Slow Love

Opening Preface-Slow Love

The year was 1984, I was sent by Associated Press to cover a new and upcoming rock super star. His name is Prince. Up till now, he has refused all interviews but requested that I come to interview him.  Me, of all people to do his interview! My name is Karen G. Neil, GiGi is my nickname and what my family and friends call me. I have been a freelance feature photographer/writer for AP about 7 years now. I had covered all kinds of news and events so this was just another day of work for me. I was summonsed to Bogarts  in Cincinnati, Ohio. That was good as it was close to me as I was based in Columbus Ohio at that time. This was the preliminary "Secret show" leading up to the famous Purple Rain Tour so I was thrilled to get a chance to see it and best of all do the interview. I am still shaking my head wondering how I got picked to do this one and only interview. This was September 23rd. So I prepared for my interview, loaded the camera up on film and got ready to head for Cincinnati. I decided to leave a day early and spend the night there with my cousin and catch up with her. That way I could scope it out and figure what my best angle to see the concert. My cousin was a party animal and she knew the owner of Bogart's so, I knew she could help me and do the logistics of getting to the concert. My interview was to be after the concert in his dressing room. So I needed to know where everything was prior to my arrival.

When I got to my cousin's Patti's house, she could not quite understand why I was so excited and was about to pee my pants but, still understood it was also my job. She is 6 years older than me and at that time I was 28. (OK, do the math, I am 2 years older than Prince). I ran the questions by her I planned on asking Prince and she helped me fine tune them. She was curious as to the hysteria at that time over the movie Purple Rain and this new rockstar//phenomenon and I just simply put to her, this guy is like your Beatles! Well sorta.

The Red, White and Blue Tour was on Bogart's schedule that day. Tickets:5 bucks. Just a dollar more expensive than the usual show at the Corryville venue.

Patti and I stood with the crowd in the middle section of this smaller venue that night. We knew something the sold-out crowd didn't know. I was sworn to secrecy when I took the assignment.

Lights go off. A back lit figure appears on stage.

The first organ notes of "Let's Go Crazy" blast through the speakers.

There's that groovy organ moan. Then, a voice, still unseen, speaks: "Dearly beloved ..."

"Is that guy impersonating Prince?" a girl next to us asks.

"You idiot," her friend screams. "That is Prince!"

The Bogart's crowd knows what we know now. And they all go crazy.

"Then this screaming," "It was an incredible show."

It wasn't the Purple One's first appearance at Bogart's. Or his last in the Queen City.

But on this night in September, we were some of the first to see Prince launch the effort culminating his commercial and creative peak: This was a dress rehearsal for his landmark "Purple Rain" tour.

In close to 100 stops, the 1984 tour sold some 1.7 million tickets on the strength of such classics as "When Doves Cry," "I Would Die 4 U," and "Darling Nikki."And of course, the movie and title track of the same name.

The eclectic musician and his band, The Revolution, were selling out future dates at 18,000-seat stadiums before the call about staging a stealth show at this 1,500-capacity club. Actually about the same size as First Avenue in Minneapolis.

The night of the performance, Bogart's took the secrecy further. Some spy stuff, like disabling pay phones nearby and hiring extra security for the doors. The city was buzzing with rumors. There was talk about a private plane landing in Cincinnati.

So, after the show, Patti introduced me to the club's owner Al. Patti had worked at one time there before she went back to her real job being a RN. So she knew most everyone and was an asset having her tag along.We hung out and chatted with Al (Bogart's owner) about all the preparations for this "Secret Show". It was a very interesting talk while I waited to be ushered backstage to his dressing room. In a short while, two very large security guards took me backstage to the dressing room. BAM! I was awestruck! But I had to be cool as this was my job at stake. Landing the biggest interview in pop history and just getting that was monumental. Prince was very quiet and very gentlemanly took my hand and introduced himself and others around the room. My heart was going 90mph and I'll be if I can remember anyone else but him, I told everyone to call me Gigi. Prince told everyone to "Get out" and then he then took me over to a love-seat and had me sit down. He sat next to me and just said softly"you are here now and I am happy you could make it." I slowly took out my notes and looked him eye to eye. He said to me, in that now so famous baritone voice, "let's put those away and just talk.  So, what do you want to ask me?" Wow, I just about passed out and was almost without words. I told myself, get it together G, you have to do this. So I proceeded with just talking which was very easy at this point and he made me feel very comfortable. I submitted my article and it was published. I did manage to get a few photographs but they did not run them with the article. Shortly after the article was published I received a bouquet of purple roses with no card. Humm, had to be from the purple one you think? Thank God my husband was not the jealous kind and thought it was pretty cool. This was the start of a very long association with doing interviews or projects for Prince. He would contact me on a very sporadic schedule when he wanted something published and I was more than happy to write. Over the course of several years, I did several pieces on or for him and he would send flowers and/or a note. Here is one of his notes.