Prince Royally Pumped to Play London

Tue., May. 8, 2007 2:19 PM PDT by Sarah Hall

Prince's upcoming European tour won't require much travel.

The pop star announced Tuesday that he will play 21 dates in London this summer and fall, kicking off Aug. 1 with seven nights at the O2 Arena.

Tickets to the shows will be priced at 31.21 pounds (about $62) in honor of Prince's latest album, 3121, which debuted atop the U.S. charts in March 2006.

"Last time I was here, a lot of people didn't get to see me, so we're trying to make it affordable for everybody," Prince said at a press conference held in a room dramatically decked out with purple curtains for the occasion.

He said he planned to stay in London for the duration of the shows, having grown used to remaining in one place during his recent stint in Las Vegas.

As for why he decided to make the British capital the only stop on his European itinerary, Prince explained that the city was the site of some of his favorite shows and that he did not expect to return any time soon.

"That's another reason why we're trying to stay so long. I just need to take some time off for study and travel," he said. When asked what he would be studying, the singer, who became a Jehovah's Witness several years ago, replied: "The Bible."

Prince said that he would draw from a pool of about 150 songs, including a cover of the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road," for the shows and that every night would be different, meaning that fans who take in multiple performances might get more out of the experience.

"We play so many different styles of music, it's really hard to get a full dose of what we do unless you come to several shows," he said.

The Purple One also expressed his fondness for British It Girl Amy Winehouse, indicating that he might cover her song "Love Is a Losing Game," and saying he would "absolutely" invite her to perform with him.

In a repeat of a strategy employed on his 2004 tour, when concertgoers were gifted with copies of Musicology, Prince said he would give each ticket holder a copy of his new album, calling it a form of "direct marketing."

"I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," he said.

Aside from the O2 shows, Prince's performance slate will reportedly include a series of secret club gigs. Other venues were due to be announced at a later date.

Tickets for the first round of shows go on sale Friday.