On Thursday, April 21, 2016 legendary pop artist Prince was found dead in his studio.
Love him or hate him, without a doubt he was a true musical genius who inspired and will inspire countless musicians, artists, performers and fans. His was a genuine celebration of Life.
Sometimes it snows in April…
A tribute:
SCAPEGOAT SHADOWS 
I did ape Prince as a young man. I learned to dance watching his first video clips and I also dressed in the same dandy spirit. His Peter Pan syndrome left me on the way. I felt his talent dry out as the years past but indeed Sometimes It Snows In April! In my opinion, the album Sign o’ the Times was his masterpiece.
Although rich and famous, he experienced the cruelty and injustice of life with the loss of two babies, I feel so sorry for him and his wife. His music will sing in my heart all my life from Controversy to Around the World in a Day…
Last night I viewed his first feature film Purple Rain; I doubt they were readers of René Girard but it is astonishing how this movie gives an excellent practical lesson about the triangular mimetic desire and the “doubles” concepts. Morris Day and Prince desire the same woman but also the same fame and they function as doubles in the mimetic desire triangle. Apollonia in return desires Prince’s fame and success. As they switch from stage to public life it is all the more relevant.
A true “romanesque” artist indeed.
I hope Erik will give us a more in depth analysis of the movie that, if not a masterpiece, at least is relevant regarding our human behavior.
Sad regards,
Laurent
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Hi Laurent,
I just had to do something to commemorate Prince. I’ve got most of his albums (about 40 CD’s) and have been a fan of his music and his talents ever since I saw Purple Rain. I watched that movie when I was home alone one day, a late summer night. I was about 18 at the time.
Indeed, the movie Purple Rain centers around mimetic dynamics. For instance, at times there’s the aggressive behavior of “The Kid” (Prince) towards Apollonia, which is an imitation of the way his father behaves towards his mother sometimes. There are subtleties in this campy movie one wouldn’t expect at first glance. It is obvious that Apollonia’s fondness of Prince is at the same time genuine and “corrupt”; she’s also a showbiz opportunist at times. Paradoxically, The Kid’s stories on stage express how he experiences what’s happening around him; there’s “honesty” and “authenticity” in his theatrical performance. In a Shakespearian way, The Kid reveals what’s really going on in his life on stage, while he keeps people at a distance off stage.
One of my favorite parts in Purple Rain is the performance of The Beautiful Ones, where the mimetic rivalry between The Kid and Morris Day over Apollonia reaches its climax. What a cathartic performance by Prince! A true shaman!
Sad regards indeed.
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