#prince

#prince

L.A. contractor and noted partyer Hal B. Hayes built the home in 1953, erecting a six-level steel-and-glass showplace that would serve as the ultimate bachelor pad. According to The Times, he included a mirrored master suite, orchid greenhouse, rooftop garden and artificial beach for topless tanning, but the main highlight came in the custom swimming pool.

They should have known right off the bat that they had something special, as the opening night had Dr. John, Stevie Wonder and Johnny Winter performing to the likes of Mick Jagger and Carly Simon in the audience. Over the years, the 400-person capacity club became the place to be to see one's favorite artist up close or catch an up-and-coming unknown.

One of them was 11-year-old Karenna Gore. Back home, Karenna's mother was shocked to hear Prince sing, on the album's fifth track Darling Nikki: I knew a girl named Nikki / I guess you could say she was a sex fiend / I met her in a hotel lobby/ masturbating with a magazine. I couldn't believe my ears, said Karenna's mother, Tipper Gore.