Karmasuitsu

The Story

In 1984, just as Prince was reaching the height of his fame, he started dating Susannah Melvoin, lead singer of Prince’s concept band The Family and the twin sister of Wendy (who played in Princes band the revolution).

She was stylish, worldly and is noted to have introduced Prince to high fashion but at the same time very down to earth. It was evident to a lot of people at the time, that Prince was in love with her. Roy Bennet, (A lighting designer who worked closely with Prince) was quoted in Per Nilsens biography of Prince, “ He really loved her. She understood him. He told me one time that he was ‘afraid’ of Susannah because she could actually make him quit music.”

In August, 1985 in the build up to the shooting of the film ‘Under a Cherry Moon’, Prince & Susannah flew to France to spend some time together. They stayed at the Hotel Crillon, spending their days & nights exploring Paris highlife… and it was during this getaway, and mostly on the piano at the famous restaurant Maxim’s, that Prince drafted a collection of songs, each one a love letter to Susannah.

This collection of songs, later to be recorded during the filming of ‘Under a cherry moon’ was an extension of the flavour of material to appear on the films soundtrack - 1986’s Parade album. Mostly lead on piano, ‘Karmasuitsu,’ nicked named by Prince as ‘Parade’s lover’, pushed his exploration of the use of string arrangements, creating a huge cinematic feel….

Unfortunately the film misfired, and the pressures that had come with the filming, the release of its soundtrack and the films subsequent release, lead to the demise of Prince & Susannah’s relationship and the end of an engagement that had initially brought them so much happiness.

‘Karmasuitsu’ was intended to be the follow up to 1986’s Parade, but at Susannah’s request the album was never released. Initially Prince tried to compromise by suggesting it should be released under the disguise of an artist called Christopher Tracy (the name of Princes character in the film he was making at the time). In the end however, they agreed that it was external forces that had driven them apart, so the music on this album should be shielded from those same forces and kept as an intimate record of their love and the time they spent together…


...wouldn't it be great if this story was true.

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