Auction of Prince items includes unreleased recordings, guitar, wedding china, handcuffs, wait…what?
An auctioneer based in Los Angeles is currently holding an online sale of 95 items related to Prince. The sale, which is taking place without Prince’s endorsement or participation, includes items owned by his ex-wife Mayte Garcia and his first manager, Owen Husney.
Among the most significant items are a cassette including previously unreleased recordings, a guitar played by Prince on early demos, a pair of handcuffs used for a stage performance, and sets of china used at the wedding of Prince and Mayte — featuring Prince’s unmistakable “love symbol.” Mayte and Prince were married from 1996 to 2000. Husney was Prince’s first manager, the artist’s representative when he signed his first Warner Bros. contract in 1977.
Several of the items being auctioned are of undeniable interest to fans of Prince’s music. A 1959 Gibson L-series guitar, played by Prince on early demos, is selling for a minimum bid of $60,000. A 1978 cassette tape ($20,000) from the collection of Prince collaborator Dez Dickerson features “unique” versions of “So Blue,” “Gotta Broken Heart Again,” and “Sometimes It Snows In April,” along with recordings of three previously unreleased songs. The auction also includes mastering reference tapes from Prince’s debut album For You($1,000) and handwritten lyrics to the song “In Love” ($7,500).
Other items are strictly of extramusical interest. A 50-piece set of china from Mayte’s 1996 wedding to Prince is going for a minimum bid of $50,000; and a pair of rhinestone-studded handcuffs used during a Soul Train performance of “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” are going for $10,000 (key included). There’s also a large selection of clothing, no item selling for less than $1,000 (for each of a few scarves, one of which Prince wore when he met the Muppets).
Even Mayte’s diamond engagement ring is on the auction block — selling for a minimum bid of $100,000, that price including the handwritten heart-shaped notes “which Prince used to lead her on a romantic journey to the ring,” according to the auction house. For Husney’s part, he’s offering a 1977 check he wrote to Prince — endorsed with a very Prince-like flourish.
Via The Current
Entertainment One Teams with Chris Deaux’s Two Fifteen West Entertainment in First Look Alternative Television Programming Deal
Entertainment One (eOne) has entered into an overall first-look deal with veteran reality television producer Chris Deaux and his newly-minted Two Fifteen West Entertainment. The deal further bolsters eOne’s Alternative Programming division’s slate of successful programming and strong development pipeline. Under the pact, Deaux will develop and produce unscripted programming with eOne through his Two Fifteen West shingle. The announcement was made today by Tara Long, Executive Vice President of U.S. Alternative Programming, eOne Television.
“When it comes to creating exciting, compelling unscripted content, Chris is a true force to be reckoned with. He has an established track record for identifying striking stories and concepts, and producing successful projects with unique perspectives, and we are eager to join forces with him to bring a slate of innovative, talent-driven projects to audiences,” said Long.
“This is an extremely exciting time to be a content creator and I am thrilled to be launching Two Fifteen West in association with a company as well regarded and successful as Entertainment One,” said Deaux.
Deaux is the established reality producer behind numerous successful television series. Prior to founding Two Fifteen West Entertainment, Deaux served as SVP of Development at Intuitive Entertainment where he developed and Executive Produced Atlanta Plastic and The Rap Game, now both in their second seasons on Lifetime; King of Cones for Food Network and Rods N’ Wheels for Discovery. Before Intuitive, Deaux was SVP of Development at Film Garden Entertainment where he created and Executive Produced Hogs Gone Wild on Discovery as well as Rock Bottom on Fuse and Extra Yardage on DIY. Previously he was head of development for Banyan Productions where he developed a number of additions to the Trading Spaces franchise as well as created the syndicated series Ambush Makeover and Design Invasion. Deaux is repped by CAA.
Two Fifteen West Entertainment joins a revered group of producers focused on alternative programming who hold first-look deals with eOne Television, including Kevin Healey (Scare Tactics, Fameless), Riaz Patel (How Do I Look?), and Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez’s Creature Films (Behind the Music). eOne also recently entered into a multi-year deal with esteemed producers Matt Anderson and Nate Green’s Purveyors of Pop (Married to Medicine, Real Housewives of Miami) to develop and co-produce premium unscripted content across multiple platforms.
Since eOne Television’s U.S. Alternative Programming division launched in 2012, Long and her team have rapidly expanded its business, having developed and produced an impressive and successful slate of programs including Nellyville, It’s A Mann’s World and The Sheards for BET; Mary Mary for WE tv; David Spade’s comedy prank show Fameless for truTV, which received an extended season order; SWV: Sisters With Voices for WE tv which was the highest rated freshman premiere in the network’s history; sports competition show Ball Up: Search For The Next for Fox Sports Net; psychological game show Race to Escape for Science Channel; documentary Born Without Limbs for TLC; and a series of specials of Big Surprise for E! featuring stars such as Nick Cannon and Macklemore.
New series this season include Growing Up Hip Hop, the docu-series following next generation of hip-hop royalty for WE tv; Nicole & Jionni’s Shore Flip on FYI; and About the Business, the docu-series following a tight-knit group of friends in the elite world of urban Hollywood for BET.
Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason On The Making Of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” appeared on Pink Floyd’s 1975 album Wish You Were Here, and was conceived and written as a tribute and remembrance to their former band member Syd Barrett.This audio-only video contains BBC commentators and drummer Nick Mason discussing and playing back segments of the multitrack.
The song was first performed on their 1974 French tour, and recorded for their 1975 concept album Wish You Were Here. It was intended to be a side-long composition (like “Atom Heart Mother” and “Echoes”), but was ultimately split into two sections and used to bookend the album, with new material composed that was more relevant to the album, and to the situation in which the band found themselves.
One day during recording, Barrett (now heavyset, with a completely shaved head and eyebrows) wandered into the studio (although Mason has since stated that he is not entirely certain whether “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” was the particular work being recorded when Barrett was there). Because of his drastically changed appearance, the band did not recognize him for some time. When they eventually determined the withdrawn man in the corner was Barrett, Roger Waters allegedly became so distressed about his appearance he was reduced to tears. Someone asked to play the suite again for Barrett and he said a second playback was not needed when they had just heard it. When asked what he thought of the song, Barrett said it sounded a “bit old”. He subsequently slipped away during celebrations for Gilmour’s wedding to Ginger Hasenbein, which took place later that day.
Keyboardist Richard Wright says, Roger was there, and he was sitting at the desk, and I came in and I saw this guy sitting behind him–huge, bald, fat guy. I thought, “He looks a bit…strange…” Anyway, so I sat down with Roger at the desk and we worked for about ten minutes, and this guy kept on getting up and brushing his teeth and then sitting–doing really weird things, but keeping quiet. And I said to Roger, “Who is he?” and Roger said “I don’t know.” and I said “Well, I assumed he was a friend of yours,” and he said “No, I don’t know who he is.” Anyway, it took me a long time, and then suddenly I realised it was Syd, after maybe 45 minutes. He came in as we were doing the vocals for Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which was basically about Syd. He just, for some incredible reason picked the very day that we were doing a song which was about him. And we hadn’t seen him, I don’t think, for two years before. That’s what’s so incredibly…weird about this guy. And a bit disturbing, as well, I mean, particularly when you see a guy, that you don’t, you couldn’t recognise him. And then, for him to pick the very day we want to start putting vocals on, which is a song about him. Very strange.
Jim Morrison’s Isolated Vocals For The Doors’ “Crystal Ships”
The Doors’ The Crystal Ship is from their 1967 debut album The Doors. It was also the B-side of the number-one hit single “Light My Fire”. According to Doors drummer John Densmore it was a love song to Jim Morrison’s former girlfriend, Mary Werbelow.
Bonus fact: The TV show Breaking Bad references the song in the second episode of season 5, “Madrigal”, when Jesse Pinkman refers to his and Walter White’s Crystal Methamphetamine Lab Recreational Vehicle as “The Crystal Ship”, a name that Pinkman christened himself.
Kiefer Sutherland Announces Nationwide 26-City Tour And Debut Album, “Down In A Hole”
– Kiefer Sutherland will bring his rich, soulful vocals and guitar licks to venues across the country beginning April 14 when he performs for audiences with a set list that includes cuts from his folk-tinged album, Down In A Hole, set for release this summer.
Sutherland, known for his starring role on the Fox series “24,” will bring his debut tour as a musician to 26 venues across the country beginning April 14. More dates will be added.
A professional actor his entire adult life, Sutherland starred in movies like ‘Stand By Me’, ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘Young Guns’, Flatliners’, ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘A Time to Kill’, ‘Dark City’, ‘Melancholia’ and most recently, a western called ‘Forsaken’ and the upcoming ABC series “Designated Survivor.”
Unknown to many during the course of his career, he has taken on other vocations with the same kind of dedication and commitment. In 2002, Sutherland, with his music partner and best friend Jude Cole, began a small record label called Ironworks. The goal of this label was to record local musicians and distribute their music at a time when the music industry was going through a monumental shift. Some of their artists included Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, HoneyHoney and Billy Boy On Poison. In 2009, Sutherland left the label to recharge and figure out what he was going to do next.
In early 2015 Sutherland played Cole two songs he had written and wanted to record as demos for other artists to record. Cole responded positively to the songs and the album grew organically from those recordings. Two songs became four and four grew into six, until Cole suggested that they make a record. Their collaboration resulted in Sutherland’s upcoming debut album: Down In A Hole.
“It’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a journal or diary. All of these songs are pulled from my own personal experiences. There is something very satisfying about being able to look back on my own life, good times and bad, and express those sentiments in music. As much as I have enjoyed the writing and recording process, I am experiencing great joy now being able to play these songs to a live audience, which was something I hadn’t counted on,” Sutherland said of the 11-track album. A track listing and release date will be announced soon.
KIEFER SUTHERLAND ON TOUR:
April 14 Milwaukee, Wis. – Shank Hall
April 15 Madison, Wis. – Majestic
April 16 Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Pyramid Scheme
April 18 Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Ark
April 19 Cleveland, Ohio – Grog Shop
April 20 Pittsburgh, Pa. – Hard Rock Cafe
April 22 Huntington, W. Va. – V Club
April 23 Cincinnati, Ohio – Ballroom at the Taft
April 24 Indianapolis, Ind – Vogue
April 26 Columbus, Ohio – A&R Music Bar
May 04 Charlotte, N.C. – Visulite Theatre
May 06 Raleigh, N.C. – Lincoln Theatre
May 08 Richmond, Va. – Capital Ale House
May 09 Annapolis, Md. – Ram’s Head Tavern
May 11 Wilmington, Del. – World Cafe Live
May 12 Teaneck, N.J. – Mexicali Live
May 14 Pawling, N.Y. – Daryl’s House
May 15 Ithaca, N.Y. – The Dock
May 16 Buffalo, N.Y. – Iron Works
May 19 Northampton, Mass. – Iron Horse
May 20 Boston, Mass. – Brighton Music Hall
May 21 Providence, R.I. – The Met
May 24 Asbury Park, N.J. – Stone Pony
May 25 Long Island, N.Y. – Founders Room
May 26 Sellersville, Pa. – Sellersville Theater
May 28 Amagansett, N.Y. – Stephen Talkhouse
Inappropriate Musicals with James Corden, Martin Short and Will Arnett
James Corden welcomes Martin Short and Will Arnett to help him transform the classic films Goodfellas, The Revenant and Gladiator into edgy musicals.