JAPAN: THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE PROMOTES HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM 'EMANCIPATION'

Record ID: 386755

  • Title: JAPAN: THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE PROMOTES HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM 'EMANCIPATION'
  • Date: 31st October 1996
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 31, 1996) (RTV ACCESS ALL) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE ARRIVING AT TOKYO AIRPORT / JOURNALISTS RUNNING AFTER HIM / ARTIST WALKING THROUGH TERMINAL WITH BODYGUARDS (NOVEMBER 1, 1996) TAFKAP ENTERS PRESS CONFERENCE, POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE SYMBOL WHICH IS NOW HIS NAME ON THE BACK OF HIS COAT RECE
  • Embargoed: 15th November 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA2XKRLUDQD2P3BAIWIJ2DX6YQ4
  • Story Text: The Artist Formerly Known As Prince (TAFKAP) travelled to Tokyo last week to promote his forthcoming new album, "Emancipation".

    The triple CD is being released as the result of a new contract that TAFKAP's own label New Power Generation has signed with EMI-Capitol Music Group, after shaking free of his unhappy association with Warner Music.

    Under the new deal, EMI-Capitol will manufacture, distribute and promote TAFKAP's records. TAFKAP is to have complete artistic control of his work which he was denied with Warner. When TAFKAP's relationship with Warner had soured, he used to appear with the word "Slave" written on his cheek in protest and he rarely made personal appearances to promote his music.

    TAFKAP appeared in Tokyo to present his new album but would not allow cameras to film his news conference as he had a sore throat which was affecting his voice. After posing for photographs wearing a jacket bearing the symbol which he has adopted as his new name, TAFKAP said "Emancipation" was the first album he had made with complete freedom. He added he was prouder of it than any of his previous work.

    He played the 'Emancipation' CD for journalists at a press conference, commenting on some of the circumstances in which he had composed the music. In February this year he married Mayte Garcia - on Valentine's Day - and has just become a father. He said that the baby's heartbeat, recorded from the womb, was mixed into the music on one track titled "Sex in the Summer". Another track, "Let's Have a Baby" was a song he played for his wife when he showed her the nursery he had prepared for their baby. He said she was so moved by it she burst into tears.

    There were more tears of joy he said, from the composer of the first single to come from the album, "Betcha by Golly, Wow". TAFKAP said Linda Creed was overjoyed when she heard he was planning to record the classic song made famous by the Stylistics in the 1970s.

    Another song on the album, "Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife" was written by TAFKAP on an earlier visit to Japan, a country he said he "loves a lot", adding this was the reason he decided to launch the album in Tokyo.

    TAFKAP plans to tour with the album and a new band in the near future, although no dates have been set. He will unveil the music to the public during a satellite transmission from his recording studio at Paisley Park in his home town of Minneapolis on November 12. The album will be released, appropriately enough, on Emanciaption Day, a U.S. holiday which falls on November 19.

    Despite his career change TAFKAP will still use the unpronounceable symbol as his name. When asked by a journalist at the Tokyo press conference what we should call him now, he said simply "Your friend, I hope".
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