Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince: The First Decade

by Per Nilsen

The definitive study of one of contemporary music's most gifted, creative, driven and mysterious artists."Per Nilsen presents a serious and well-researched study of Prince from his teenage debut up... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0946719640
• ISBN13: 9780946719648
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: SAF Publishing
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Definitive to the date it was published.

Per Nilsen is the renowned expert on Prince. Combined with "Days Of Wild" (ISBN 91-630-9225-5), you'll be up to date on everything that this artist has given to us. A Prince fan for the last nineteen years, both fanatical, and blasé, I've grown to appreciate the music more because of these writings.Other than the Uptown Fanzines that come out about once every two months, there's really nothing else that is worth reading when it comes to this artist other than other fans writings. All of the critics either love or hate him, always have, and always will (minus the two critics in Minneapolis, who have always been honest about his current output.) While most of the fans are fanatics, who can't find a thing wrong with his work, there are those out there that are subjective, and intelligent.While Per Nilsen is an author himself, he is obviously an admirer of Prince's art as well. It's impossible to find the insight that he provides us elsewhere.

Absolutely fantastic!

When I purchased this book, I expected great. After all, it was by the author of 'The Prince Bible', Per Nilsen who wrote the outstanding "Prince: A Documentary". Even so, I was absolutely floored by Dancemusicsexromance. It kept me riveted. I consumed the book in less than 2 days, and I'm anxious to read it again.Anyone who considers themselves a fan of Prince is sure to enjoy this book. Additionally, it should be read by all music fans, as it details the first decade of the career of a musician who has forever changed the face of modern music.

a real eye opener

this book captures so much.prince is one of my all-time favorite artists ever.but i prefer his work more in the first decade than now.which is what the author presents.finally a book that talks about his music.separating the fact from fiction.the importance of wendy & lisa and his personnel thing.somehow the book evens things out with what he has become and said.true he had battles with warner brothers but he was in turn taking ideas from others and not crediting them.on stage and what have you he seemed cool and confident but he was very insecure off.which has come up in this decade.with alot of his musical choices.the black album chapter which the last reviewer hit perfectly on the head was a real eye opener.my mouth dropped to the floor in surprise. call it ironic or not prince brought back the linn drum machine for the rave album? the linn gets alot of mentions and props in the book.this book shows him following the james brown path of being the hardest working man in show business.making up to 3 albums in a six month time period never mind side songs.it's the best and most complete reading on prince.prince a pop life by dave hill was a good b+ book but this is a A.it talks about uptown in full detail.this book sheds light on the good,bad & scary in the life of prince rogers nelson.a must have.cuz whether you love him or you hate him you have to respect his impact on music and any music fan should have this book.

The best biography on Prince EVER

"DanceMusicSexRomance" is something different, however. It's, as Per himself describes it, 'a serious study, or something, since it combines a biography-style approach with an in-depth examination of his lyrics and music.' A tremendous amount of research was done for the book, spanning six years and including over 300 hours of interviews with people that were around during this period in Prince's career. One of them, sound engineer Susan Rogers, sat through 15 hours of questions about her studio work with Prince. Per's new book uncovers many previously unknown details about Prince's working habits, and makes you wonder how he and his entourage can keep their sanity intact while working impossible hours. The book contains numerous tales of birthdays and holidays spent performing, rehearsing or recording, sometimes all at once. Prince often demands the impossible from those working with him, and the accounts of the break-ups in both his professional and personal life are often damning. Per also uncovers the truth about many rumours and provides some surprises about Prince's music. The first few pages of Chapter Ten are breathtaking, as Per describes how Prince enters the Sunset Sound recording studios in Los Angeles ten days after finishing the Purple Rain tour, and records the first four songs of "Parade" in one go. The reality behind the decision to shelve the legendary "Black Album" in late 1987, a mere week before it was supposed to hit the stores, is exposed as being far more prosaic than Prince's explanations. Thankfully, unlike many other traditional biographies, "DanceMusicSexRomance" concentrates on Prince's music and not his personal life, even though that part inevitably interacts with his music. It is well known that several songs on "Sign O' The Times", like "Forever In My Life" and "If I Was Your Girlfriend", are about his relationship with Susannah Melvoin (twin sister of Wendy Melvoin of Wendy & Lisa fame), but I was surprised to learn that "The Beautiful Ones" (on "Purple Rain") is also about her. Apparently, a lot of his other songs have a basis in real life, and aren't just the result of a very sharp imagination. It's also this aspect of the book that's most unflattering for Prince: he's seemingly incapable of maintaining just one relationship at a time (it is true that Prince has regularly shared both his studio as well as his bed with the female 'artists' he's worked with), he 'borrows' ideas from people and fails to credit them for it, he's unfaithful yet demands absolute loyalty from those around him. Among the more disturbing revelations, Prince's concept of 'friendship' is one that leaves a lasting impression. 'He doesn't trust you unless you're on his payroll,' says one of those interviewed for the book. You don't have to be a Prince fan to enjoy "DanceMusicSexRomance", and as far as music biographies go, this one belongs at the top, alongside books like Michael Azerrad's "Com

Not just the usual Prince Biography !

After many Prince biographies that merely scratch the surface of such an amazing career, "DMSR" goes to new levels of detail and insight.This book includes quotes from almost every person who worked with Prince in the late 70s and 80s and chronicles previously unknown record projects and the meaning behind great albums such as "The Black Album".The forward by Alan Leeds (the writer of the liner notes for "The Hits" album) just about sums up Per Nilsen and includes the quote: "If every artist as worthwhile as Prince has a historian as fastidious as Per, the future of this genre of musicology is safe and sound. The bookshelvels will be singing."I found this book to be both fascinating and a great read. Every chapter brought to light many factors that have influenced Prince's music, things that I had never beeen aware of, even though I have followed his career for more than 16 years.If you're a Prince fan, or just remotely intersted in what shaped his career then go buy this book !Can't wait for Prince: The Second Decade !!! :-)