Prince decides against suing his (former) fans

Those who’ve been fighting an insatiable urge to share live footage of Prince’s 2013 show at the Vogue on the Internet can feel free to go crazy. (Get it?)

Last week, the famously reclusive Minnesota funk-rock king announced that he was launching a $22 million copyright suit against 22 users of Facebook and the Google-run Blogger. Their crime? That would be posting various live clips of the Man Formerly Known As A Symbol performing on-stage.

That this is done hundreds of times a day by music fans eager to share their favourite concert moments was evidently of little importance to Prince Roger Nelson. That none of those (now former) fans were in a position to be able to write a cheque for $1 million or so for the damages being sought was evidently also not important.

Today brings news that the diminutive icon has withdrawn his lawsuit, with no explanation why. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy a version of “When Doves Cry” that we shot at the Vogue. You can see it here, as soon, that is, as we get the nards to throw it on YouTube, well aware that a lawsuit notice could arrive in the time it takes to say “Raspberry Beret”.