PRINCE GOLD

However you look at it, 1995’s The Gold Experience has all the energy and diversity fans had come to rely on (then eventually hope for) from The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

It was a time when the diminutive star lived out his own lyrics. "Let’s go crazy" seemed to echo the turbulence he experienced as the dispute with his record company escalated into a public stand-off. Prince’s riposte was to write the word 'slave' on his cheek and include the legend "Prince 1958-1993" on the cover of 1994’s Come.

In a February 1995 interview with Uncut’s David Cavanagh, TAFKAP confirmed the turmoil that had engulfed him.

"There was a point where I was very ill and afraid for my sanity, but that was before I changed my name, before this spiritual period of my life when I knew Prince was dead. I was sane when I did that."  [Uncut #230, July 2016]

The record that was Prince certainly seemed warped, but whether it was as simple as lifting the stylus off side "Crazy" and flipping the disc to "Well-balanced" is a moot point; Prince did, after all, sue his own fanzine in the late 90s. Yet what is beyond doubt is that he was desperate for a punctuation point, for a break from the past, for a fresh start.

Listening to The Gold Experience you don’t necessarily hear the turning over of a completely new leaf, musically speaking. From wistful soul to badass funk the expected range of styles is present and correct. Spirituality bumps and grinds against sweat, while there’s some super-punchy production to bounce the songs out of your speakers. Business as usual, some might say. With hindsight, what the rants and public acting out really did was to liberate Prince from the (by now) weighty legacy of almost twenty years in the music industry. We hear him returning, energised, to his restless muse and embracing her with passion.

There’s the rave up of "Endorphinmachine", brutal funk ("Housequake") and some vintage Prince in-your-face with "Billy Jack Bitch". Plus, of course, the glowing single "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" and epic closing track "Gold". It may not quite be Sign 'o' The Times but it’s damned good. Oh, and side four has five re-mixes of "I Hate U".

The history of this RSD 2022 re-issue is interesting. Warners released a numbered, limited edition promotional version in 1995. Unsurprisingly, it went on to become a most desirable collector’s item. If you have five hundred dollars to spare you may still be able to pick up a secondhand copy, though probably not at your local record store. Alternatively you can grab this accurate facsimile of the original vinyl release, presented on two golden egg-yolk records and sounding as fresh and bright-eyed as a newborn chick.

Bonus Factoids:

• If you dig deep on-line you can still find the Prince font with his symbol. 
• This version of The Gold Experience doesn’t include lyrics.

© Bruce Jenkins July 2022