NORTHERN PLANNER

Next on the list is this:

 
First decent album I ever bought and the start of an enduring love affair with the diminutive little musical imp. You can call him a wierdo, you can call him a self absorbed fool and you would probably be right. You can even claim he hasn't done anything really good since around 1988 – you would be wrong.

As far as I'm concerned, you cannot claim he isn't a genius. In an amazing run starting with this album in 1983 and ending with, in view, anyway, the Batman soundtrack in 1989, produced a series of groundbreaking albums of which we haven't heard the like before or after. As a solo artist, perhaps only David Bowie had a collection of consistent work to compare.

There was a time when I couldn't wait for the next Prince album to come out and would vigorously defend his music in all sorts of argument, usually with people who couldn't see past HIM.

So while tape shows I grew up in an analogue world, it also represents how you should never confuse a person with their work. Prince as a person falls far short, as a musician, he's incredible.