Funkatopia Live: Recent Episodes
Funkatopia
Mr. Christopher welcomes Minneapolis legend André Cymone to discuss his new album The Resurrection of Funk, AI, Spotify vs. Bandcamp, Prince stories, and much more.
Mr. Christopher welcomes special guests Morris Hayes, Shelby J, and Elisa Fiorillo to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Prince’s posthumous album Welcome 2 America. We walk through the album track by track and share the stories and details behind the music.
Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland welcome Prince photographer Steve Parke to discuss the overwhelming influx of AI images of Prince and the effects on actual photographers. Plus we peek into Steve Parke's brand new book Prince: Black White Color. VERY HEAVY VISUAL SHOW.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland dive into brand new music from artists around the globe reviving the celebrated Soundstage segment. Plus we discuss the latest music news, and other rabbit holes.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome drummer Les Cleveland (Prince, Larry Graham, Patti LaBelle, Lil Kim, Anita Baker) to discuss his journey and new album Emerald City. They also being another iconic Free 4 All to discuss the 250th birthday of the U.S., the World Cup, and when musicians and artists should hang it up.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the Minneapolis Funk All stars featuring appearances by St. Paul Peterson, Elisa Fiorillo, Dr. Matt Fink, Oliver Leiber, and Jerome Benton. We discuss their latest new single Gotta Keep the Funk Alive and dig a little into each legendary player on stage to give them their flowers and learn a little about the historic contributions to the Minneapolis sound. Plus we chat about new music topicality, rumors, and conjecture.
Mr. Christopher recaps the full week of the Prince Celebration 2026 and beyond with NPG Legend, Michael Bland. Join the crew as we talk about the new upcoming Prince album Timeless, new box sets arriving, a dozen unreleased tracks, panels featuring Bootsy Collins, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lisa Coleman, and more. Plus the review of a full purple star studded concert with NPG and Revolution members, with special guests like Bilal, Miguel, Sounds of Blackness, and more! It's 3-1/2 hours of event coverage. Get your groove on.
Mr. Christopher takes one last glance at the Prince Celebration welcoming special guests Ma and Nandy McClean (aka The Twinz) to discuss their participation at the NPG/Revolution performance at the Armory, and Maya's Awakening event at Paisley Park. Plus, at the top of the show, special guest Dr. Fink stops by to share info about his event with the Minneapolis All Stars in Los Angeles.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland talk about the curse of A.I. in art and music, the music business in general, the changing of the music genre guard, the upcoming Prince Celebration, and other events and topicality.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland walk through the intense 2026 Prince Celebration Schedule. Get ready for information overload deconstructed and crafted for actual human consumption. We cover day by day explaining the difference between VIP and General Admission, the events, the speakers, the transportation, the hotels, and so much more. We even discuss the off the track events going on for folks that want to purchase single day tickets and have more freedom to do a wide array of funky happenings. We talk about it all. Buckle up.
A session with Michael Bland to find out what we all want know. Discover stories of his parents, his favorite cereal, his favorite cartoons, girls on the road, Prince's practice sessions, Nick Jonas, UFO's, and SO much more. It's a roller coaster.
The dynamic duo is back as NPG legend Michael Bland joins Mr. Christopher who returns from his Minneapolis journey to recap the 10 year anniversary of Prince's transition and the events at Paisley Park and beyond. A very candid conversation regarding his lengthy discussions with members of the Prince Estate. Mr. Christopher makes an argument for their efforts and challenges amidst a tidal wave of negativity and pushback from the Prince fam. You don't want to miss this show as he reveals details from behind the purple curtain including reasonings for release cancellations, the Hollywood star, and cease and desists.
Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher welcomes Prince and the Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink as they dissect Prince's album Parade on the eve of its 40th anniversary. They dive into the album track by track analyzing instrumentation, lyrics, players, and stories. It's a broadcast worthy of one of Prince's greatest albums.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland are joined by Live 4 Love (Mayte Garcia, Gilbert Davison, and Kirk Johnson) to discuss the cancellation of Prince's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 10 year anniversary of Prince's death, LA events, and other insightful topics.
Funkatopia Live sits down with guitar icon Ella Feingold who discusses her upbringing, being mentored by Spanky Alford, how funk inspires her, and her Grammy award winning touches with bands like Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .paak), Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Charlie Hunter, Janet Jackson, and others. And also how her Instagram attracts the cream of the crop including The Smith's Johnny Marr, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, and even an audition for Prince's band.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Al Evans and Neal Evans of Soulive to discuss the band's newest album Flowers. We discuss NPG's impact on Neal, the beginnings of Soulive, the genius of Van Hunt, the future of music, recording in Iceland, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with keyboardist Cassandra O'Neal to discuss her career which includes NPG, Macy Gray, Mary J. Blige, Jay Z, and so much more. It's an incredibly loose and fun interview that you don't want to miss.
Mr. Christopher takes a deep dive into the latest news regarding the restrictions placed on Prince's band the New Power Generation limiting them from using the band name and also playing shows focusing solely on Prince. He also discusses the potential implications for tribute bands. He also discusses the upcoming 10 year anniversary of Prince's passing and what, if anything, may be coming. Plus a healthy dose of rumor and conjecture.
Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland discuss the 2026 Grammy Awards covering the major highlights including political statements, D'Angelo, Roberta Flack, Jellybean Johnson, and more. It's a breakdown as only the Funkatopia dynamic duo can do it.
Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland discuss the battle between Apollonia and the Prince Estate, the loss of Earth's gravity later this year, Madhouse 8, Questlove, and many other ridiculous tidbits.
Join Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland as they launch 2026's first Free 4 All of the year. We look back on NPG Music Club, a discussion about Prince in the AI world, recent passings, the ongoing Stranger Things effect and missed opportunities, and much more randomness and rabbit holes.
Mr. Christopher sits down with one of the masterminds of the NPG Music Club, Sam Jennings. They discuss what worked, what didn't, the challenges, and how a re launch could solve so many problems that the Prince Estate is experiencing with distribution and meeting a rabid fanbase and their expectations. Unrealistic or not.
Join Mr. Christopher and NPG/Soul Asylum drummer Michael Bland as they discuss the 50th anniversary of Parliament's Mothership Connection, the 11th anniversary of D'Angelo's Black Messiah, and also chat about their first vinyl memory and first album bought with their money. Plus tons of other topics including what it must be like to be famous and under total scrutiny, overtone singing, and the magic of nostrils.
Join Mr. Christopher as he unboxes the Deluxe edition of Around the World in a Day alongside NPG drumming legend Michael Bland. It's a first-hand reaction as Mr. Christopher avoided reading or viewing all online reviews and unboxings to have a complete surprise. We also discuss Record Store Day and the Because Sound Matters Purple Rain vinyl release.
Join Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland as they reflect on the life of Jellybean Johnson who recently transitioned. Also, a brief discussion on the remastering of Around the World in a Day and expectations and early reactions.
Join Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland as they discuss the Grammy nominees, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, bands that are still not inducted, and other random topics.
On the 4th day of November, we need a purple high. Join Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland as we discuss the Save the Date announcement from the Prince Estate for the 2026 Prince Celebration and what we might be able to expect, the Diamonds and Love bootleg drop, public feedback from the Purple Rain Broadway play, amusement parks, and much more.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome celebrated Prince and the revolution keyboardist Lisa Coleman,. We discuss her early days, Joining Prince's band, writing issues, problems on the road, the amazing Wendy and Lisa albums, and so much more. It's a purple-licious show, but with the focus on the ladies.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss what the Prince Estate is planning to release. We also discuss the user wish list and expectations around releases and what they want to see. A very lively discussion filled with hopeful, but realistic banter.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Parliament Funkadelic's keyboardist Danny Bedrosian to discuss his new book covering P-Funk's 1975 where they dropped Chocolate City, Let's Take it to the Stage, and Mothership Connection. Then we reflect on the passing of D'Angelo and look back at his legacy. Then we close it up celebrating the 44th anniversary of Prince's Controversy released in 1981 and talk about the album track by track.
Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland welcome Eric Rogers of the Paisley 5 & Dime, an online purple auction house and community that specializes in Prince memorabilia and artifacts. We'll show and discuss some of the most rare items from Prince's long and storied career.
Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland to showcase their 20 favorite debut albums from a wide variety of music styles. Funk, neo-soul, rock, and more are all celebrated in this temporary visit into the music minds of the Funkatopia Live crew.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss the remastering of Around the World in a Day and discuss other purple topics, plus a surprise guest appearance by celebrated Prince photographer Steve Parke.
Funkatopia hosts Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland have an open discussion about the challenges with new Prince releases in a posthumous world. From rabid fans to misinformation to what you can probably actually expect. Plus, we open the phone lines to let the audience chime in to share what they would like to see. It's an action packed purple geek out session Free 4 All.
NPG keyboardist Tommy Barbarella joins Mr. Christopher and NPG drummer Michael Bland to catch up on music history, learn new stories about each other, talk about gear, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with celebrated photographer Allen Beaulieu, the man responsible for the infamous photos of Prince's most genius eras including 1999, Dirty Mind, Controversy, and many others. Note, that this is a very visual show, so apologies to audio only listeners, but there are enough stories to warrant this journey.
Jesse Johnson does his final interview ever (?) with Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland talking for over 3 hours on a variety of topics including playing inside of Paisley Park, new music, COVID, conspiracy theories, iPhone vs. Android, and much more including claiming that this will be his last interview that he will ever do. That means you HAVE to listen.
Guitarist Mike Scott sits down with Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland to discuss his humble beginnings and his decision to stay in Minneapolis which led to his work with Prince, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and beyond.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Maya McClean. While she was mostly known for performing with her sister with Prince as The Twinz, she now shares her journey to becoming a spiritual life coach, life on her own, working with Prince, and much more including her upcoming album Awakening. She also graces the show with a full performance of her song Waterfall. It's a super spiritual mind journey of discovery for herself that she wants to share with the world.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the legend behind the scenes Jerry Hubbard. He has been a solid pillar in the Minneapolis music scene from childhood. He's played with Prince, The Time, The Family, Jesse Johnson, was on Michael Jackson's label and so much more. Take a deep dive into Minneapolis music history as we discuss Minnesota's deep musical history discussing bands like Grand Central, the original Sonny Thompson version of The Family, Flyte Tyme, Alexander O'Neal, Morris Day, and so much more. Hold your nose, because it's a baptism of Minneapolis music and it's about get funky in here.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the Time Band featuring Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Tori Ruffin, and Ricky Freeze Smith to discuss their history with Morris Day and the Time, their Masterclass, and plenty of behind the scenes stories.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome Indian bassist Mohini Dey to chat about her current touring schedule, her past, her upbringing, childhood challenges, religion, space in music, cathartic performances, and much more.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Funkatopia co-host NPG drummer Michael Bland to discuss the 2025 Prince Celebration taking place in Minneapolis and Chanhassen, MN. We discuss the new music coming, the Celebration panels, unreleased music heard, plans for video releases, the rebirth of the NPG Music Club, and much more including addressing a few "Mr. Funkatopia" shout outs from Londell McMillan during the Vault Session panel and the stories that sparked it. All this and way more than we deserve in an almost 3-hour packed show.
Join Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland as they sit down with all of the members of The Family including St. Paul Peterson, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson, Susannah Melvoin, and Eric Leeds. We discuss new FDeluxe music, the Prince Celebration performance and a wealth of purple stories. Then we top off the night with a surprise visit from New Power Generation (NPG) members Morris Hayes and Tony Mosley to share even more unheard stories from the road and new events for the band.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit with Philip Lassiter and Shelby J to discuss his new album Soul of the World and debut a new track. Plus Damon D joins to talk about his Minneapolis dance class. Then Mr. C and Michael chat about the upcoming Prince Celebration in Minnesota, the pricing, the events, as well as the external events in and around Minneapolis area.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit with the iconic trombonist Fred Wesley who was an integral part of the sound of James Brown, Parliament Funkadelic, the JB's, the Horny Horns, and many collaborations from Abraham Inc. to Van Morrison.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with funk maestro Cory Wong to discuss his history, Prince's influence, the Fearless Flyers, Vulfpeck, ADHD, working with Michael Bland, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome Tower of Power drumming legend David Garibaldi to discuss his time with Tower of Power, his near death experience with a train, the true story behind the 777-9311 drum track, his retirement, and what he's doing now.
Mr. Christopher and NPG drummer Michael Bland discuss the 40th anniversary of Prince's Purple Rain follow-up, Around the World in a Day. We also discuss how we've dealt with the loss of Prince 9 years later. Plus plenty of rabbit holes.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with bass gawd MonoNeon to discuss his upbringing, his wardrobe, the sock, Prince, the album he worked on with Prince (Black is the New Black), inspirations, and much more. Tune in and vibe out.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down to discuss the interview with MonoNeon and of course, in their usual style, it diverges into a full blown show that has very little to do with MonoNeon and all about Prince's legacy and whatever else they discuss. Which is everything purple.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss the newly released information on the Prince Celebration 2025. We talk about the pricing, the bands, the events, the hotels, transportation, and more. Including a visit from a special guest.
Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with music luminary Thomas Dolby. We talk about his breakout success in the 80's, From his side projects, his hits like Hyperactive and She Blinded Me With Science, chilling with Michael Jackson, friendships with XTC's Andy Partridge, working with Todd Rundgren, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and Funkatopia co-host Michael Bland discuss Prince, the Prince Celebration. Joni Mitchell, Meshell Ndegeocello, and tons of New Power Generation questions for Michael.
Prince and the Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink joins Mr. Christopher and NPG drummer Michael Bland in an extremely loose and rare interview discussing Rick James, drugs in the 80's, working with P. Diddy, Revolution memories, arrests, touring, the future, and so much more.
Michael Bland returns to Funkatopia Live to discuss more on the cancelled Netflix Prince documentary, the 2025 nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, plus other highly notable bands that still haven't been nominated. PLUS. we also discuss the new list for Record Store Day 2025 and much more.
Jesse Johnson returns to Funkatopia to help Mr. Christopher celebrate the 40th anniversary of Jesse Johnson's Revue. Jesse breaks down the history, the stories behind each track, instruments being used, and so much more including his take on the Netflix Prince documentary cancellation.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Patavian and Danny Bedrosian of George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic as they release Patavian's new album The Red Balloon. Patavian is the granddaughter of funk icon George Clinton and is married to long time Parliament Funkadelic keyboardist Danny Bedrosian. We discuss her family history, her poetry used for this album, and also dissect the new music track by track.
NPG drummer Michael Bland returns to Funkatopia to discuss the cancellation of the Netflix Prince documentary, Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl performance and more.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Funkatopians to chat about the 2025 Grammys including the highlights and lowlifes. Prince's Lifetime Achievement Award, Quincy Jones tribute, Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. announcement regarding the inclusivity changes and overhaul of the Grammy electorate, the big winners and losers, and much more. Also, upcoming events in Minnesota.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Deshawn D'Vibes Alexander of Watermelon Funk to discuss his beginnings, his work with Kingfish, the origin of Watermelon Funk, their journey, and the DNA they share with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Lettuce guitarist Adam Smirnoff aka Shmeeans. We discuss the origins of Lettuce, their creation process, Live in Tokyo, Prince, bootleggers, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and special guests ring in 2025 with the longest Funkatopia Live show on record at 5 hours. We talk about what was wrought in 2024, upcoming Prince events, and we also welcome Eric Rogers (Paisley 5 and Dime), Eric Leeds, Greg Boyer, Damon Dickson, Sheila from the Brides of Funkenstein, DuJuan Elliot of the Blackshires, and TC Ellis.
Mr. Christopher interviews legendary drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie who is the most recorded drummer in history being on over 4000 albums including Miles Davis, Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and many others. We talk about his career, his style, and book.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Prince's sister Sharon L Nelson to discuss her childhood, the lineage, being Prince's sister, and her new book When It Rains, It's Purple.Note: Sharon had to join via a 3rd party bluetooth connection, so her audio is hot. Apologies that we couldn't resolve her technical issues beforehand.
Mr. Christopher celebrates his birthday with a BUNCH of special guests including St. Paul Peterson, Duane Tudahl, Ashley Tamar Davis, Gilbert Davison, Atlanta Bliss, Sheila Horne, Mayte Garcia, Dawn Silva and Sheila Brody-Head Amuka (Brides of Funkenstein), Mic Murphy (The System), Mychael Gabriel (Sheila E), and Tori Ruffin (The Time, Freakjuice).
Mr. Christopher sits down with funk bass legend George Porter Jr., co-founder of The Meters to discuss his lifetime of work and a brand new album with his band The Running Pardners.
We sit down with Matt Blistan aka Atlanta Bliss where we discuss his work starting as Prince's first trumpet player and performing on Parade, Sign O' the Times, Lovesexy, and many more. Plus the release of his brand new book Mind, Body, Trumpet.
NPG drummer Michael Bland joins Mr. Christopher to break down Prince's Love Symbol album track by track. But as always, we have MANY stories and funky rabbit holes including a discussion on Questlove, Canadian funk nights, and much more.
We chat about the passing of the iconic dancer Cat Glover and her work with Prince on Sign O' the Times and Lovesexy and welcome special guest Michael Dean from Podcast Juice who extensively interviewed her twice. Then we share 7 tracks of new funk music artists that we feel should be added to your playlist. NOTE: There is an 8 minute tribute video for Cat that has been removed from the audio version here due to the highly visual component. To view the video tribute, visit Funkatopia's Facebook, Youtube or Twitter page for the live video.
We interview Sheila Brody-Head aka Amuka and Sheila Horne from the Brides of Funkenstein, P-Funk All Stars, Public Enemy, and more. She shares deep stories of George Clinton, the Brides, Chuck D and Public Enemy, Bootsy Collins, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher breaks down the Ezra Edelman Netflix Prince documentary The Book of Prince. We discuss what we know so far about the 9 hour documentary including the content, the objections of the Prince Estate, the potential damage it could cause the Prince legacy, the stories of abuse and neglect, and so much more.
We finally do episode 2 of Soundstage where we showcase new funk music that's out now. This episode we welcome Andre Cymone who describes his new funk album and sits in while we listen to a new track called Hot Funk in the Summertime. We also take a listen to Judith Hill, St. Vincent, Nikka Costa, Electro Deluxe, The Rumble (formerly Cha Wa), and Lenny Kravitz. Tune in for new funk.
We sit down with Minneapolis legend Andre' Cymone to discuss his history, his family, a street renaming in honor of his mother, and a brand new album about to drop called The Resurrection of Funk.
We sit down with the Queen of Funk, Dawn Silva whose illustrious career has spanned from Sly and the Family Stone and through George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, to the Brides of Funkenstein to the Gap Band to her own solo journey that still funks to this day. Tune in for unbelievable stories of funk.
We sit down with the legendary guitarist Jesse Johnsons to discuss his time with Prince, Morris Day and The Time, D'Angelo, and new music. Tons of stories and guitar riffs.
We sit down with St. Paul Peterson and Jerry Hubbard to discuss the 40th anniversary of The Time's Ice Cream Castle and share TONS of stories. We discuss how they were brought in to replace Monte Moir, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who had just been fired from The Time by Prince. We reflect on the insanity of it all as Paul Peterson, Jerry Hubbard and Mark Cardenas were thrust into the spotlight to share the stage with Morris Day, Jesse Johnson, Jerome Benton, and Jellybean to complete the lineup. We'll discuss the shooting of Purple Rain, the album cover for Ice Cream Castle, and so many new purple stories as we look back at 40 years passed.
We sit down with 15 year old guitar phenom Taj Farrant to discuss his journey from his viral worldwide appearance on Australia's Got Talent performing rock melodies and Prince's Purple Rain to sharing the stage with Kingfish, Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Orianthe, Kiss, and so many more. Here's his travels so far and what we can expect in the future with an upcoming new album on the way.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Mark Cardenas from the Ice Cream Castle era of Morris Day and The Time. Mark was brought in with Paul Peterson, and Rocky Harris (who would be replaced by Jerry Hubbard) to take the place of Monte Moir, and also Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who got trapped in an Atlanta snow storm and missed a show. The new members found themselves at the center of the Purple Rain movie and The Time's biggest album Ice Cream Castle and here's Mark's story of how it all went down.
Mr. Christopher and Jeff Paige discuss the 2024 Prince Celebration at Paisley Park in Minnesota. A coverage of each day, the events, the music, the challenges, and more.
We celebrate 40 years of Purple Rain on the day it was officially released. We're joined by Andrea Swensson (Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years) and Duane Tudahl (Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions, 1983-1984) to discuss all things Purple Rain including talking about each track on Prince's masterpiece.
We welcome a TREASURE TROVE of purple professionals for the ultimate Purple Rain Round Table with Jerome Benton, Craig Rice, Gilbert Davison, Hucky Austin, Damon Dickson, and surprise guest Alan Leeds. It's a wealth of purple stories on Purple Rain including deleted rape scenes, insanity at the Purple Rain premiere, money splurging, and tons of laughs and memories.
We discuss Prince birthday events in Texas and Minnesota welcoming guests Gilbert Davison, Damon Dickson, Craig Alexander, and a video from BrownMark. PLUS, we welcome DuJuan Elliott of the Blackshires to share his brand new single No Grease and reminisce a bit with Mr. Christopher.
We discuss more purple news including new Celebration details, and a visit from Mayte. PLUS we unbox Andrea Swensson's new book (which doesn't make for great audio, but we did it!).
Your latest dose of purple news. Construction near Paisley Park, the demolition of Chanhassen Cinema, Prince's birthday weekend, bowling with Mayte, and more!
We sit down with a beautiful vocalist and muse, Marva King. Her voice has supported renowned artists including Prince, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, George Howard, Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, Prince, Whitney Houston, Yolanda Adams, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, Gap Band, Anita Baker, Ronald Isley, Mavis Staples, Jesse Johnson, and tons more. She's got some stories!
We discuss all of the details we have for the Prince Celebration in June 20-24, 2024 including events, hotels, flights, and more. PLUS we welcome Mayte Garcia (1:20:25) to chat about the Live4Love Charities Bowling event on June 6, and also Michael Bland (1:52:30) with a post 2gether concert review and feedback on their historic concert where he joined forces with Sonny T, Tommy Barbarella, Levi Seacer Jr., Tony Mosley, and so many more.
We interview the legendary Jill Jones to not only discuss her times with Prince, but also visit stories of Teena Marie, being a member of the Gordy family, her new album The London Sessions, the memories it stirred up, and so much more. We've waited forever for this special guest. Enjoy.
We sit down with sound engineer Scottie Baldwin that has run sound for Prince, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and so many more. Listen to the stories and challenges of working with some of the greatest artists of our time
We sit down with Lawrence LAW Worrell (Amy Winehouse, Rick James, Chaka Khan) and Martin Kember (AZ-1, Color Me Badd) to talk about their Prince-centric performances and their undeniable music resumes.
The early bird sale was released for Celebration 2024 at Prince's Paisley Park and the date and talent was also announced which include The Revolution, New Power Generation, and Morris Day with special guests. We talk about the pricing, the acts playing, and all that we know so far.
On the iconic date of 3/19, we get the blessing of a 2nd visit from Michael Bland and Sonny T to answer more deep probing questions. And we also welcome special guest BrownMark as he checks in to let us know about his special Houston event with Prince Day Houston and Craig Alexander.
We sit down with Rick James' Stone City Band including Levi Ruffin, Tom McDermott, Nathaniel Hughes, and Lanise Hughes. We debunk the rumors about Prince and Rick James working together including stolen keyboards, forced drinking, and so much more. It's a funk filled fiesta.Note: There were some audio issues with Levi's connection that caused echoes and we worked with it as best as possible.
We sit down with two music legends Sonny Thompson and Michael Bland. Both of them have shared the stage with Prince's New Power Generation, but they have plenty of stories of their own becoming legends in their own right. We talk about musical history in Minneapolis before Prince became a household name, Michael's work with Soul Asylum, dispelling vault myths, and so much more.
We dish about great funk events happening around the world and entertainment news covering Sinead O'Connor's Estate vs. Trump, P Diddy vs. Everyone, Rihanna's $6 million show, purple news, and so much more.
We interview Timex Social Club's Marcus Thompson as we discuss the rise and fall of their success, the Club Noveau controversy, the identities of the characters named in Rumors, touring with Run DMC, and much more.
We interview artist, photographer Steve Parke as we dive into his incredible work with Prince from album covers, photo shoots, wall murals, t-shirts and the stories behind them. Note: This was a very visual show, but there were dozens of stories to warrant the audio. Watch the video on youtube.com/funkatopia.
Mr. Christopher discusses public feedback (and Jill Jones) about the Purple Rain Broadway and how it's being altered to be more "woke". Then he goes into deep detail about the court case filed by Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer against Prince's heirs as they hire attorneys in an attempt to oust the duo and take control of the Prince Estate.
We interview Danny A Thomas of Con Funk Shun to discuss the beginnings of legendary funk band Con Funk Shun, its roots as Project Soul, playing to 100,000 people at Wattstax with Rufus Thomas and so much more. We also welcome special guest Mark Anthony of the Upscale Band who is playing the backing band for Danny's Con Funk Shun Revue.
We sit down with The Wooten Brothers (Victor, Roy, Joseph, and Regi) to discuss their work with Steve Miller Band, Dave Matthews Band, Prince, Chick Corea, and many others. While Rgi was not there for the majority of the interview, stay tuned at the end when Regi drops in to answer questions about his career, share more Prince stories, and how it was teaching his brothers how to play earning him the nickname The Teacha.
We celebrate the upcoming release of Prince's Diamonds & Pearls Super Deluxe with Tony M (NPG), Robia Scott (Pearl), Scott McCullough Director of many Diamonds and Pearl videos), and Damon D (New Power Generation). It's nothing but wall to wall stories of the days of the creation of this epic album.
We sit down with Mayte Garcia to discuss the new movie, more Prince questions, and the Live 4 Love charity where we also welcome Gilbert Davison (Prince and Paisley Park Management), and Kirk Johnson (Prince and NPG drummer, producer, choreographer, and dancer) into the mix.
Mr. Christopher sits down for a short interview with the legendary Macy Gray to discuss her past work, her brand new album The Reset and tour, and the best advice she ever received from Prince.
We sit down with rapper, actor, producer David "TC" Ellis to discuss his time with Prince, his family (including sister Sue Ann Carwell), and how he found his calling with the High School for Recording Arts (HSRA).
We welcome Scott McCullough who worked on dozens of videos with Prince in the era of Diamonds and Pearls and beyond including Violet the Organ Grinder, Sexy MF, Gangsta Glam, Call the Law, Daddy Pop. My Name is Prince and many others including the upcoming Glam Slam concert that will be included in the Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe. We talk about that history along with his commercial work with NASCAR, Paul Newman, Martin Sheen, and so much more.Note: Minor audio echo issues in the first 15 minutes. Resolved afterward.
We interview bassist phenom Nik West who shares stories about working with everyone from Prince to John Mayer. Stories of her tour, her journey and much more.
We talk about lots of purple news including more details on the release of Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe, Prince auctions, the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain and what we should expect or wish for, scenes deleted from Purple Rain, and much more purple amazingness.
Mr, Christopher and Jeff Paige discuss many topics including Cardi B, Sinead O'Connor, Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman), Travis Scott, and much more including crazy commercials and conflicting events in the purple world.
We talk with Mark Webster that has known Prince since 1978 and was instrumental in getting the Symbol in front of Paisley Park and also for getting a 7-mile stretch of the highway running in front of Paisley Park to be renamed Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway. We discuss the challenges, the wins, and the journey with Prince.
Interview with Liv Warfield to discuss everything from working with Prince to her brand new album Edge and we listen to an exclusive world premiere of her new song Maybe They'll Take Ya Picture. Plus we are also joined by her guitarist Ryan Waters who has also performed and even toured with many acts including CeeLo Green, India Arie, Sade, and Fishbone. You can't miss this show.
Mr Christophers sits down with The Fixx guitarist Jamie West-Oram to discuss four decades of his tenure with the pop rock band and his brand new first-ever solo album.
I was able to get the legendary actor Steven Berkoff to agree to redo the answering machine scene for the FUNKEDUP app. I then edited it into the original scene audio for fun. Steven is now 85 years old, so his voice has changed, but it was an honor that he agreed to do this for me.
Prince wrote this song for the band Three O'Clock for their album Vermillion. An interesting twist to the story is that Prince also gave the band the songs Girl O’ My Dreams, We Can Funk, Teacher, Teacher, and Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got, but the band rejected all of the tracks except for Neon Telephone. Had they accepted all of the proposed songs, their album would have been legendary. That goes BEYOND hindsight.
She has been the voice behind massive artists like Sly and the Family Stone, Sheila E, Parliament Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein, Fleetwood Mac, Don Henley, Mick Jagger, George Michael, and tons more. Hear the stories from the woman with a career that is a story of legends.
A look back at the muses and lovers that inspired Prince's music, and his life, and changed his direction in various ways. A Funkatopia Live Valentine's Day special.
Actress, model, dancer Robin Power Royal sits with Funkatopia Live to discuss her intimate relationship with Prince, her adult past, audio erotica, sex, threesomes, strip pool, and a whole lot of shocking revelations.
One of Prince's longest known jam session recordings that made it out into the ether featuring Eric Leeds.
Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher sits down with Prince's In-House engineer Hans-Martin Buff to discuss his work on Crystal ball, Emancipation, Rave Un2 the Joy fantastic, and more including work with The Scorpions, Peter Gabriel, and others. Let the stories begin!
She was at the helm of Prince's biggest albums including Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, Parade, and Sign O' The Times. Susan Rogers sits down with Funkatopia Live to answer questions she probably hasn't answered before. It's a show for the ages as we discuss production techniques, her new book, the neuroscience of music, and much more LIVE.
Prince and some members of NPG play an acoustic set on October 12th, 2009 at RTL Le Grand in Paris. The acoustic set would then air on October 17th. Enjoy this clip of a couple songs from that set.
Prince and 3rd Eye Girl perform the song The Sweeter She Is. The song was made widely available for download via Twitter from the Third Eye Girl account in 2013.
A rare, exclusive interview with Gilbert Davison. He was Prince's bodyguard, head of security, tour manager, director of Paisley Park, founder of Glam Slam and so much more. Guaranteed, you will hear Prince stories that you've never heard before. Learn what job Prince had before he was a music superstar. What really happened on that fateful night at Paisley Park when The Black Album was dropped? What is the insane secret about that infamous Lovsexy album cover? All of this and more will make your purple head spin. Only Mr. Christopher and Jeff Paige can bring it to you.
Guitarist Mychael Gabriel (Sheila E, George Clinton, Snoop Dogg, & more) releases his brand new solo album Genesis EXCLUSIVELY on Funkatopia Live 2 days before it's Aug. 26th release. It's a full on album release listening party track by track. Hear the stories and inspiration behind every song and the creation of this INCREDIBLE album.
Funkatopia Live celebrates the 38th anniversary of the premiere of Purple Rain at Mann's Chinese Theater. We welcome Tony Blass, videographer that filmed the premiere back in 1984, Duane Tudahl, author of Prince & the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions, and Wally Safford, singer, performer and body guard for Prince from 1979 to 1987. A full look back at all things about the Purple Rain movie.
Funkatopia interviews Mychael Gabriel to discuss his new album Genesis, his work with Sheila E, touring the world, life in the purple family, and also faces a ridiculous "Line of Questioning.".
Funkatopia Live interviews St. Paul Peterson to talk about Peterson family, Prince, fDeluxe, The Family, his new album, and also answers a bunch of ridiculous questions in our new segment called "Line of Questioning". All this plus news and views.
Funkatopia re-releases the 2nd episode of Funk the Funk broadcast discussing perseverance and motivation. How to break through when you're caught in a rut and can't find the energy to be motivated.
Funkatopia Live sits down with NPG's Damon Dickson to talk about the preparation that went into the Prince Live on the Big Screen show at the 2022 Prince Celebration. Then we move into a full discussion with other lifelong Prince fans about what the Prince estate can do in future Celebrations to keep the ball rolling and what it looks like as Prince's family takes over the reins.
The very first episode of Funkatopia Soundstage where we bring you new music we think you should hear from all genres. In this episode, Ed Sheeran, new music from Lettuce, and Sidibe. Note: This audio was pulled from a video source, so ignore a couple of visual references. We are still working through all the kinks.
Liv Warfield sits down to discuss her new album Live at Cafe Wha?, a European tour, lessons from Prince, looking back on The Unexpected, how she handles stress and depression, and so much more.
An intense discussion on depression, loss, and grief with special guests Morris Hayes & Tony Mosley from New Power Generation, Garrett Shider from Parliament-Funkadelic, Jellybean Johnson from The Time, DuJuan Elliott of the Blackshires, Michael Dean of Podcast Juice & 2 licensed counselors. An episode of discovery, motivation, and inspiration.
Funkatopia interviews Parliament Funkadelic's keyboardist Danny Bedrosian to talk about his 20 years with George Clinton. Plenty of stories from 5 minutes shows, playing for Putin in Russia, performances with Sly Stone, supporting Armenians in Syria, and so much more. Another action packed show.
Funkatopia Live sits down with producer, drummer, vocalist and creator of the iconic group Klymaxx and Madame X for an incredibly revealing discussion about the drama of Klymaxx, the evolution of Madame X, and insane stories about Ike Turner, Teena Marie, George Clinton, and more.
Funkatopia Live sits down with the legendary Alan Leeds who has managed everyone from Prince, James Brown, Maxwell, D'Angelo, Raphael Saadiq and many others. The man has some great stories!
Saxophonist Eric Leeds returns (post World Series) to discuss baseball, more details of his work with Prince, JamBrown, and his favorite artists and inspirations. He is also joined by St. Paul Peterson to discuss new work with LP, a 2021 release, memories of The Family (aka FDeluxe) and so much more.
Soul Sisters Patti Henley and Brenda Lee Eager join Funkatopia Live to discuss the work with MLK, Jesse Jackson and Operation Breadbasket. Then we dig deep into their musical journey performing with legends like Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Prince, and many more.
Funkatopia Live sits down with Martin Kember from AZ-1 and Color Me Badd. Stories of being on the charts in the 90's, BET awards, the influence of Prince, the challenges of Color Me Badd, and so much more.
Hundelisiliah. Souliacolia. Soda fizzin' on the lawn. The Funkatopia Live crew looks at some of Prince's strangest lyrics to figure out the meaning and we arrive at some answers! A show full of fun.
Saxophonist Eric Leeds shares amazing stories about his brother Alan Leeds (road manager for James Brown & Prince), his own stories with James Brown, and of course more stories about Prince!
We welcome trombonist extraordinaire Greg Boyer as he tells stories about George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Prince and the New Power Generation (NPG), James Brown & Maceo Parker, and tons of personal stories including liquid chicken.
Funkatopia interviews Robert "Kool" Bell on 57 years of Kool and the Gang including Prince stories, opening for Van Halen, a new album, a movie(?), and much more!
Funkatopia Live sits down with New Power Generation (NPG) members Morris Hayes, Tony M, Levi Seacer Jr., and Mike Scott. Our goal is to analyze why Prince chose the band he did, the music he chose for the 90's era of NPG, his management style, and all of the amazing stories the band members can share.
Throwback interview with Third Eye Girl's Donna Grantis. Previously unreleased with the 3EG guitarist extraordinaire sharing her memories of her time with Prince, being discovered, and her amazing album Diamonds and Dynamite.
Throwback interview with Third Eye Girl's Ida Nielsen talking about her time with Prince, her album, ad much more.
Mr. Christopher tackles the super-tough topic of Prince's death along with some of the conspiracy theories. Did Prince commit suicide? Was Prince murdered? What are the strange strange coincidences surrounding his death? It's all covered here on Funkatopia Live.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Prince's Revolution bassist Brownmark to talk about the craziness of his tenure with a mad genius, racism, Mazarati, his new book and so much more. Pre-order his book here: https://amzn.to/2yCFssJ
Mr. Christopher sits down with one of the original founding members of Lettuce Adam Deitch to discuss the band's new album Resonate including what's changed over the years and how he remembers all of those instrumental tracks.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Marshall Charloff, well known for his lead vocalist for the Prince tribute band The Purple Xperience, to talk about his work with Prince, the rules of covering Prince, having Dr. Fink in the band, the band name, sharing new music, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher and Dr. Funkenberry discuss the latest details shared by Paisley Park about the 2020 Celebration to the VIP's including pricing and lots more detail.
Mr. Christopher handles another edition of Funkatopia Live in a Prince Free 4 All where the listeners ask the questions. Topics include the Paisley park celebration, Prince's best backing band, why people only gravitate towards Prince's music in the 80's PLUS an exclusive announcement from PRN Alumni regarding their event on April 18, 2020.
Mr. Christopher interviews Wally Safford about the release of his new book, Wally, Where'd You Get Those Glasses?: My Life Through the Lens from Parliament, Pendergrass and Prince.
Mr. Christopher interviews drummer Scott Amendola to discuss his album with Amendola Vs. Blades called Everybody Wins. The funk jazz project is filled with eclectic players from groups like Sting, Les Claypool, Laurie Anderson and others and it's definitely worth a listen.
Mr. Christopher sits down with hip-hop legend Speech from Arrested Development to discuss touring Japan, Asian reception, Prince stories, new music from AD and a new project he's working on called 16 Bars.
Mr. Christopher interviews up and coming artist MYOA on her new album Beautiful Journey, her actual journey from Nigeria to the U.K. to Houston, TX and stops in between including what we an expect to hear in the very near future.
Mr. Christopher & Dr. Funkenberry celebrate his 100th episode, and also talk about the reissue of 1999, the new Prince book The Beautiful Ones, Prince's passing, and new music all packed into one episode.
Mr. Christopher goes into detail about the 2019 Celebration at Paisley Park. Part One of Two discusses the first 2 days.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Jeremiah Freed aka Dr. Funkenberry to discuss his past with Prince, how he got started, and how he's working to get his life and career back on track after the passing of his friend and mentor.
In depth Funkatopia interview with up and coming R&B multi-instrumentalist Jordan John on playing with Prince, Aretha Franklin, and so many others. He also speaks about his upcoming brand new debut album and single. Get ready for greatness.
Mr. Christopher interviews a brand new Nashville based artist breaking onto the scene named Anna Moon bringing the style of Amy Winehouse and bounce of Meghan Trainor back to the radio.
Mr. Christopher interviews solo artist Sam Ravenna about blending Motown, soul funk and avant garde into a laid back journey of his new album, Fragile. Join in for discussions about the current state of music and the trials and tribulations of current artists.
Mr. Christopher interviews members of jamiroquai to talk about their ever changing sound progression, how they began with the legendary jazz funk band, and projects to watch out for.
Ingrid Chavez sits down with Mr. Christopher to discuss her brand new album Memories Of Flying along with discussions about her childhood, how she feels about Madonna taking her song Justify My Love, her upcoming live performance in Minneapolis, and other appearances.
Dave Brandwein of Turkuaz sits down with Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher to discuss the new album Life In the City
Mr. Christopher interviews Robert Walter to talk about the new release Spacesuit from his band Robert Walter's 20th Congress. Also discussed are topics such as vinyl, funk, influences, and so much more.
An interview with Kelly Finnegan of The Monophonics. Note: There was slight buzzing on the line and we've reduced it as much as possible.
Mr. Christopher sits down the Norwood Fisher, bassist for the legendary Fishbone to discuss their history, his new label, his ongoing project Trulio Disgracias, and his vision of the world.
Mr. Christopher interviews legendary Prince and the Revolution keyboardist Doctor Matt Fink. Discussions include pre-Revolution days, being the last remaining post-Parade Revolution member, bootlegs, the state of the estate, MyMyMusic, and so much more.
Mr. Christopher interviews Chris Moon, the man who discovered Prince. From the very beginning, Chris steered Prince's career and you won't believe the stories, including some he has never told anyone ever before.
Podcast with co-host Michael Dean, guests including Kim Berry, NPG's Phillip Lassiter & American idol's Elliott Yamin on their new Philthy project. Their top 5 lost Prince cuts and the question, "Are Prince fans in a bubble?"
Mr. Christopher chats once again with Duane Tudahl, author of Prince and The Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions. Chats about a new book and more Prince stories.
Mr. Christopher interviews NPG's Morris Hayes, MacKenzie, Damon D and Tony M. Find out about the pushback on Tony when Prince took a harder route, more Prince stories, an NPG tour, and more.
Motown legend Lamont Dozier may not be a household name, but Mr. Christopher sits down with the musical mastermind that brought us Stop! In The Name Of Love, How Sweet It Is To be Loved By You, baby Love, and tons more performed by Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, the Four Tops and others. It's a great interview with the man that defined the Motown sound.
Mr. Christopher chats with Ingrid Chavez to discuss Lovesexy, The Black Album, her own brand new album, private time with Prince and tons of Prince stories. Plus two exclusive sneak peek clips of tracks from her forthcoming album Memories of Flying.
Mr. Christopher sits down with Kim Berry, Prince's hairstylist for the better part of three decades. Enjoy funny Prince stories, memories and discussions about her new book Diamonds and Curls.
Mr. Christopher interviews Brent Fischer, son of the legendary Clare Fischer who produced most all of the string arrangements for Prince since Parade. It's insanely insightful and interesting journey into Prince's career and how Brent's work was all over it along with his father,
Funkatopia sits down with Prince's first manager and the one wh brought Prince to the world. We discuss living with Prince, his work ethic, and how you can keep your cool after first hearing Prince's demo while you're losing it inside.
Funkatopia interviews author Duane Tudahl about his new book Prince and the Purple Rain Era Sessions 1983 and 1984. Tons of amazing Prince tidbits and lots of information that you've probably never heard before. Prince fans, get ready to be absorbed into purple awesomeness. Buy the book here; https://amzn.to/2pHSEUE
http://www.funkatopia.com - Mr. Christopher and Nicky T are caught off guard as Prince's childhood friend Andre Cymone calls into the Purple Primetime show to discuss his new tour and a new funk album in the works. yes!
http://www.funkatopia.com - NPG's Tony M an Kip Blackshire join Mr. Christopher and Nicky T on Funkatopia's Purple Primetime. Then surprise guest Morris Hayes joins in on the conversation. They discuss the NPG tour, setlists, Prince's legacy and much more.
NPG's Wally Safford joins Funkatopia's Purple Primetime sharing Prince stories and then is joined by Damon D (40 minutes in)where the two immediately begin sharing stories and catching up after years. Join this amazing journey down memory lane with two of Prince's NPG crew exclusively on Funkatopia's FUNKEDUP radio station app. http://www.funkatopia.com/funk-radio
Mr. Christopher interviews 90's sensation Darron "D" Story from Lo-Key? as they talk new music, Prince, a new tour, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and so much more.
An interview with the woman behind Prince's hit Little Red Corvette, Mi-Ling Stone Poole.
Mr. Christopher sits don for an extensive interview with Living Colour's Doug Wimbish as he discusses his musical journey starting with Wood Brass and Stee and all the way through to the latest release from Living Colour, Stain. From Sugarhill Gang to Grandmaster Flash to Tackhead to Black Jack Johnson and many stop in between, it's a musical history lesson you just have to hear.
Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher interviews psychic Abigail Noel as she discusses her ongoing conversations with Prince who is sharing details with her about how he was murdered. Is she onto something or on something? You decide.
Mr. Christopher interviews both Damon D and Tony M from NPG. Starting as balcony dancers in Purple Rain and growing to be rappers and vocalists for Prince's famed New Power Generation, hear the great stories of Prince's practice tactics, lessons learned, and a brand new NPG tour.
Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher sits down with NPG vocalist DuJuan Elliott to talk about Prince, DuJuan's favorite Prince songs, and fun Prince stories.
Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher picks his favorite tracks of the month from both signed and unsigned acts.
http://www.funkatopia.com - Mr. Christopher interviews Space Orphan's John Wirtz to discuss the new album and break the news that they've won a spot on Funkatopia's 20 Best Funk Albums of 2016
http://funkatopia.com/funk-radio/ - Ian Neville of Dumpstaphunk talks with Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher about Dumpstaphunk staff changes, Bear Creek, amazing moments, growing up Neville and much more.
Loopy from lack of sleep, Simon Allen, drummer for The New Mastersounds discusses Bear Creek, playing with Maceo, short lived costumes, social media and much more. Tune in as Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher chats away with the always entertaining Simon Allen. http://funkatopia.com/funk-radio/
http://www.funkatopia.com - Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher spends a few minutes with the musical mastermind of Van Hunt after his Atlanta performance on 4-6-2012.
http://www.funkatopia.com - An exclusive interview by Funkatopia with the legendary Thomas Dolby on 2/23/2012. Over 20 minutes of in-depth discussion on everything from his new album Map Of the Floating City, to his new Time Capsule Tour, and even how he likes his eggs. Enjoy the witty personality of the man who brought us She Blinded Me With Science, One Of Our Submarines, Hyperactive, and much more. And all complete with background music from past and present music. Enjoy!