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May We All Live 2 See The Dawn: Sandi Discusses the Impact of Prince; His Music, Legacy & Loyal Fans



"Prince made me feel like he was listening to me as I cried out from all the injustice in this world. Prince's music gave me the feeling and the right to say it's ok to be me." - Sandi


 

Hi Sandi, Thank-You so much for agreeing to speak with us today about your time as a Prince fan. Before we begin, would you mind introducing yourself to our readers?


Hello, my name is Sandi.


So Prince…what are your first memories of his music? Did you feel an instant connection with his music?

I found Prince's music by coincidence. I went to the record store, Ashley's Music, to pick up another album from a totally different artist. The store had a bin they used for new releases. I saw the "For You," album and I pick it up. Read his name, and it hooked me. I purchase it, took it home, and listen to it all the way through.



Prince has made such a profound impact on music throughout the course of life, what do you think it is about him that really caught the world’s eye and ultimately made him the success that he became?

Prince was bold, he reached boundaries that no other artist, during his time, had ever did. He sang about sex, he sang about peace, he sang about love, he sang about race, and he sang about God. Prince broke the mold of being norm, he didn't do it to be a success, he did it because it was how he felt, and he didn't care who it bothered, and this is what caught the world's eye.



Throughout his career Prince continually experimented with his sound, concepts and image. As a result, he created an expansive catalogue of work with much that remains unseen. Looking back at his career, how would you describe Prince as an artist?

Prince is the one artist that everyone wants to be, he has it all, he played 27 instruments, he wrote over 10,000 songs, he produced, not just himself but other artists, and his philosophy and genius will never be matched. With every band, Prince chose those who had talent, but these band members would not have been known if Prince's name had not been connected to them.



Much of his music was backed by the sound of his various bands including The Revolution, The New Power Generation and battery 3RDEYEGIRL. I notice many of his fans naturally gravitate towards one of his bands or another so I was curious to ask your thoughts on this subject? Do you have a personal preference in terms of the bands that Prince worked with over the course of his career?

I do not prefer one band over the other because with each backing band, Prince performs differently.



Each of Prince’s bands were a prime example of his continual growth and experimentation as an artist. Over the course of his career Prince released a diverse array of music…out of all his releases is there a song that you’d count as a personal favourite?


My personal favorite song is Controversy. The song says just about everything that he had to deal with on a day to day basis. Was he black? Was he white? Was he gay? Was he straight? It was a controversy.



And what would you say was the greatest/most profound moment in Prince’s entire career?

I believe his most greatest profound moment is his ability to always be out there 24/7 doing what he did best, and that was performing in front of an always exciting and wild crowd each night. Those who knew all the words to his songs. They were his greatest accomplishments... his FAM!



Prince was a great musical innovator as well as an advocate for the industry. He continually pushed the boundaries whilst using his platform to highlight the injustices of the music industry most notably changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol back in 1993 and often performed with the word ‘SLAVE’ on his cheek representing his contractual slavery to his record label at the time. What are your personal memories of this time in Prince history? Do you think Prince managed to achieve what he intended by making such bold statements in his fight against the industry?

When Prince used 0(+> as his name, he became more open, he did more interviews, and he made bold statements because he spoke his mind on just how the music industry used artists and stole from artists and he was not going to allow them to do it to him.



There is so many aspects we could discuss about Prince’s life/career but my ultimate goal is to hear how his music and overall influence has made an impact in the lives of fans such as yourself. With that in mind, would you mind sharing a bit about the role that Prince has placed in your life throughout the years?

Prince made me feel like he was listening to me as I cried out from all the injustice in this world. Prince's music gave me the feeling and the right to say it's ok to be me.



Being such a big fan of Prince, I can only imagine just how hard it hit you following his death in 2016. Can you remember where you were when you heard the news? How did this affect you and the rest of his fanbase as a whole?

The day Prince passed away, I was standing in my kitchen, and the news came on that he had been found dead. I was shocked, and was bewildered. I feel his death has affected l, not just his fanbase, but the entire world. I feel we still have unanswered questions concerning his death and the investigation into his death is not over. We have all lost a life that fulfilled our lives and our hearts are forever broken.



And how would you describe the community of Prince fans also know as the ‘Purple Army’? I have always perceived the fanbase to be a close knit community who truly respect and admire Prince’s legacy in every way possible, would you agree with this?

I feel as a fanbase we are all there for one another. This would be something he would want.




What would you say is your greatest memory as a Prince fan? Is there a moment that you’d hold dear to your heart?

My greatest memory of Prince would have to be when he received the Oscar for Purple Rain and the most dearest memory would be his laughter... how it captured the room.



Were you ever fortunate enough to see Prince perform live over the years? If so, I’d really love to hear more about your experiences?

The biggest regret I have is never getting to see Prince perform live. I have watched several concerts on TV and YouTube, and even though I was not there, I felt I was because his spirit radiates on the screen.


Sandi, may I extend a huge thank-you to you for taking the time to answer my endless array of questions and giving us an insight into the world of Prince. It really is the greatest pleasure! As our interview nears an end, I usually ask our guests to share a message for their favourite band/artists, so I wondered if you had one you’d like to share in Prince’s memory?

If I share a message for Prince, it would be simply a Thank U 4 the ride, it has been and continues to be a wonderful trip.



And finally…if you could recommend one of Prince’s songs to someone unfamiliar with his music, what would you suggest?



There are so many songs that I could choose from, but since there's just one from his many I would have to choose from "Sign O The Times," the song "Adore."


Thank you! May We All Live 2 See The Dawn...


 

The profound, striking and revolutionary impact of Prince is undeniable. He was an artist in every sense who continually pushed the boundaries not only with his music but with his message. Prince has one of the most dedicated and influential fanbases so has truly been an honour to capture a little of this through our interview with Sandi.


Thank-You for taking the time to share what Prince means to you, Sandi. As a fellow Prince fan, it has been my greatest pleasure!

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