“His problem has always been extreme shyness:

‘I would wonder what it would be like if you were sitting here with me?’

He inquired.

‘I don’t seem shy now but I would if you were here. I’m really shy when I meet someone for the first time. I like to listen. I think other people are more interesting than I am. An interview means I have to do all the talking’

(…)

‘When people couldn’t talk to me or find out much about me, they starting making things up’ – he said – ‘I’m supposed to be mysterious person but I’m not mysterious’

(…)

‘I was considered strange. I recall having a lot of strange dreams. I spend a lot of time alone. I turned to music. In some ways it was more important than people’

(…)

A self-taught musician, he plays every instrument on his albums: keyboards, drums, guitar and bass.

‘I learned how to play so many things out of boredom’ – Prince said – ‘I got bored with one and then I could go on and learn something else’

This musical expertise is all the more remarkable considering he doesn’t read music.

(…)

Prince is one of those Jekyll-and-Hyde’s types. Offstage he shy; on stage is a torrid performer who even strips down to his bikini underwear. However, he doesn’t read car is persona us as being all that different:

‘I don’t say death march on stage. I’m still shy on stage. But it’s easy because it’s music. I’m just interpreting music, which is still that one thing in life I feel good about’

Come ho già sottolineato nel libro pubblicato da poco, in queste prime interviste, quelle in cui il suo controllo sulla catena delle relazioni con i mass-media è ancora debole, Prince lascia trapelare molte cose interessanti su di sé, le stesse che poi avrebbe occultato attentamente negli anni successivi.

Nelle dichiarazioni che rilascia telefonicamente (ammette già di preferire le interviste telefoniche) a Dennis Hunt, nega di essere eccessivamente timido, ma poi, dalle cose che dice, traspare chiaramente la sua timidezza. Che non smette di esistere sul palco, ma viene silenziata dal fatto stesso di essere onstage.

Prince nega di essere una persona misteriosa. È consapevole del fatto che in molti lo abbiano considerato (e continuino a considerarlo) strano, per via della sua tendenza ad isolarsi, a suonare per ore e ore, giorno e notte, ma l’unica relazione che gli sta davvero a cuore è quella con la musica. Solo quella.

 

Fonti citate:

Dennis Hunt, Los Angeles Times, 21 dicembre 1980