In 1984, Prince recorded a song called “Paisley Park” about a personal utopia that would become a reality a few years later. And there's a good reason why the pop superstar never left.
The singer-songwriter, who died in 2016 at the age of 57, is the subject of a new photobook, Prince: Icon. This piece looks back at his decades-long career, from his early days in his hometown of Minneapolis to his world tours, through the lenses of 17 photographers.
The book was curated by Steve Park, who was Prince's art director at Paisley Park for several years.
Park spoke to Fox News Digital about why Prince chose to remain in Minnesota after his meteoric rise to fame.
“Frankly, I think that's what held him back because when you go to a city like New York or Los Angeles, there's a lot of things that try to separate you,” he said. “Instead, he wanted to focus on being creative in one place instead of jumping around.”
“And he could afford to do that…to take the money he would have earned and invest it in studio space…that was unbelievable for someone his age. Many people think, “I'm going to buy a new car.” “I'll buy this.” “I'll do this.”
“He invested in himself, which I think is really great,” Park continued. “And I think it came down to investing in himself, being comfortable in the area, and knowing that he wasn't going to be too tempted to go out.
“It's not like he didn't do it…but I think it's on a different level in some cities, especially with other celebrities…people can approach you…I don't think he…was there on purpose. I think he wanted to distance himself from it.”
In 1987, Prince built a 65,000 square foot, $10 million recording complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota, named Paisley Park, The New Yorker reported.
According to the store, it was originally planned to be built as a commercial facility, but by the end of the 1990s it had stopped accepting outside customers.
The paper said it was unclear when Prince began living there, but that he wanted to create a “self-contained dominion” where he would enjoy “complete control” as an artist.
“When I first started going there, it was a recording studio that was open to everyone,” Park explained. “Anyone could book time there. One day I saw MC Hammer and his crew come in because they were rehearsing there…and as time went on, he opened all the studios. I started booking.”
“He had booked a lot of time and rehearsal space and soundstages and locked everything away. It became an empty place. [could] Try making a reservation,” Park pointed out.
“One of my experiences there was when they were filming 'Grumpy Old Man,'” Park said. “Ann-Margret was in that movie. I must have been 25 years old. And this woman walked up to me…she was still so beautiful…and she said, I'm like, “Have you seen that cute boy, Prince?'' I'm like, “No.'' That's when I was like, 'Oh my god, you're Ann-Margret! ' I thought. ”
Park also recalled receiving a pager from Prince. It was the era of buzzers. Starr said he needed to meet Park at a downtown shopping center.
“Prince showed up, he had some bodyguards with him,” Park said. “He's in a mall, in a public place, and people were like, 'Hey, prince.' They weren't into it. They recognized his presence, but it wasn't that bad. ”
And finding privacy outside the spotlight was easy in Minnesota, Park said.
“He would rent out entire movie theaters and bowling alleys late at night,” Park laughed. “…He was comfortable in Minneapolis…and it was the same at Paisley Park. He had a comfort level with everyone there…When they weren't rehearsing, they were making jokes.” It felt like a family.”
“I remember someone picking me up and taking me to Paisley Park,” he said. “At the time, all I could see was cornfields…and there was this big boxy building, very '80s style, with little pyramid-shaped glass on top that let the light in. I thought, 'What is this?' I thought it was in a big city. That's just what I was expecting. But he liked a place with more privacy and focus instead of being in the center of everything. I think so.”
“But it was a shock to me,” Park admitted. “At the time I didn't think it was in the middle of nowhere. Now it's grown… around that area… It was his home, but it was also much more than that. did.”
On Valentine's Day 1996, Prince married dancer Maite Garcia. Shortly thereafter, the couple found out they were to become parents. Before their son was born, they named him Amir, which means “prince” in Arabic.
“His controversial [at that time] He was wearing a sweater,” Park said. “It's weird for Prince. It's something people don't expect…he was much more relaxed. If you worked for him, you wouldn't know how many hours you worked. You knew what was going to happen.
“And I distinctly remember one night…I think it was 9 o'clock at night, but it was morning or noon for him…and all of a sudden I heard him start to yawn…and He said, “Maybe you should wrap it up.” '”
“I'm like, 'What?'” Park said. “…I think he was trying to find a compromise with his work schedule…just thinking about having kids…he was starting to retreat from that insane schedule.”
The baby, born in October of the same year, had Pfeiffer syndrome type 2, a rare genetic disorder. He lived for only 6 days.
Garcia wrote in her 2017 memoir that she suffered a miscarriage two years later. The couple divorced in 2000.
Prince was 57 years old when he was found alone and unresponsive in an elevator on the grounds of his Paisley Park studio. An autopsy determined that he died of an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Authorities say Prince likely did not know he was taking a dangerous drug laced with counterfeit pills made to look like a generic version of the painkiller Vicodin.
Park admitted that she had a hard time coming to grips with her friend's death. Today, he likes to recall that glimpse of this top-secret star.
“It was fun watching him play basketball,” Park said. “When I was out there in 1988, I saw him play a full game with his friends in the city.”
“…I also remember when I was working with him he said, 'Hey, come downstairs, I'm working on something,'” Park recalled. “I would meet him in a soundproof room, and he would wave me in, and he would be in the middle of a guitar riff, just talking to me…finally. In , he ended up playing the music he had been working on.
“…I heard later from his engineer that he never did that. He almost never did that to other musicians…If he did a good job, it was… I thought it was a reward…but I think he found comfort in it.”
