect. The final moments see Prince knelt at the front of the stage playing guitar in a visual image that always sticks with me. 

 I never thought of “Gotta Stop (Messin’ About)” as a fully-fledged rock song before, but here it is rocking my socks off. The bass and drums and beautifully locked in and Dez provides some sharp-edged guitar buzz to it that has my inner rocker all a shaking. The only thing that pulls it back is the shrill keyboards, the rest of the time it’s all macho posing and Dez’s deeper backing vocals add a much manlier sound to the mix. Prince derails this somewhat with his effeminate dancing and overall provides a cool balance to it all, especially as he and Dez engage in some interplay with their guitar playing. 

Andre is back to the forefront of things as “Sexy Dancer” begins, and his bass certainly adds a lot more weight than what is heard on record. Prince, Andre, and Dez perform some rather rudimentary moves, although it’s hardly necessary on a stage as small as this, and instead it’s the music that carries the day. The part of the performance that does catch my attention, however, is when the three of them stand in a semi-circle playing to each other. Although they don’t make eye contact you do get the feeling that they are listening to each other and playing off each other. 

 

I can’t get past the silliness of “Sister,” although one does have to admire the courage of Prince to stand in his underwear and sing this in front of a crowd of strangers. It’s a blessing that the song is so short, but to be fair I don’t see how he could make it any longer without really pushing things over the top. 

I am much more at ease as we sail into “Still Waiting.” It is refreshing to see Prince at this stage without the guitar in hand, and instead, he engages in some old-fashioned showmanship and he croons and works his way through the song at the front of the stage. He moans he howls, he croons, and he falls to his knees at the front row, all the time attempting to break through to the audience. His falsetto for the final minutes is right on the money, and it’s a rare thing to hear a voice of such clarity and beauty in a raw club setting. 

Guitar rattle and runs signal the start of the next movement and initially, it sounds like the beginning of a blues song until Prince begins to tell the audience “Down with War” which kicks open the door for “Party Up.” Prince has worked himself into a lather by this stage and he is looking and sounding suitably sweaty as they bump and funk their way through the song. Andres moves behind Prince almost steals the show for me, I am fascinated by his bobbing and weaving, although Prince commands attention as he later calls on the rather flat Paris crowd to “Partyup”. Even enthusiastic hand-clapping from Prince fails to elicit much of a response, this is either one cool crowd or a bunch of cardboard cut-outs. Dez and Prince put their all into playing, and they look like they are feeling it, even if the crowd isn’t. 

 

“Dirty Mind” sees Prince finally dispense with the last of his clothes, and performs in his bikini briefs. The music is exciting and up-tempo, and the performance has plenty going for it. Princes dancing is raw, and to be honest, at times he does look like he performing calisthenics rather than performing on stage. It makes me wonder if he did perhaps meet the devil down by the crossroads sometime between this show and 1984, there is night and day between the dancing of the two eras. Knowing Prince as I do, I’m sure he dedicated many hours to perfecting his dancing, and looking at his raw performance here I can see it was certainly needed. His passion for the music and obvious joy of performing it does shine through, and it’s very hard for me to be negative about any aspect of the performance, I know a lot of my moves are similar to this when I am dancing to his music. Dez’s guitar and the swelling keys give it a great uplifting sound, and the energy does leap out of the speakers at me throughout the entire song. 

There is no better way to end the show than “Uptown,” and it is a glorious-sounding version played here. Prince and the band end on a high, Andres's bass and Dez's guitar sound full and fresh, as does Bobby on the drums along with Lisa and Finks's keyboards. Everything sounds pushed forward and full, and I do love the full band sound playing at maximum power. Prince is back to playing guitar, mostly rhythm although he often instead punches the air or grabs the microphone. There is a great coda though where his guitar playing is highlighted, although only briefly, and then it's Dez who gets a rocking lead break while Prince encourages the crowd one last time. 

 

There is no denying this is an earlier, rawer-sounding Prince. He is moving in the right direction though, there is more dancing appearing and they are working on a more well-rounded performance. The sound on this recording was excellent, and seeing the band as well as hearing them is always a bonus. Of the earlier shows by Prince captured on tape, this is perhaps my favorite, the look of the band, their sound, and the show itself are all interesting and it greatly appeals to me. This is a real band performance, I could hear each of them playing their part and contributing, I could have easily highlighted anyone in the band for special praise, and that says a lot for the quality of Prince’s bands. A worthy addition to any collection, this one will stand up to further viewings in years to come.