Prince – "21 Nights"

Update: We were fortunate enough to be invited to Prince’s “21 Nights” book launch at the Dorchester Hotel in London – check our full report HERE!

*Ok. Stay Calm < Instructions for us, not you!*

Aiight, so anyone who knows the PinBoard Crew will know how much we love, adore, admire, appreciate, look up to and generally obsess over PRINCE. For us, he’s probably the most amazing artist of all time.

Don’t get it twisted, we love MJ – no one has done what Michael’s done (and probably never will do!), but Prince, Prince is special because he not only DID amazing things, but continues to do so (unlike Jacko!). 

The man lives and breathes music. He writes pretty much everyday, plays pretty much every instrument, he’s recorded THOUSANDS of songs, released countless (albeit, sometimes weird) albums AND not only remains current but also revolutionary and innovative!!

Ok, you get the point? We think the man is a genius! And yea, we’re not afraid to say that on a very long, long, looooong list of “favourite” artists, Prince is probably numero uno!

Anyways, to the point! The Purple One is coming out with a new book! It’s called “21 Nights” and will be ram packed with amazing pictures, stories, essays and poems inspired by his “21 Nights” in London @ The O2 Arena (yes, we went..twice!). It will also feature a brand new Live DVD of his intimate shows at the Indig02!!

We can’t tell you how excited we are about this book, it’s gonna be overly dope!! If you were lucky enough to go see him during his 21 Nights, we don’t have to tell you what he does. If you didn’t get to see him, the term “you missed out” doesn’t quite cut it.

The Book:

Masterful composer, multi-faceted musician, international megastar and cultural icon—Prince—presents his first book, 21 NIGHTS, a stunning multi-media volume offering a rare glimpse into the life, lyrics, and mystique of one of the most notable and prolific performers of our time. This beautifully designed photographic essay flows from Prince’s sensational, unprecedented, record-breaking, sold-out 21 concerts in 21 nights at London’s O2 Arena in 2007. Juxtaposing his dueling worlds of music and solitude, it will incorporate Prince’s evocative poetry and lyrics to new songs and other selections, and 124 full-color, sumptuous, never-before-published images by celebrated photographer Randee St. Nicholas. As part of the dimensional experience, it will also feature “Indigo Nights,” a CD capturing Prince’s speak-easy, after-hours, raw, live after-show sessions of pure unadulterated jams.

Read more after the jump

For the first time in 21 NIGHTS, Prince is seen behind the scenes. Randee St. Nicholas, renowned for her rich visuals, deft touch, and distinctive style, was given access to Prince’s life and career, providing a nuanced and unparalleled view of the artist, accompanying him onstage, backstage, and into his sleeping quarters. “Indigo Nights,” which includes the live version of the song “3121,” will not be available in any other format. 21 NIGHTS will be published internationally in Fall 2008 by Atria, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.

“We are tremendously honored and excited by this opportunity to present this lyrical and visually rich book from Prince that captures the spirit and voluptuous sound of his brilliant 21-night residency at the O2 concert hall in London,” noted Judith Curr, Publisher, Atria Books. “21 NIGHTS is an innovative multi-media book project created by a musical visionary and uncompromising artist, an invitation to experience a side Prince has not revealed until now.”

An Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award winner, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, in his first year of eligibility. In 2007, Prince won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for the film “Happy Feet,” which grossed more than $300 million in the U.S. alone. Defying categorization, his widely acclaimed music has ranked highly, decade after decade, in the categories of Funk, Neo Psychedelia, Alternative, Rock, New Wave, Pop, Soul and Jazz.

Prince’s 21 London dates at the O2 Arena in 2007 generated an unprecedented $44 million in ticket and merchandise sales in just one month. The 24,000-person venue was sold out for all 21 concerts. The first 16 dates sold out in one hour; the remaining tickets by the following day. His most recent song, when made available via iTunes, garnered 40,000 downloads in the first two weeks. His last four albums have averaged more than 4 million copies worldwide-—without a traditional label deal. His album “3121” debuted at #1 on the charts. Prince’s last major U.S. tour, in 2004, was the highest grossing concert tour of that year, topping those of Madonna and the Rolling Stones, and generating $250 million, even though tickets were at half the cost of either of the afore-mentioned acts.

Peace, Love & Prince

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