We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Those words opened the iconic Purple Rain LP. Prince (Rogers Nelson) likely the most influential musician of the 1980s died Thursday at his Paisley Park studios and estate in Minnesota. He was 57. Prince’s irreverent attitude and antics were the stuff of legend. During disputes with Warner Bros. over a multi-million dollar contract in the 1990s, he frequently appeared with the word “slave” written on his forehead. In recent years, the artist and the entertainment giant had mended bridges and begun working together again. It’s a shame he had to go, he was too young.