[*Note: I realize this news bit is a month old, but I'm posting it here anyway.]
The legendary pop rocker, musician, and recording artist Prince, formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, has declared that "the Internet is completely over." It wouldn't surprise me if his managers are going bananas over this PR mess.
According to the Detroit News:
'The Internet is completely over,' Prince told the Mirror. 'I don't see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won't pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can't get it.'
He added: 'The Internet's like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated.'
Prince is not a fan of digital devices, either. 'All these computers and digital gadgets are no good," he said. 'They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you.'
Not "a fan of digital devices, either"? Computers and "digital gadgets are no good" because "[t]hey just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you"? Has he forgotten that the Internet is the best invention since popcorn and chocolate?
While he's at it, can he define what's "not good" about digital technology, including those "gadgets" and computers he's been talking about? Getting back to the Internet allegedly being entirely over, what planet has he been on? The Internet has paved the way for some of the most creative music of this generation and has made online shopping and purchasing easier than ever.
He has already shut down his website (which is now defunct) and he refuses to license his new music to download stores and subscription services. How is he going to sell his new CD without having them available online? Is he going to allow physical retailers like Wal-Mart (even its UK division), Target, Meijer, K-Mart, and perhaps even FYE to carry in stock and sell his albums?
Don't get me wrong. I loved him back in the '80s and even '90s. His 1984 album (not to mention his first film of the same name) Purple Rain, which was highly praised and lauded by critics for its innovative and experimental sound, made him an international star. As a soundtrack to the movie, it was just quite a sensational experience because of the originality and freshness of his melodies and lyrics. To this day it's regarded not only as a classic but also as one of the greatest rock albums of all time in the history of the music business.
Notwithstanding his odd behavior and uncanny and unconventional methods of performing on stage and composing and writing his music catalog, I have always viewed him as a legendary prodigy of his generation. But that does not excuse his own gross stupidity over his statement in which he directly compares the Internet to MTV. Comparing the Internet to MTV is like comparing the typewriter to a personal computer. Given his idiotic statement, this clod will find out that he's shot himself in the foot financially, professionally, and musically.
Because of his sheer illogic and lunacy, I find myself not inclined to purchase another CD of his again. By making that statement to the public (which should be viewed as an embarrassment to his publicist and his manager), he has certainly killed any chance of a possible comeback, let alone his pop music career. To make matters worse, he's made it his priority to legally sue the pants off after eBay, the Pirate Bay, and YouTuber users for buying and downloading his copyrighted catalog off the Internet.
The problem with Prince is that he's become irrelevant as a musician. He's not as young and hip as he used to be, and he's lost his knack for writing good material these days. (Ever listened to samples of his most recent CDs that came out within the last few years? They are abysmal as well. A lot of the crap that he's written lately is fueled in part of his loopy Jehovah Witness religion and ideology, but that goes without saying to be honest.)
O most Purple One: I hate to burst your bubble, but it's you who's over. You've been over for well over a decade. Your last couple of albums (I've sampled some of them off of iTunes) suck, and your new music sounds god awful, which is a stark contrast to the old legendary classics you put out years ago.
In a nutshell, Prince, you're a has-been. You've been yesterday's news for years, and acts like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are storming the charts. Get used to it.
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