Which leads me to Prince, whom as we know died suddenly this past Thursday. Before I was introduced to Trevor - as most Americans were - in 1983, the first musical polymath I developed a direct relationship with was the aforementioned Prince Rogers Nelson, in January 1980 when he appeared on American Bandstand to promote his eponymous-titled sophomore release.
During the interview portion he gave one-word answers or even silence. And while some may see that as early evidence of his notorious penchant for being difficult or eccentric, to the 14-year-old me it marked him as an enigma I didn't understand but wanted to know more about - and his performance only enforced that desire. When I listened to Prince, and later on his debut album For You, I was amazed that someone so young was so talented and self-assured enough to do it all. As Brian Raftery notes in his tribute article for Wired:
[...]his first truly great album, 1979’s Prince, was pure alchemy, a record that brought together dancefloor come-ons like “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and heavenly axe-shredders like “Bambi” so smoothly, it was as if those two sounds had always existed in the same space.And it began a love of his work which has encompassed the whole of my life.
But it's also important to remember that when you are gifted enough to be able to go your own way, another measure of that talent involves collaboration and the generosity which is shown as a result of working with other musicians, making the effort to find the nexus of creativity and audacity; as well as the enactment of a strict work ethic and devotion to musical expression. These are qualities I appreciate in both individuals.
The impact which the depth and breadth of Prince's artistic legacy had on his peers and the generations following after - but also the progenitors, many of whom respected him enormously - cannot be overstated. I don't necessarily mean to draw direct parallels between their careers, but without Prince's example of auteur vision and control, I'm not sure that I could have appreciated Trevor's work as regards not only his various talents, but his need to express his creativity strictly by his own hands, as it were. And someone who can make their music all on their own realizes the importance of not being restrained by labels and boundaries and perceptions. Prince - in any incarnation, any moniker - was someone who was only himself. His music was a mosaic of myriad influences and directions but containing an alchemy which was singularly solely his own. His integrity would allow no less.
There was only one Prince, and he was indeed funky. He was also so much more than that, but whatever he did, he made it joyful and reflective and sometimes raucous, sometimes sad, sometimes wild. But like all musical polymaths he was innovative and uncompromising. Prince walked his own path - and hoped we all might follow along - because there was no other way he could progress and evolve.
And Prince changed my life - and the lives of countless others - with his genius.
Because when you can do it all, what you do matters. And it endures forever.
