Raised on the Gospel music of the Clark Sisters, Nik West played the class clown at school, but discovered Prince, and became Rolling Stone magazine's Queen of bassists. Listen in to her Purple, and Cotton Candy, reflections with us.

INTRO

2mins - The Dirty Mind era, the Prince persona begins to form, riding the New Wave...and that Trench Coat!

3mins - The 1979 period and working with costume designers...

7mins30s - The second punk period: Slave and the 1990s

10mins - Veils and Masking - the Exodus Has Begun...

11mins30s - Count The Days, style signifiers and finely tuned 'unconventional tailoring' in the new millennium

15mins30s - Art Official Age, moving away from tailored garments with age...and softer fabrics, kinder to the body

18mins - Memories of Lovesexy posters in Virgin Megastore in Edinburgh

20mins - Casci's sartorial take Lovesexy...and Prince's working wardrobe department at Paisley Park

21mins30s - "Prince in Polka Dots is just perfection..."

23mins - Working with very well known designers?

25mins - First concert costing £31.21 pence... getting the Mega Bus down from Galashiels to the O2 and 'getting my first tattoo in Camden'

31mins - Legacy as a fashion icon, 'his influence is all encompassing', and Prince's passing...crying with Mum and blaring his music on the double-decker bus.

33mins - Prince's influence on other artists and fans around the world.

34mins - Thank You 

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

INTRO

2mins - First memories of Prince, and standing next to the TV...feeling the static from Gett Off! Listening to Prince's Hits cassette in the Green Mondeo.

4mins - Born in the year of Lovesexy!

5mins - When did you realise that Prince's work could become a lifetime pursuit? "First and foremost I'm a fan...". Obsessed with John Waters, Pee Wee Herman and Bette Davis too. 'Eccentric, creative and fabulous people'.

6mins - Seeing Purple Rain at 14 and getting into fashion. "Prince was always on my mood board."

7mins30s - Studying Prince for years as an independent researcher alongside work...'when you do a PhD it's just the beginning of your research.'

9mins30s - 'The idea of Prince & Fashion, with a focus on the labour aspect and fan culture as well...'

11mins30s - What's going on with the Prince of the late 1970s? Casci unpacks the different sartorial elements. 'Very typical of a young adult finding themselves...through dress.'

14mins - Prince's experiments in fashion, thrift stores, borrowing, wearing women's clothing...

17mins - 'Becoming Prince': The Beautiful Ones book, and understanding elements of Prince's early imagination and dress-sense. The influence of his parents, musicians in North Minneapolis...and getting dressed to the 9s in the 1970s.

22mins - Heroes and influences...

23mins - Make Up.

26mins - World Building...'in a world called Fantasy'

30mins - Prince's female kinship. 'He surrounded himself with incredible women...and loved female energy.' Sly Stone's fashion, and James Brown's performances...expressing sexuality and sensuality. 'He liked the way particular fabrics felt on his body...'

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

PART 2: Talking Prince....

INTRO - Can you remember the first track of Prince that you heard...?

3mins - Rhonda Smith, and inspiration from female bass players

7mins - Nik West's Favourite Prince bass line?

8mins30s - Alphabet Street & This Is Not Music, This Is A Trip...

11mins - Daisy Chain: Prince and Larry Graham

14mins - Paisley Park, practicing in the hotel room and jamming with Prince

15mins30s - Talking solo careers with Prince

17mins30s - Recording with Prince and unfinished projects

19mins30s - In what ways was Prince not like you expected?

22mins - Going back to his musical origins and Prince taking inspiration from younger musicians...

27mins - Advice to young girls in the world of social media?

30mins - Where does Nik draw her style influences from?

32mins - Nik's feeling on Prince's legacy...

35mins - Nothing Compares to Prince shows in Australia with St Paul Peterson

38mins - What's next for Nik? She shares exclusive news on a new project!

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

INTRO

2mins - Nik talks about her Cotton Candy World Tour and playing at The Jazz Cafe in London

4mins - Shredding with lead guitarist Joey and why chemistry is so important to the band dynamic

5mins30s - learning guitar from her Dad at an early age

6mins45s - Playing gospel music by the Clark Sisters

9mins30s - Use of bright colours, a distinct visual style and being everything that you are...'the class clown'

11mins - is there a separation between superhero bass player Nik West, and Nik West offstage as a mum and an everyday person?

13mins - How did Nik come to meet (and work with) bass hero - and inventor of slap bass - Larry Graham

14mins30s - Recording with Larry Graham

20mins - Career and playing advice from Larry: valuing space in music, being yourself and letting your tribe find you...

24mins - Supporting George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic!

29mins - Creating a career your way and being very independent in the music industry.

30mins - Black Beauty, working with Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics and auditioning in the music industry.

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

INTRO

2min - Do you have a most cherished Prince related possession (from the 9 years you worked together)? "I joke with my friends that I only buy vinyl with my name on it!"

4mins - Biggest 'pinch-me' moments working with Prince...? 3121 era, cherished memories.

6mins30s - Which kind of people engaged Prince best behind the scenes?

7mins30s - Prince and his heroes...and a fierce competitive streak.

8mins - Memories of the Musicology tour, Sam's favourite shows.

10mins - When did you last speak to Prince?

11mins - Where were you, when you heard...

14mins - View of The Prince Estate and posthumous releases overall

17mins - What was it like getting tapes in the post from Prince??

17mins30s - Any tracks that you personally heard for the first time that blew you away?

19mins - Studio version of Prince & The Band

22mins - What's the piece of work that you're proudest of?

23mins - The creative process of working with Prince

26mins - NPG Ahdio Shows

31mins30s - DJing on Twitch: how does it work?

33mins - Prince album battles! Lovesexy vs The Black Album...Cindy C vs Alphabet Street??

36mins30s - Legacy

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

INTRO

2mins30s - Growing up in Chicago Illinois

4mins - Pursuing a career in the Web back in the mid 90s..."it was an interesting time, it was kind of like the Wild West"

5mins30s - Nona Gaye & The Beautiful Experience

6mins30s - Finding all of the other Prince fans on the internet via online communities...and organising parties at the Berlin club in Chicago

9mins - When did Sam first have contact with Prince? Fans coming together on a 'community project'...and AOL chat rooms.

11mins - How long did you think it would last?

13mins - Confidentiality and Prince...

14mins - Love4OneAnother.com in 1999 and Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic

16mins - Prince's legacy in the digital world - one of the first to have his own internet business and music distributing artist

17mins - Releasing a 'ton of music in 2001'...'a tremendous explosion of activity for him...' and The Prince Museum online.

19mins - If Prince had lived and you had to design a digital presence for him now, what would that be?

21mins30s - What was the Prince music you first became aware of, early memories and favourite unreleased recordings...

27mins30s - Meeting Prince in person for the first time...

30mins - Maintaining professionalism as a fan...

32mins - How difficult was it to challenge Prince? Fan websites

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

Intro

1mins30s - Wishing he could have spoken to Prince during the making of his Cloud guitar, the instrument specs, and making something great instinctually.

3mins30s - Guitar specific questions for Dave on the Cloud guitar and how it was made - how much was stock, and what was bespoke?

5mins - Prince and his heavy strings, and Takumi the guitar tech.

6mins20s - One month and a half to come up with a world famous guitar!  

9mins30s - Wendy Melvoin's clear body guitar...and the story behind it.

12mins - Sam asks Dave how he felt when he first saw Prince play the guitar in the movie...and also when he first saw Prince playing the cloud guitar live.

13mins - sitting in on the Purple Rain rehearsals with Prince 'every day was exciting'

15mins - going to Paisley Park, and taking part in 'the Celebrations'

18mins - How did Dave feel when Prince passed away? "I couldn't say anything, I was just speechless..."

21mins - The Prince Estate asking Dave to give up the trademark on his guitar design.

25mins - Which Minneapolis musicians did you get to know along the way?

26mins30s - Still making the signature White Cloud guitar, and taking orders from around the world.

30mins - Meeting other Prince guitar makers, and knowing a network of musicians.

33mins - What happened to the original cloud guitars that Dave made?

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

Intro

2mins - Growing up in Minneapolis and musical background

3mins15s - The Beatles, and early influences

4mins20s - First song Dave learned on the guitar, and favourite music

5mins30s - Father-son relationship and parental support for guitar playing and passions

7mins -  Working in the local music store in MPLS, learning about the guitar as an instrument...and a 'sideline for voilin repair-men'

11mins - Starting out as a Luthier, working from home...and supporting local bands

12mins - Bumping into Prince at the Knut-Kupee music store...'we knew about him for a couple of years before the first album...'

13mins - Minneapolis in the late 1970s, black and white musicians playing in different parts of town

14mins45s - Auditioning for Prince's early band, Dave shares his memories...trying out at Dell's Tyre Mart

19mins - What were musicians wearing in the late 1970? 'A lot of spandex was occuring!' MPLS music scene memories...

21mins - An amazing achievement for someone who created an entire scene and became famous throughout the world - Prince putting Minneapolis on the map.

24mins - Working in London in his early 20s and working with famous musicians early on in his career (1981-83)

26mins - Working with Gary Moore, and a guitar inherited from Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac

29mins30s - How did going to London influence your part in Prince's story?

31mins - Coming back to MPLS and Prince is achieving a level of fame...and the initial approach from his people. "He wants a guitar, and you're going to make it..."

33mins30s - "I was exhilarated rather than nervous..." - making Prince's most iconic guitar having never made one before!

36mins - Did you know if the guitar was actually going to be part of the Purple Rain movie??

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

1mins30s - Prince's music in the 90s, albums Jim liked, plus bootleg tapes from '93/'94 - The Beautiful Experience and stripped back versions of Come and Endorphinemachine after hours in London.

3mins15s - Emancipation was a major artistic statement, but was it a seminal work? Plus liner notes for The Gold Experience (and not getting paid for it).

5mins - "Fighting for the freedom he knew technology offered...". And Chance The Rapper winning multiple Grammys from a self-produced tape...missing Prince

6mins - Hit n Run part 1: 'A Creative Approach'.

7mins30s - Getting commissioned to write the liner notes for The Gold Experience.

9mins - A rebirth in the 90s & 'Bud Lite on guitar!' on NBA All Star weekend.

13mins - Getting up, then staying up late, to watch Prince play aftershows...

17mins - Prince & Madonna on the same stage...and still seeing some of the NPG and The Revolution around town

18mins - In admiration of Morris Hayes

19mins30s - Going back to Paisley Park...how do you feel about it?

21mins - Opinions on the music after 2002...remaining 'an avid listener'. The Current radio show in MPLS.

22mins30s - memories of the last show, a Piano & Microphone performance

24mins - When Prince passed away...an energy change in Minneapolis: writing an obit 'through the tears'

26mins30s - 'I would never write that now...' an open letter to Prince in the media

28mins - Playing with local musicians on the night Prince died

29mins30s - Jim's view on the music coming out retrospectively & Welcome 2 America

32mins30s - 'Context is everything with Prince...', so stay open

33mins30s - Favourite live show of the 1980s, and which live DVD should be released?

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother

Jim Walsh - journalist and author of Gold Experience: Following Prince in the '90s

Intro

2mins - Were the 1990s Prince's 'punk period'?

5mins - Challenging Prince to be more vital!

8mins30s - the mad scientist out in Chanhassen, the feeling of greatness nearby

10mins - Going back to Paisley as a museum? Being in the building together...

11mins - the 90s, the forerunner to everyone having their own radio station...and preserving the legacy

13mins - Thoughts on The Rainbow Children, a transitional album and critically renowned live shows

15mins - seeing Prince over the years, often until 6am

17mins - living your life to the fullest creativity

18mins - seeing Prince for the first time in the early 1980s at First Avenue - "they were just badass, oh my God!"

21mins - Allen Beaulieu photographer, studio was just up the street from First Avenue...where Target Center is now. Pictures eventually adorned all of Prince's early album covers.

22mins30s - What kind of person was Prince? "Really warm and loving...he was know-able, that was my experience."

25mins - Playing different styles of music every night at Paisley Park

27mins - Jam of the Year tour memories from 1997, followed by an all-night performance... 'it was so good!'

29mins - Middle-aged bad-assery at The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and The Superbowl

30mins30s - Best guitar solos ever? 'Feathery blues at Glam Slam...'

32mins - Carlos Santana, Larry Graham & Prince at the Northrop Auditorium

34mins - Larry Graham's influence on Prince: Jim Walsh's view

36mins - A fleeting sight of Prince in 2014, 'a deeply spiritual God-loving man'.

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

Please follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to interact with the show on social media.

Email me at: bleazas@hotmail.com if you have any ideas for future episodes, or if you'd like to share any feedback on the show. 

#prince4ever #love4oneanother