Who was Prince really? In 1985 Neal Karlen interviewed the world's biggest - and most reclusive star. In the years that followed they developed an unlikely friendship. He tells us about the dilemmas of writing a book following the star's untimely death.
Author Neal Karlen, in conversation with Sam Bleazard.
Introduction - New York Times, Rolling Stone magazine, author...friend?
1-3mins: "Please don't let my scoop go away!" - Memories from another lifetime...and the BBC Omnibus documentary
4mins ...time to stop writing - and talking about - Prince, wanting to be a fan again and not a critic...
7mins - MPLS, segregation and the 'Minneapolis Sound'
9mins30s - Prince as an 11-year-old kid, and a story from one of his substitute teachers
11mins30s - Was Prince's life a sad story or a triumphant story of success?
13mins30s - 'This Thing Called Life' - were you worried that by being so candid it would create a backlash on the book?
17mins - the audiobook, the showman and Prince off the record in the 1980s
19mins - small aspects of the real guy being revealed: showing the imperfect human being behind the star.
20mins30s - "I Love U..."? And how it feels...
22mins30s - Humour in the book and 'The Crusher'!
24mins30s - The dilemma of releasing tapes of Prince speaking from the 1980s...'the most compartmentalised person I've ever met'
27mins - "Prince who?" - "The real Prince!"
29mins - The only person still awake at 4am and happy to shoot the breeze...
30mins30s - Different personalities and the blurring between friendship and employment
33mins - Not deifying Prince...and his relationship with his mother and father
49mins - the last conversation with Prince (3 weeks before his passing)
50mins - any things you wished you'd put in the book?
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
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