March 2024
Pop Conference 2024, #EroticCity40 Prince Symposium, Prince On Screen: Images and Ideology Conference, What Did Prince Do This Week? #WDPDTW, Bilal, Love For Sale, Cory Henry & Willow
Pop Conference 2024
STOP THE PRESSES! I've been to a gazillion conferences in my lifetime including previous Pop Cons, but Pop Con 2024 at the USC Thornton School of Music is by far the best conference I've ever attended with the exception of the first Prince conference, Purple Reign, in 2017 at the University of Salford in Manchester, England, organized by the intrepid Professor Kirsty Fairclough and Professor Mike Alleyne, Ph.D.
I can't believe that a week has already passed. So, I MUST take time out to thank the key organizers of Pop Con 2024–(I'm always so proud and never tire of saying the following) Dean Jason King (We miss you at NYU, but it was so wonderful to see you shine like you always do at USC!) & the INCREDIBLE Michelle Habell-Pallán of the University of Washington! I know all too well how stressful organizing conferences can be, but neither of you ever let on.
I am in awe of how flawless this multi-track conference was with not one, but two unforgettable keynotes with the one and only George Clinton and Wendy & Lisa, who are all near and dear to my 💜 heart! I know these keynotes were filmed so hopefully others will be able to experience them virtually at some point in the future.
I have to give a special shoutout to Melissa A. Weber AKA DJ Soul Sister for moderating and gathering the stellar, "A Seat at the (Mother)Ship: The Reclamation of Women's Stories in Parliament-Funkadelic" roundtable. Massive thanks, also, for the photos she took of my presentation that are shared below.
I can’t wait to get my hands on Seth Neblett’s 2024 forthcoming book, Mothership Connected: The Story of the Women of Parliament-Funkadelic on the University of Texas press!
Jason King's spirited conversation with filmmaker and music journalist dream hampton was, also, extremely powerful and illuminating, where we got a preview of her upcoming hip-hop documentary tentatively entitled “I Used to Love You!”
I was grateful to get to moderate the "Repackaging Dreams: Media as Archives from Greatest Hits" panel with outstanding presentations by Erin Macleod, Alfred Soto, Steve Waksman, author of the book, Live Music In America, and Jacqueline Zeisloft.
I was extremely grateful to get to speak about how my childhood obsession with record collecting, passed on from my uncles and aunt, has transformed into my personal mission to keep Prince's name on the lips of the children on the "Legacy Junkies and Collectors: The Archive and the Personal" panel!
The title of my talk was “Wax ‘N Facts: A Musical Odyssey of an Avid Record Collector and a Liner Notes Junkie!"
Abstract: Record collecting and music listening practices are more than hobbies; they are sacred duties that preserve musical legacies and shape cultural narratives. These practices create a tapestry of collective memory. My tale reflects a universal experience: the endless horizons that a love of music unveils and how it connects and sustains us. My journey into this world began in childhood through my aunt and uncles and since morphed into a lifelong mission to keep Prince's name on the lips of the children. How does collecting physical forms of media and reading liner notes impact individual lives—a journey where every record spun connects us with other music listeners of the past, present, and future, keeping the collective narrative threads enmeshed? Collecting, cherishing, and sharing music isn't just a pastime; it's a way to shape the musical legacies that resonate across time and space through specific, individual actions. I invite you to reflect on your journey and ruminate on how we can collectively ensure that our love of music persists and resonates through the annals of time, honoring past listeners and acting as a bridge to future generations to come.
Massive thanks to my co-panelists, the legendary music journalist Robert Christgau (even Questlove’s record collection pales in comparison to his), Andy Zax, Chi Chi Thalken, and our moderator Justin Sayles.
I can’t thank Rhonda Nicole Tankerson enough for filming my talk and for being a true friend the entire trip!
I’d also like to thank Olga Hernandez for the additional photos documenting my talk, as well.
There were so many more amazing talks and roundtable discussions I could speak of, but they are far too numerous to name! I can't thank each and every speaker and moderator enough for the amazing presentations and roundtable discussions.
Last, but definitely not least, I was extremely grateful for all the members of the Prince community who came out to support me. Thanks so much to the purple LA squad for attending my talk and for inviting me out to a delicious Thai dinner–Isadora Santos-Lesaca, Danielle Gaskins, Angela Lesaca, Olga Hernandez, and Rhonda Nicole!
MASSIVE thanks to Dr. Funkenberry for coming out twice, not only for my presentation, but also the panel I moderated!
MASSIVE thanks to DJ Soul Sister for attending my talk, as well! It was such a blast to get to meet you for the first time!
And, last, but definitely not least, MASSIVE thanks to Sakari Dixon Vanderveer, an amazing composer, for not only attending my talk but for also bringing their Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe hardcover book for my very first autograph!
If this year was any indication of next year, I can't wait for Pop Conference 2025, which will also be at USC! Don't sleep on this amazing conference that is committed to being FREE and open to the public!
Thank you again to the lead organizers, Jason King and Michelle Habell-Pallan! 🙏
I can’t believe we’re less than a month away from the #EroticCity40 Prince Symposium, April 12-14, 2024 (Fri-Sun)!
Join us for the #EroticCity40 symposium at NYU in Brooklyn & livestreamed from April 12–14, 2024 (Fri–Sun)! We’ll celebrate the four albums that defined 1984—Prince’s Purple Rain, The Time’s Ice Cream Castle, Apollonia 6, and Sheila E’s The Glamorous Life—alongside the Purple Rain film.
Over 3 days, there will be more than 45 speakers and a total of 14 sessions, featuring 16 presentations, 5 roundtable discussions, a special in-person segment of What Did Prince Do This Week?, and a very special keynote to be announced. We will also discuss film, race, gender, and sexuality in addition to music and fashion.
Save the dates and register for FREE at https://bit.ly/eroticcity40r!
This event is FREE, but please consider donating to the Purple Playground, a 501(c)3 nonprofit fan-based group formed in June 2017 to honor Prince’s legacy and create their Academy of Prince music program for teens. To learn more about the Purple Playground, visit purpleplayground.org.
#EroticCity40 is a polished solid production, curated by De Angela L. Duff!
More detailed information forthcoming once you register!
The Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson is not affiliated, associated, or connected with the ‘#EroticCity40 Prince Symposium’ nor has it endorsed or sponsored the ‘#EroticCity40 Prince Symposium.’ Further, the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson has not licensed any of its intellectual property to the producers, advertisers, or directors of the ‘#EroticCity40 Prince Symposium.’
Excited to be speaking next at Prince On Screen: Images and Ideology in Minneapolis, MN in June!
I’m excited to be speaking next at the Prince On Screen: Images and Ideology conference, organized by the International Centre 4 Prince Studies (Dr. Kirsty Fairclough, Dr. Mike Alleyne, Kristen Zschomler, Dr. Crystal Wise, and Casci Ritchie) on June 17–18, 2024, in Minneapolis, MN! Location TBD.
My talk is entitled, “Life is Just a Party, and Parties Weren’t Meant to Last:” Life, Death, and Celebration in Prince’s Cinematic and Musical Odysseys”
Abstract:
Prince’s prolific oeuvre traverses a spectrum of human emotions and existential reflections, manifesting most evocatively through the themes of vitality, life, and celebration and crafting a narrative that is as melancholic as it is euphoric. This talk delves into these thematic recurrences in Prince’s narrative films, Purple Rain (1984), Under The Cherry Moon (1986), and Graffiti Bridge (1990), alongside a parallel analysis of these themes within his musical compositions.
Moreover, the interplay between joie de vivre and mortality is further nuanced as we approach the 40th anniversary celebration of Purple Rain, Prince’s award-winning, debut film, and eight years since Prince’s own transition. Through a multidisciplinary lens encompassing film studies, musicology, and cultural analysis, this presentation seeks to understand Prince’s embrace of the inevitable– death, thereby enriching the understanding of his life, his moving image, and his musical legacy, as we continue to celebrate and honor his “everlasting now.”
What Did Prince Do This Week? #WDPDTW Year 2
Join the one and only Michael Dean and me, every Saturday at noon ET, for What Did Prince Do This Week? (WDPDTW), an interactive, virtual book club where we very slowly read Duane Tudahl's entire Prince Studio Sessions book series in its entirety.
Beyond a book club, it is also a Saturday salon, echoing the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance and inviting discussions that delve into every aspect of Prince's purple world and music in general. We also have accompanying musical playlists every week on YouTube. Go to the bottom of https://www.youtube.com/@polishedsolid to find them!
I can’t believe that we’re up to our 62nd episode, already! MASSIVE THANKS 2 the one and only Michael Dean for hanging in there with me, and for the singular C Liegh McInnis and Ricky Wyatt (with the most amazing memory ever) for ALWAYS responding to all my bat signals.
This is a communal endeavor so I need to also thank Arthur Turnbull, Marc Wiggins AKA “Big Sexy,” Violet Brown, Zach Hoskins, Jesse Jenkins, and all of our special guests so far: the author of our book club book, Duane Tudahl (the whole reason we’re doing this!), Eric Leeds, Dr. Fink, Matt Thorne, Robia Scott (Pearl), Scott Bogen, Anil Dash, Miles Marshall Lewis, Mignon Stewart, Traci Humphrey, Darling Nisi AKA KaNisa Williams, India Mallard, Audrea Reynolds, and Lee Christian!
For more info about the book club and the schedule, visit https://bookclub.polishedsolid.com/schedule.
Please invite your friends to join the #WDPDTW Book Club and read along! Don't forget to like and subscribe to follow along each week!
It’s never too late to join us every Saturday! If you want to catch up, watch our year one recap reel to get a taste of what we discuss every week. And, if you haven’t figured it out yet, we talk about Prince a lot–the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving!
Also, I’m super excited that we’ll be doing our 2nd in-person book club during day 2 of the #EroticCity40 Prince symposium.
Here’s our first one from last year’s #TripleThreat40 Prince symposium.
The Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson is not affiliated, associated, or connected with the ‘What Did Prince Do This Week? Book Club Series,’ nor has it endorsed or sponsored the ‘What Did Prince Do This Week? Book Club Series.’ Further, the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson has not licensed any of its intellectual property to the producers, advertisers, or directors of What Did Prince Do This Week? Book Club Series.’
Bilal
Thank U, Bilal, 4 putting on such a stellar show @CityWineryNYC on Thursday, February 29, 2024! Still thinking about it. I've seen you a gazillion times since Day 1 & this show was 1 of the best. The band was fire as always, your new keyboardist fire & the acoustics in this space was also fire! Keep sangin’! So many highlights, but “Hollywood” and “Something to Hold On to” stood out.
So, I was thrilled to discover this week that Bilal is performing songs (the previously aforementioned are both from this album) from his unreleased classic, Love for Sale for one night only at the Blue Note Jazz Club in NY! I got my tix! Do you? You won’t regret it!
Cory Henry
Also, Cory Henry is touring again…
Now, if we could only get Alice Smith to start touring again… my tour polptych would be complete! I’m sending out a bat signal to the universe!
Since Prince transitioned, Bilal, Alice Smith, Cory Henry, and Doyle Bramhall II are my top 4 live performers.
Willow
WOW! I haven’t been moved so deeply in a very long time by singles! Yes, albums (Andre 3000’s New Blue Sun immediately comes to mind!), but NOT singles! My faith in the power of music has been restored! The youth got this, and Willow is blazing the trail!
Go past your preconceived notions of who you think she is. She is a talented vocalist and musician.
Willow’s “Symptom of Life” was released this past week, and I stumbled across it! I’m so glad I did! It’s been my daily soundtrack this past week.
It lead me to her single from last year, “Alone!”
However, this song truly shines live with…
or without a band!
Don’t sleep on Willow!
I hope 2 C some of you in person at #EroticCity40! If not, join us on the livestream!
Save the dates and register for FREE at https://bit.ly/eroticcity40r!
Until next time, be safe and be kind!