Before Controversy, before 1999, Purple Rain, Parade, Sign O The Times and Paisley Park recording studios... local Minneapolis based entrepreneur Owen Husney, knew Prince Rogers Nelson, before he became Prince. The one who became one of the greatest artists and musicians of our time. As his first manager Owen ensured that Prince was signed to a 3 album record deal, with a high degree of autonomy to produce his own work. This was unheard of in the mid to late 1970s. This is his story, and his reflections on a unique time in music history.
INTRO
2mins - Fan Questions: what happened at the Rio in Las Vegas?
3mins30s - Early, and unreasonable demands from Prince. Mentors and moving on without malice...
6mins30s - What was it like managing other artists vs managing Prince? Working with Andre Cymone and Jesse Johnson.
9mins30s - Working with the Prince Estate on a potential 'For You' Deluxe edition, Owen shares his view.
10mins30s - Keeping a diary and creating an archive since his earliest experiences in the music industry.
11mins30s - Tapes Prince cut at Owen's house in the late 1970s.
12mins - Getting Prince's music out to young people now, the importance of sharing with a new generation who weren't born during Prince's heyday.
15mins30s - The transformational effect Prince is still having on current fans of his music, reflections from Owen's recent book tour.
18mins - How did Prince lay down tracks in the early days? And an early test for Prince with Warner Bros, to see 'if he could really do it'.
21mins - Prince rejects the chance to work with Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire (on his first album). "I'm attempting to do something new..."
22mins30s - Jamming with Prince (briefly) in an LA basement back in the day...
24mins30s - "Just pay attention to the energy coming out of the socket..."
26mins - How Owen felt at Prince's passing and his view on the success of Prince's life. "I did not want him to become isolated..." "I think Prince turned himself inside out to give us his gift. A lot of artists do it..."
30mins30s - Getting blown away by Prince in concert at the LA Forum. "He had gone from a guy in a band, to a frontman, he had completely transformed into something beyond what I thought he could be."
32mins - "Selfishly speaking....I kind of said to myself, yeah your instincts were right Owen..!"
33mins30s - The unexplainable magic of Prince, and A Sly Stone story...