Prince assails record companies during rare appearance on Canadian TV
TORONTO (CP) – Rock superstar Prince used a rare appearance on Canadian television Wednesday to attack record companies for what he calls their “restrictive” control of the music industry.
With computer technology allowing people to record and distribute their own music, the days of record companies making money off artists are numbered, he said during a 20-minute interview at a MuchMoreMusic taping. “Kids today, I mean, they’re so talented and sophisticated,” Prince said. “They can create their own albums on laptops. They can deliver it through the Internet. They can even be their own distribution service.”
“I mean, what do we really need record companies for?” asked the performer, who lives in Toronto part-time with his wife, Toronto-born Manuela Testolini.
The Grammy winner got the audience of about 80 going before the interview with a three-song performance with his band. He even invited the foot-stomping crowd to dance alongside him on stage.
About 20 fans took him up on the offer as Prince gyrated and sang in front of several cameras.
Hours later, he was to perform his second concert in as many nights at the Air Canada Centre.
Even by MuchMusic standards, this was not a typical day. A quick scan of the audience hovering around the stage revealed many of them to be MuchMusic employees.
Veteran VJ Bill Welychka, the host of the show, said there “really is a sense of royalty” in the air with Prince in the building.
“What can I say?” Welychka said. “Everyone’s really excited to see him because he’s no less than a legend.”
MuchMoreMusic’s Intimate and Interactive with Prince airs Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT.
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