Prince Purple Rain

The Story

This location is at Warner Bros Studios, named Hennesy Street, a set built to imitate a New York alley. It was there that photographer Ron Slenzak, under the art direction of Ed Thrasher – the same person behind the covers of Jimi Hendrix's *Are You Experienced?* and Grateful Dead's *Anthem of the Sun* – photographed Prince for the *Purple Rain* album cover in 1984. The motorcycle used in the photo was custom-built for the film, and Prince liked it so much that he kept it; today, it's on display at Paisley Park in Minneapolis. The image also became the official movie poster. Years earlier, Pink Floyd photographed the cover of *Wish You Were Here* at Warner Bros Studios. The alley has also served as a setting for the films *Gremlins* and *Pee-wee's Big Adventure*.

Explore more