Prince Preps 3 LPs for 09

Tools around Los Angeles with Miles Davis, too!

By Fred Mills

Los Angeles Times pop critic Ann Powers is reporting in her blog that this week she "received the Golden Ticket of journalistic invitations": a chance to interview Prince at his L.A. mansion. She spent 5 hours hanging out, observing and riding around and talking with the elusive, reclusive artist (among the side tidbits he revealed to her: one of his favorite cars is named "Miles Davis," and that he did not vote in favor of Prop 8 during the recent election since as a Jehovah's Witness he doesn't vote at all).

The main news, however, is that he's readying three full-length albums for release this year and is currently in "final negotiations with a major retailer" to distribute the product, no doubt hammering out a deal with Wal-Mart (who had great success with AC/DC last year), Best Buy (who flubbed its Guns N' Rosed deal), or, I dunno, Victoria's Secret (which makes the most sense of all for a lapsed pussyhounds like Prince).

The first CD is billed as "an electro-flavored solo effort" tentatively titled MPLSOUND, which is also the name of his recently-established guerilla website where he previewed a new song a couple of weeks ago.

Then there's Lotus Plant, a more "varied" and guitar-centric album, which was recently previewed on local radio station Indie 103.1. Lastly, he's got a record by his latest protégé (described by Powers as "comely" - ain't all his protégés thus!), Bria Valente, titled Elixir, and described as alternately "chill" and "nasty."

Well, all right then!