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QUIZ

Purple Reign

Test your knowledge of Prince

By Sean Monkman

From Prince Rogers Nelson to Prince to Unpronounceable Symbol Guy to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince to The Artist to The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince... No matter the name, Prince — the diminutive and boundlessly creative musicmaker from Minnesota — is in the pantheon of pop music’s all-time greats. When the unassailable heights of his ’80s output gave way to an epic skirmish with his record label in the mid-’90s, he struck out on his own and developed his online home into a music club and store. He hasn’t looked back since. His new album, 3121, is out Mar. 21.

1. What 1984 album is Prince’s biggest seller, with more than 18 million copies sold worldwide?
	1999
	Purple Rain
	Lovesexy
	Diamonds and Pearls
	Musicology

2. Prince shelved the 1987 follow-up to his classic Sign ‘O’ the Times because he felt it was filled with violence and sex. He was unable to recall about 100 promotional copies (they had already been distributed). The record went on to become one of the most bootlegged albums of all time, before getting an official release in 1994. What was it called?
	The Purple Album
	The White Album
	The Grey Album
	The Black Album
	The Paisley Album

3. Prince provided the soundtrack for what 1989 superhero movie?
	Batman
	Superman III
	Darkman
	The Crow
	Blankman

4. Four of these statements about Prince are true. Which one is false?
	He became a Jehovah’s Witness to fulfil his mother’s dying wish.
	He once wrote a letter to Miles Davis that read, in part, “Miles, even though we have never met, I can tell just from listening to your music that you and I are so exactly alike that I know whatever you play would be what I’d do.”
	His 69-city Musicology tour was the top-grossing tour of 2004.
	He recorded a song, Hello, in response to flak directed at him for not participating in the group singalong We Are the World.
	He actually prefers ecru to purple.

5. In 2004, Prince bought a home (via a holding company) on Toronto’s tony Bridal Path. Why?
	His second wife, Manuela Testolini, is from the area.
	Mel Lastman sounded like his kind of mayor.
	Prince likes purple and basketball, the Raptors wear purple; it was a natural fit.
	He was scared by SARS and figured that he should live someplace where the authorities knew how to deal with it.
	He was won over by the city’s Caribana festival.

6. Which one of these five songs did Prince not write?
	Nothing Compares 2 U (huge smash for Sinead O’Connor)
	Justify My Love (Madonna’s erotic romp)
	I Feel For You (Chaka Khan’s biggest hit)
	Manic Monday (a classic from the Bangles)
	The Glamorous Life (Sheila E’s moment in the sun)

7. On a 1996 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah commented that even Prince didn’t know how to pronounce the symbol he’d adopted as his name. How did he respond?
	“Well, Oprah is a weird name too, you know.”
	“My name is not meant to be spoken or heard, it is meant to be tasted and smelt.”
	“If ever I’m told, you’ll be the first to know.”
	“Until I figure it out, I think TAFKAP has a nice ring to it.”
	“Just call me ‘Swirly circle cross arrow.’”

8. Who are Jamie Starr, Christopher Tracy, Alexander Nevermind and Joey Coco?
	Prince’s one-time backing band, the New Power Generation.
	Members of Grand Central, the band Prince formed while in junior high school.
	Pseudonyms that Prince has used for his songwriting credits.
	Rejected candidates for Prince’s name change.
	Members of CREAP — Corporate Record Execs Against Prince.

9. In 1995, Prince responded to troubles with his label, Warner Bros., by scrawling ______ on his cheek for his public appearances.
	SEXY MF
	HELP ME
	SLAVE
	TAFKAP
	GENIUS

10. The following year, Prince broke ties with Warner Bros. over the label’s complaints that he wanted to release too much music in too short a time. Which of the following quotes did he not provide in the aftermath?
	“Would you ever say to a painter, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. We're running out of that colour. You have to stop now.’”
	“Record companies expect artists to lose their voice, their hair and their energy, and I’m not doing any of that.”
	“I’m not against the record industry. Their system is perfect. It benefits the people who it was designed to benefit: the owners.”
	“Who’s on the magazines and the websites, and the records? Not the lawyers. Not the managers. Some artists need management. I don’t. I can count.”
	“Maybe I’m just too demanding. Maybe I’m just like my father, too bold.”