Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain

(Paperback)

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Alan Light, former writer for Rolling Stone, editor-in-chief of Vibe and Spin magazines, and author of The Holy or the Broken, gets inside Princes mind palace in Lets Go Crazya history of the making of his historic, semi-autobiographical musical masterwork, Purple Rain (Vanity Fair).

Purple Rain is a song, an album, and a filmwidely considered to be among the most important albums in music history and often named the best soundtrack of all time. It sold over a million copies in its first week of release in 1984 and blasted to #1 on the charts, where it would remain for a full six months and eventually sell over 20 million copies worldwide. It spun off three huge hit singles, won Grammys and an Oscar, and took Prince from pop star to legendthe first artist ever simultaneously to have the #1 album, single, and movie in the country.

In Lets Go Crazy, acclaimed music journalist Alan Light takes a timely look at the making and incredible popularizing of this once seemingly impossible project. With impeccable research and in-depth interviews with people who witnessed and participated in Princes audacious vision becoming a reality, Light reveals how a rising but not yet established artist from the Midwest was able not only to get Purple Rain made, but deliver on his promise to conquer the world.

A must-read for the Prince die-hards who have remained devoted through the musical meanderings of the last three decades (Kirkus Reviews), Lets Go Crazy examines how the masterpiece that blurred R&B, pop, dance, and rock sounds altered the recording landscape and became an enduring touchstone for successive generations of fans.

Reviews

"Everything you ever wanted to know about the making of the popular Prince movieand much more.Beyond the minutiae of moviemaking and who was sleeping with whom, the book is particularly incisive in providing context, showing how video technology and black crossover artists were changing the marketplace. A few of the revelations are real howlers...But mainly, Light commemorates an anniversary that might otherwise have passed without much notice. A must-read for the Prince die-hards who have remained devoted through the musical meanderings of the last three decades." * Kirkus Reviews *
"Drawing on interviews with musicians and filmmakers involved in the making of the title song, the album, and the movie, Light provides not only a portrait of a musician compelled to share his musical vision, no matter the cost, but also a cultural history of the times in which the film and music debuted." * Publishers Weekly *
"Alan Light gets inside Princes mind palace in Lets Go Crazya history of the making of his historic, semi-autobiographical musical masterwork, Purple Rain." * Vanity Fair *
In all, Lights 300-page reassessment of Princes magnum opus is a revealing study in cinema and sound, not to mention a fascinating look at the dynamic young performer behind the songs (and image). * Cleveland Music Examiner *
Lights behind-the-scenes look at a rock classic offers an enticing glimpse into its charming yet enigmatic creator. * Booklist *
Praise for The Holy or the Broken

"Thoughtful and illuminating... [Mr. Light] is a fine companion for this journey through one songs changing fortunes." * The New York Times *
"A combination mystery tale, detective story, pop critique and sacred psalm of its own." * The Daily News *
"Brilliantly revelatory... A masterful work of critical journalism." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *
"A deeply researched mixture of critical analysis and cultural archaeology." * Los Angeles Times *
"Keeps the pages turning... A well-constructed, consistently enlightening book, which should have Cohen devotees and music fans alike seeking out their favorite version of the song." * The Boston Globe *
"Fresh and compelling." * Entertainment Weekly *
"Reverentially details every stage in the [song's] evolutionand along the way, he reveals the compelling stories behind some of its most iconic interpretations." * The Atlantic *
"AbsorbingEloquent... Light expertly unpacks the song's long, strange journey to ubiquity." * The Village Voice *
"A must for music fans." * Booklist (starred review) *
"Captures the essence of a song and of the culture it was reflecting... Its just so well done. * Christian Science Monitor *
"[A] charming ode to a pop culture phenomenon." * Publishers Weekly *

Author Bio

Emmy Awardwinning music journalist Alan Light is the author of numerous books includingThe Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of Hallelujah(which was adapted into an acclaimed documentary), as well asLets Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rainand biographies of Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, and the Beastie Boys. He was the cowriter of bestselling memoirs by Gregg Allman and Peter Frampton. Alan was a senior writer atRolling Stoneand the editor-in-chief ofVibeandSpin. He contributes frequently to The New York Times, Esquire, and The Wall Street Journal, among many publications, and cohosts the podcastSound Up!With Mark Goodman and Alan Light.