Lockdown With The Weight Of Everyting

Here you go ... the theme song for the "Lockdown" that the entire world has been living under while the global Covid-19 pandemic rages on. My brother, Paul Gronner, has a band called The Weight of Everything (Heavy!), and he recorded an entire album Dealing With The Unknown in three weeks while under quarantine in Los Angeles.

He then came to Minneapolis, where I have been helping out my Mom (lost her leg almost a year ago) and my brother, Rich (had a mild stroke a month and a half ago). We worked hard fixing up things at my Mom's house - and then we worked on his music video for his new single, "Lockdown". Here it is:

We shot this all over Minnesota, mainly in Minneapolis, and there are about a zillion landmarks included in the story of the video. It was the anniversary of Prince's death while Paul was here, so we had to do the pilgrimage to Paisley Park again, and it was just as emotional as when we lost him. Most of the landmarks were pretty well deserted, so that added the weird quality of isolation that the song conjures up. My favorite part is the rock-out at the end, with Paul using the little guitar he taught himself to play on in his childhood room (also featured - the room with The Bad Brains poster!).

Nature has been our savior throughout all of this, and that majesty features heavily in the video as well. From eagles soaring to ducks gliding, from flowers blooming to the sun setting and the moon rising ... we share with you some of the beauty that has gotten us through.

Seasons changed during the filming, and you will be taken from the icy isolation of winter into the hope being exhaled by Spring. My favorite part is the rock-out at the end, which is as fun to watch as it was to film. Release! Paul is back in L.A. now, so I'm super wistful as I watch this video ... wishing he was still here, and also wistful for the way the world used to be. I am super proud of my brother, I love this video, and I hope you will too.

*(I also hope you will support him by buying his album at Apple or Spotify, as while he was here helping, his work van got stolen from in front of his house, and he could now really use the support! THANK YOU!)

LOCKDOWN By The Weight of Everything is available everywhere now! 

Venice Muralist Never Hits Minneapolis - A Day Of Prince Art

Well, I'm back in Minneapolis for a bit, but always take a little Venice with me. I was happy to hear that muralist Jonas Never (artist of the big black and white Touch Of Evil piece on Windward in Venice, among many others) was here in town working on a big Prince piece downtown in the North Loop, on the side of a Floyd's Barbershop.

I went down to check it out, and it's a great addition (though the face reminds me more of Fred Armisen as Prince) to the many Prince tributes around the legend's hometown. It made me want to pay a visit to Paisley Park, as I hadn't been out there since I went after Prince's death in 2016. All the hoopla has settled down out there, but as I drove down Highway 5 past Paisley Park, I had to pull over fast. I saw that down a bike path along the highway there was still a big fence full of purple tributes to Prince Rogers Nelson. There was nowhere to safely park, so I went to an office park, climbed a fence, walked back along the highway, through a drainage ditch, over another little fence, and behold - a beautiful memorial remains for all to come from around the globe and pay their respects.

There were so many lovely sentiments written, and so many creative ways of showing one's love for the Artist that can never be replaced, and who will clearly never, ever be forgotten. People had whole books inside of plastic sleeves, flowers, pancake mix, starfish and coffee, and even a purple Prince jacket. One could spend the whole afternoon just reading what Prince has meant to so many.

A little sign said that the memorial was kept up by area neighbors, and to please not take anything, and to be sure to visit the tunnel too. Tunnel?! On my way ...

I was surprised to see a guy down there in the tunnel under the highway, wearing a purple beret and painting away at an easel. His name is Dan Lacey, and he is known as the "Painter of Pancakes". I remembered seeing him back in 2016, when he was set up among the droves of mourners and tributes, doing a piece of Prince on a bike.

Lacey continues to paint Prince and help maintain the Memorial, and he was great about giving me all the information and trivia on Prince that one would ever hope for. He even had a flyer printed up called "Prince's Places", and you can go visit the various homes and landmarks made famous by our beloved native son, including all of the local murals.

There was a piece of Prince done on the ceiling of the tunnel, that Lacey told me was done by an artist that used to cut herself, but now uses knives to create. He pointed out the detail on her piece, and you could see that the whole work was made up of Prince symbols created with a knife. Cool.

A couple more people came through while I was down there in the tunnel chatting with Lacey, and you could see that they too were visibly moved. It was their first visit to Paisley Park, and I forget now where they were from, but their point of being in Minnesota was to pay their respects at Paisley Park. Prince's life was so big and reached out so far, that it's sad all over again when you realize what a massive void his loss has left, and how easily it could have been prevented. It's truly a damn shame.

I told Lacey I would let him know when the Never mural was done and where it is, so here you go! And thank you for helping to keep the wonderful memories of this once in a lifetime star alive for Minnesotans, and for his legions of fans from around the world. He was truly something else.

Prince Rogers Nelson June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016 - Forever.

Minnesota, Hats Off To Thee!

I just returned from a much needed jaunt home to Minnesota, because there is really no place else as lovely in the Summer. And this year, it's really showing off.

The weather was absolutely perfect the entire time, no humidity, no mosquito bites, I'm really not sure what was going on, but the whole state was working overtime to lure me back. I've never seen bluer blues or greener greens in nature ... no filters required. My first stop is almost always Wood Lake Nature Center, and that's when I know I'm truly home. The trails and animals and nature and people you cross paths with are all just quintessential Minnesota. I was happy to find out that you can now purchase maple syrup and honey at Wood Lake, both tapped and harvested right there in the woods. Perfect.

Apart from the nature, the main reason for going home is always the People. The family and friends that have been there for me my whole life, and never fail to make me feel stronger and real, real lucky. I saw my friends from high school, my friends from college, and friends that I hadn't seen in two decades, including my Augsburg College professor who had saved my senior project documentary on Paisley Park all these years! It was all incredibly special, and I was once again reminded of how fortunate I was to grow up where I did, with these wonderful people.

Wonderful People ... I had not been home since the death of Prince, and was not really prepared for how strong the emotion still is, or how big of an impact his passing still (and always will) has on Minneapolis. We went to pay our respects at First Avenue at Prince's star, and found that the city has placed pianos with Prince themes all over town. We sat down at the one at First Avenue and played a little song for Prince Rogers Nelson, as rain feel around us (not purple, but still symbolic).

Even more moving was the scene at Paisley Park. I was all choked up as we walked the fences surrounding the compound where Prince both lived and was found lifeless. Scores of fans are still there paying their respects, and the fences hold memorials from all over the world. It's really something to see, and provides a glimpse into just how much this legend meant to so many people - globally.

We brought our purple flowers with purple ribbons, and watched a man paint a portrait of Prince with a pancake for his third eye. Parents brought their children and grandparents, and you saw representatives from all walks of life, all equally affected, and all respectfully quiet. It was a beautiful day, and all I could hope was that Prince can somehow see how many lives he touched in his time on Earth ... and will continue to do so through his music (which all of the Minneapolis fireworks were coordinated to yesterday!). I read long stories (encased in plastic) from people who had life-changing encounters with Prince, and felt the weight of the loss even more. It's still so sad, it still makes no sense, but I somehow feel a little better for having gone to see it all. It's something else.

Summer is so precious in Minnesota, and everyone knows it. No one takes it for granted. You hear everyone saying, "Isn't it a beautiful day?!" and know that they all know that these days of Summer are fleeting and must be enjoyed to their fullest. It's a kind of forced Zen, with a whole state of Buddhas, all living in the very moment, and loving every bit of it.

White puffy clouds fill the sky like nowhere else I've ever seen. The blue of the sky and water is so bright it almost hurts to look at. The green of the grass and trees is so vibrant it doesn't even seem real. And no one wants to be inside. Outdoor restaurant patios are full all Summer, backyards become dining rooms, and it's tempting even to sleep outside, if not for that state bird, the mosquito (though I did return with not even one bite!). We're all aware of what a special time it is, with even the radio announcers gushing daily about how beautiful it is outdoors.

Minnesotans spend the Summer near or on water the whole time, mainly because you can't avoid it with 11,842 lakes, major rivers, ponds, swimming holes, creeks, and pools everywhere. We spent the weekend on the St. Croix in our friends' gorgeous boat ("Worth The Winter"!), and it was excellent. I slept in a comfy bed under a skylight, looking up at the zillions of bright stars until I fell asleep on the gently swaying boat anchored in the middle of the river.

We awoke to see a hot air balloon festival get underway, as if things needed to be even more picturesque. The days are filled with water sports, eating, drinking, and generally just feeling total happiness.

Boats fill the river, and the sunsets rival the fireworks that are blasted off over the water. The sunsets that don't even happen until ten at night because Minnesota is so far north. I think that might be my favorite part of it all ...

There are several must see and dos for me whenever I'm home, from special things to eat to special locations that mean a lot to my family and I. I always have to go around the city lakes, and give my love to my favorite one of those, Lake Of The Isles.

I don't know many cities like Minneapolis, where even in the middle of the city, you never feel very far from nature. The lakes are everywhere, and you could be anywhere, except you glance up and there's a skyline for a major Metropolis there too.

I try to always visit Minnehaha Falls when I'm home, because it's always beautiful no matter what time of the year it is, but also because we have a lot of family memories there, and I can still feel them. Summer is the best there though, because you have Seasalt, the great seafood restaurant owned by my Augsburg friend, Jon Blood (whom I also had not seen in like 20 years!).

It's the best to celebrate Independence Day in Minnesota, for all of the above reasons, but also because it just feels like all of the best things about America. I needed that. The real Americana. The real people. The real stuff that makes our country great. I had to leave before all of the festivities got under way to get back to L.A. for work, but what a joy to celebrate freedom and justice for all in both of my home sweet homes, the lands that I love. 

Thank you and LOVE to everyone and everything back home! I carry you in my heart everywhere I go. There's nothing like you. 

Prince Rogers Nelson 1958 - 2016

Prince is gone. I just can't believe it. My phone started going off this morning, and I kept ignoring it, trying for a couple more winks after a restless night's sleep. When I looked at all my texts, one after the other read, "Not Prince!" "RIP Prince!" "Thinking of you, so sad about Prince". NO!!!! 

I immediately burst into tears. It hit me hard, like a toddler cries. I didn't think about it, it just erupted out of me. Not Prince! If you know me at all, you know this awful news is truly devastating to me. Prince is my all time favorite. In fact, Prince probably helped some to make me who I am.

You see, growing up in Minneapolis, Prince was IT. Prince was THE coolest. Prince was also kind of forbidden. Because Prince was "Dirty". Prince was shocking. Prince pushed every envelope. I was in junior high, and we would listen to Prince and be both thrilled and scandalized at the same time - in a good way. Singing out loud with my cassette Walkman, not realizing that Mom could hear the words I was belting out. This was not music my Mom wanted me to be listening too, and I loved it all the more for it, as all good rebel kids do. Every good D.J. knows that Prince will get everyone on the dance floor, and keep them there. His music is timeless.

The music. There is no one better. Prince could play everything, expertly. We would just watch him in awe, and in Minneapolis, we got to watch him a lot. My little friends and I snuck in when they were filming Purple Rain at First Avenue, 'cause we were not about to miss out on that! Life changing. I had a friend in junior high named Molly Larson, only Molly called herself "Princess" - with a star to dot the i. Molly had a tough life and Prince was about the only thing that made her happy. She would doodle his name all over her notebooks, and we would break down the songs' lyrics, right down to the moans. Molly really believed that Prince was going to be her Prince Charming, and swoop in and take her away on his awesome purple motorcycle with the glyph symbol on it. But that never happened. Molly dropped out of school, and I didn't know what happened to her until there was an article in the paper about Molly becoming a teenage prostitute, and being beaten to death on the side of a road. I was so sad for her, and remember being so sad that she never met Prince. His presence was felt even larger. (Prince and I never personally met, but I'll live on a look he once gave me until the day I die.)

I saw so many Prince shows over the years, one better than the next. When I went to college at Augsburg, it was the best because our campus was right in the city, and Prince was everywhere. Prince's drummer at the time, Michael Bland, also went to Augsburg, and would walk around in his big robes and Pope style hats, and we'd feel somehow closer to the Man. We'd have Prince sightings on his motorcycle blazing through Seven Corners, and it was magic. Prince would announce an arena show the day of, saying just show up with a can of food for entrance, and there would be a sold out show and the city's food shelves re-stocked that same night. When I was at Augsburg, there was no film major yet, so I asked if I could do my Senior Project as an Independent Study, and make a documentary on Paisley Park. The studio's manager at the time, Red White, gave me full access, letting me tour and film all over the studios in Chanhassen. Prince wasn't there that I saw that day, but the magic was felt everywhere. I have no idea where the old VHS tape of that film is, but I gotta find it.

I remember sitting on my friend's deck at her house across the lake from Prince's house late one night, when we heard the most astonishingly gorgeous electric guitar solo carry out across the water. Prince, jamming with the windows open in the Summertime ... I'll never forget it.

We saw Prince in the rain out here in L.A. at the Hollywood Bowl, one of the best shows I've ever seen in all my days. I saw him at Staples for the Musicology tour, when he gave that cd out with every concert ticket sale. That counted as record sales too, because Prince was also a business genius (we all remember The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. Smart.) 21 Forum Shows! Dance offs at Glam Slam! All those late night sessions at Paisley Park when Prince would jam with visiting artists, and you would just have your mind blown. And nothing will ever beat that Superbowl Halftime show. Nothing.

Prince gave us SO much wonderful music, so much artistry, so much to think about. He did whatever he wanted artistically, he dressed however he wanted, but he also gave more than anyone even knows, because he never bragged about it. He's probably responsible for setting me on the path to having a major thing for multi-talented, multi-cultural, multi-instrumentalist, multi-genre men ... for better or for worse. I remember hearing about Prince showing up at someone's door to talk about Jehovah's Witness stuff. Can you imagine?! That is the one time I'd let them in and listen. Or would have. NO! NOT PRINCE!!!

Last Summer, I was home visiting, and heard Prince was having a party at Paisley Park for the National Association of Black Journalists, of which I am not one. But I am determined. I was GOING. My brother and I took off to Chanhassen, where I proceeded to talk my way in, and single-handedly integrate this event with my brother. Prince didn't play, but when he took the stage right in front of me to speak, I can't explain the feeling that came over me. It was actual electricity, like a charge ran through me as I looked at him in his golden lounging pajamas, talking all smooth. The smoothest. The most mysterious. The most talented ... Prince. The one word name pretty much says it all.

If you're not from Minneapolis, you can't really understand how much Prince means to us. He became one of the world's biggest stars, but he was OURS. He never left. He stayed in Minneapolis, and made us all cooler by proxy. He loved Minnesota. He supported its sports teams, he supported its artists. We used to make our Mom take us to Rudolph's Barbecue to eat as kids, just so we could look at Prince's booth, and hope that he would come in while we were there. Every performer that would come to play in Minneapolis would tend to cover Prince, or at least mention him. First Avenue is like a church to us all, ever since Purple Rain, and Prince's star outside on its wall is becoming a massive memorial as we speak. The city is in deep mourning, with people gathering at Electric Fetus (where Prince went all the time, as recently as this last Saturday for Record Store Day) to cry and buy music. I've had so many texts, from friends who all feel the same way. Gutted. In fact, one of the first texts I got this morning was from my Mom, feeling for me, but also sad herself. Prince finally won her over. I feel so far away from home, and my people, and know this loss is just as massive and crushing for the entire city as it is for me. I bet the entire city will be bathed in purple tonight, and that Prince's music is all you'll be hearing back there for some time to come. At least we'll always have that ... and now maybe Molly will finally get to meet Prince.

I'm just so, so sad. Wow. A world without Prince. Thank you for your lifetime of music, Prince, and for making this Minneapolis girl so happy for so long. Nothing Compares 2 U.