Illinois arts groups lined up for federal ‘America 250’ money. What version of our history will they tell? Honored to have been interviewed by @ericathompson.bsky.social to discuss history and Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project for @wbez.org www.wbez.org/arts-culture...
Indeed, Prince’s descriptions of the symbol shifted throughout the 1990s. I’ve compiled and analyzed a lot of what he said. I’m looking forward to discussing it with readers. He left a lot for us to interrogate! 7/7
“To each person, it means something different,” Tschetter said of the symbol. “It can morph. And maybe if he was still alive, it might have kept changing.” 6/7
She researched everything from Egyptian mythology to color theory as part of her design process. I met her in person on a last-minute trip to Minneapolis a few years ago. 5/7
I am also thrilled that I was able to speak to Prince’s former creative director, Sotera Tschetter. She was tasked with creating a new version of the symbol, which he’d been using in his art since the 1980s. 4/7
I do so in chapter 11 of my book, which I think is one of the most important sections. After re-reading it, I realized it needed a complete rewrite. All of the information was there, but I needed to reorganize it to make it clearer for the reader. I’m so proud of it now! 3/7
What does this mean? Most people think about this transformation in the context of the artist’s dispute with Warner Bros. over ownership of his music. My goal is to unpack the deeper messages behind the symbol based on Prince’s spiritual interests at the time. 2/7
Two years after Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993, he provided some insight on the decision in an interview with Q magazine: “It was a great spiritual revelation, and the last time it happened was on ‘Lovesexy,’ and the time before that was ‘Purple Rain.’” 1/7
In 1996, when the Oscars' 166 nominees included just one Black person, Jackson called for more diversity in Hollywood, writes @ericathompson.bsky.social. That was 20 years before the #OscarsSoWhite campaign. 🧵
chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-t...
But one of my most important chats was with Ingrid Chavez, a poet, singer and spiritual muse for Prince. Years ago, I shared a little bit from that interview on my blog. Check it out here. 5/5 www.apurpledayindecember.com/2018/05/cros...
Instead of relying solely on my own conclusions, I’ve interviewed people to provide context for what was being communicated onstage. Commentary from lighting and set designer LeRoy Bennett and The Revolution keyboardist Matt Fink has been especially helpful. 4/5
If you watch them back to back, you can really see a progression of Prince’s struggle to reconcile the sacred with the profane, and then an eventual spiritual rebirth. 3/5
Studying Prince’s tours has been such a fun and informative part of my research process. My book includes analysis of select concert tours throughout his career. In the 1980s, the “Purple Rain,” “Sign O’ the Times” and “Lovesexy” shows included the most extensive spiritual content. 2/5
If you’ve attended a #Prince show, you’ve witnessed incredible musicianship, dynamic dance moves and boundless charisma. You’ve also heard some spiritual messages or seen some spiritual symbolism; whether you noticed it is another question. 1/5
Really interesting story from @ericathompson.bsky.social - Black Chicagoans embrace the quarter-zip trend while discussing its meaning chicago.suntimes.com/entertainmen...
I also had a lovely time interviewing several noteworthy Rolling Stone journalists. On Friday, I’ll be sending a copy of the paper to subscribers of my Prince newsletter, “A Purple Day in December.” Click here to sign up: eepurl.com/gdTiuL 4/4
I unpacked Prince’s statement by studying Rolling Stone’s coverage of the musician, as well as the magazine’s history. My paper reveals how race, culture, artistry, commercial appeal and shifts in the music industry have influenced the publication’s process of featuring artists. 3/4
I was intrigued by a comment Prince made to Entertainment Weekly in 2004: “It took me four albums to get on the cover of Rolling Stone, now it takes artists only one. There should be rules for that kind of thing!” (It actually took five albums.) 2/4
In 2011, I submitted an academic paper, “An Analysis of Rolling Stone’s Coverage of Prince, 1978-2004,” to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. 1/4
There are probably other Prince eras I would give the slightest edge to musically, but this is the one I feel most aligned with philosophically. Looking forward to reading your full take on it!!
You can hear me discuss “Sexuality,” one of Prince’s key songs of this era, on a 2021 episode of “The Press Rewind – Prince Lyrics Podcast.” 4/4
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I most enjoyed learning about the origins of his recurring concept of “the dawn” (not on record yet, but something he was already toying with according to those who knew him) and some of his spiritual experiences offstage. 3/4
His “early doctrine” is really encapsulated in this trio of albums: “Dirty Mind,” “Controversy” and “1999.” Over this period, you can hear him establishing a philosophy of liberation through sexual freedom, while gradually introducing Christian ideology. 2/4
Tracking #Prince’s spiritual path means following the music. And with nearly 40 studio albums, he had a lot to say. After years of studying his discography & comments in interviews, as well as talking to people who knew him, I’ve organized his journey into six phases. 1/4
“I was both astounded and mesmerized."
Carl Sandburg’s ‘Chicago’ poem finds fresh relevance in a city occupied by ICE.
From @ericathompson.bsky.social via @chicago.suntimes.com: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Have Chicago’s top arts organizations fulfilled their diversity pledges?
I surveyed the 21 largest revenue earners about the diversity of their boards and staffs in 2021 and 2025. Only seven fully participated. Learn more in my story for @chicago.suntimes.com.
chicago.suntimes.com/entertainmen...
I wanted to see how D’Angelo would continue to evolve as part of this lineage. It was heartbreaking to put “late” in front of his name in my book yesterday. 4/4
Whether they are serving as inspirations or cautionary tales, these men are all teachers. And the Black artists coming after them can use the lessons. 3/4
One of my favorite sections is about Prince’s “spiritual predecessors”: Little Richard, Marvin Gaye and Al Green. There are obvious musical comparisons to be made, but I’m more interested in examining how they navigated the sacred and profane in their art and in their lives. 2/4
I’m currently revising my book on #Prince’s spiritual journey before I finish writing the last few chapters. Part of the process is trimming this massive draft down just a little bit. 1/4