PRINCE | PURPLE RAIN
Synthesizer psychedelics meet funk soul on one of the most celebrated albums of all time.
Prince is a musical powerhouse and flourishes on any instrument he picks up. Layering guitar, keyboard, synths and drum machines for the Purple Rain album he created the most pop-oriented album of his career, even while it was highly experimental. The album reflects the compelling nature of his soul and his uninhibited conceptual ideas. He’s less interested with playing it safe and more obsessed with stylistics and sexual overtones.
“When Doves Cry” is still like nothing ever released in the history of music, bold but gentle, sparse and futuristic it could only come from one man on Earth. “Let’s Go Crazy” and “I Would Die 4 U still send people flying to the dance floor and showcase the power of his soul-funk-rock charisma. The cornerstone of the album’s sound comes from the Linn LM-1 drum machine which set Prince’s music apart from his contemporaries at the time. Prince landed one for a mere $17,600 (in today’s money) and it proved to be a wise investment. The album’s legacy and the sound of that machine are inseparable. He didn’t just select a stock beat and press play, but rather used it in usual and creative ways from detuning the drums to creating unusual patterns.
The title track is a gigantic power ballad that brings R&B and pop together in a blissful lament. It was originally written as a country collaborate with Stevie Nicks, but later refused because she found the instrumental “too overwhelming.” It serves as the heart for the rest of the album’s body, mind, spirit, and soul. The film of the same name is tied to the album and further proves Prince’s prolific abilities.
The album launched Prince into mainstream culture and carved him out as one of the leading artists of his generation. The ruffled shirt, purple jacket, and motorcycle became larger than life as his stardom dominated the pop culture landscape of 1984 and the years to follow. The album remains a rich bouquet of love, idealism, hope, and horniness.
PURPLE RAIN
2.5 oz Empress gin
1 oz blue curaçao
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
*Place ingredients on a shaker with ice and shake to combine. Strain into a coup glass. Garnish with a purple flower.