The book is a pretty good value for $30 (I preordered) -- a high glossy
coffeetable type book with nice CD-inset design on the inside front cover.
The pictures are high quality, even thought they are a bit overprocessed.
(Kind of like Prince overproducing even his live tracks).
The best pictures are those that show or attempt to tell the "backstage"
story of Prince's tour--would have been nice to see some more live shots,
candids, backstage shots, soundchecks, afterparties. Randee (or whoever's)
essay at the beginning was pretty insightful. "Those who have spent the
most time with him are both frustrated and inspired." Truer words could not
have been written. Too bad the majority of the pictures in the book
frustrate (the whole staged "maid" photograph series) rather than inspire,
like the few live / candid shots do. I guess with Prince the point is that
nothing is really ever candid... every thing has to be staged when it comes
to him.
Personally I found the Hawaii book more instrospective; maybe because of the
setting?
In any case, a major frustration for me as far as the book's design is
concerned is the placement of some of the pictures such that the spine runs
right down the middle of some of the central / main focal points of the
spreads, often time splitting Prince himself, obscuring text, etc.
At the end of the day, this book is going to go on the shelf with the Hawaii
book, the countless copies of the Emancipation lyrics book, and other
concert programs. There wasn't anything notably different about this
book--it's like a hardcover long version concert program that Prince used to
put out.
The major difference of course is the live CD, which I haven't listened to
yet. Hopefully it'll get more repeat play than the book.
<Moderator:I was telling Belinda the same thing about the concert program.
It's more a like a super longer version -Derek>
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