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Prince has passed away.

#81
Brad Johnson said:
I seriously disagree:). I don't think that Prince composed on anywhere near Stevie's level. Prince was a pretty good bassist... but compared to Stevie's left hand? Nope. I cant think of anything he did that would kick bassists' butts like Boogie On Reggae Woman. The feel on display in that one song is ridiculous and so far only one guy could've come up with that. His work with technology is legendary. As a performing musician, no he wasn't as visual as Prince for obvious reasons. But the music and the vocals?

Stevie wrote songs that have become Standards.

This is not anywhere near being a slight of Prince, Stevie is just on another level from most musicians, period. Give me something that compares to Talking Book, The Secret Life of Plants, Innervisions... actually Songs in the Key of Life would probably suffice on its own.

I've been a big fan of Prince from the beginning when he was on the horse. A definite game changer but when I look at the people he influenced, not to mention the people who benefited from him being the one who played on their recordings (;) it doesn't cover as much ground as the people who've been influenced by Stevie. Not even close. He truly is a wonder.

I'd put Prince almost on par with Michael Jackson... and Stevie above them both.
:)
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I said that I felt Stevie Wonder is superior as a composer. I think Prince was on a level closer to Stevie because of his instrumental skills. Michael and Prince were very closely matched as dancers and performers except, once again, Michael could not play anything. A number of Prince's ballads have been covered by Jazz artists, and even covered by string quartets. Some of his music has potential to be standards, but nowhere as many of his songs are at that level as Stevie Wonder. I think Prince was as gifted as Wonder, but their gifts were different the way a Paginini and Mozart were different.
 
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#82
Dr. Cheese said:
I said that I felt Stevie Wonder is superior as a composer. I think Prince was on a level closer to Stevie because of his instrumental skills. Michael and Prince were very closely matched as dancers and performers except, once again, Michael could not play anything. A number of Prince's ballads have been covered by Jazz artists, and even covered by string quartets. Some of his music has potential to be standards, but nowhere as many of his songs are at that level as Stevie Wonder. I think Prince was as gifted as Wonder, but their gifts were different the way a Paginini and Mozart were different.
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I know you said that. I didn't say you didn't and mentioned it myself because I think there's a huge advantage as far as composing in Stevie's direction. IMO one of the keys is how well the music holds up over time. As a musician >>I<< give the edge to Stevie.

The thing about how many instruments Prince played on For You is pretty wild.

I said I disagreed and gave examples as to why I did. As a longtime fan of both I have not heard anything Prince has done that is on the level of "Alfie" and I have heard most of Prince's released works. I even have a few friends who've worked with him. That doesn't change what I've seen and heard from Stevie and catalogue vs. catalogue I think he'll come up short IMO. I have no problem with you having your opinion, I simply disagree. I don't think his older work holds up as well as Stevie's and his later stuff wasn't on par with his best work. Just my opinion.
 
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#83
Brad Johnson said:
I know you said that. I didn't say you didn't and mentioned it myself because I think there's a huge advantage as far as composing in Stevie's direction. IMO one of the keys is how well the music holds up over time. As a musician >>I<< give the edge to Stevie.

The thing about how many instruments Prince played on For You is pretty wild. Vari

I said I disagreed and gave examples as to why I did. As a longtime fan of both I have not heard anything Prince has done that is on the level of "Alfie" and I have heard most of Prince's released works. I even have a few friends who've worked with him. That doesn't change what I've seen and heard from Stevie and catalogue vs. catalogue I think he'll come up short IMO. I have no problem with you having your opinion, I simply disagree. I don't think his older work holds up as well as Stevie's and his later stuff wasn't on par with his best work. Just my opinion.
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Brad I have no problem with your opinion either. I am firm believer that if two people agree on everything, only one of them is thinking.;)
 
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#84
Dr. Cheese said:
Brad I have no problem with your opinion either. I am firm believer that if two people agree on everything, only one of them is thinking.;)
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I know. I don't really look for people to agree with me, my opinions are based on my experiences and whether or not anyone agrees with me is inconsequential. So while I dig Prince and all that that entails, I don't see him as anywhere near the game changer as Stevie. I just don't.

Trust me, I'm not in any way putting him down. I just look at his book of work and the people he directly inspired and as I said I put him almost on par with Michael Jackson.

What would you consider a couple of songs or albums that are on the same level as Stevie's best? Stevie's best were stacked from beginning to end. What would you put up against Superstition or Village Ghetto Land? Stevie composed on his level in a wider variety of styles too.

I don't think that Jordan was the greatest basketball player either.
:D
 
#85
Brad Johnson said:
I know. I don't really look for people to agree with me, my opinions are based on my experiences and whether or not anyone agrees with me is inconsequential. So while I dig Prince and all that that entails, I don't see him as anywhere near the game changer as Stevie. I just don't.

Trust me, I'm not in any way putting him down. I just look at his book of work and the people he directly inspired and as I said I put him almost on par with Michael Jackson.

What would you consider a couple of songs or albums that are on the same level as Stevie's best? Stevie's best were stacked from beginning to end.

I don't think that Jordan was the greatest basketball player either.
:D
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I don't think anything Prince wrote equaled Stevie's best, the same way Paganini's etudes did not equal the work of the great composers, but we still know of Paginini because he represents virtuosity and stellar performance of music.

I agree with you on Jordan.
 
#86
Dr. Cheese said:
I don't think anything Prince wrote equaled Stevie's best, the same way Paganini's etudes did not equal the work of the great composers, but we still know of Paginini because he represents virtuosity and stellar performance of music.

I agree with you on Jordan.
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Yes, we know of people who are not on the same level as other people;).

We disagree on the equality part. Stevie wrote and performed an amazing amount of work. I like Prince but most of his work was Funk Rock with some Jazz sprinkled in sometime. Nothing wrong with that, he had his own style... but check out any of Stevie's early adult work when he had control over his recordings. The versatility was pretty staggering IMO. And seriously, if you haven't listened to Alfie lately, do yourself a favor and check out the jawdropping musicianship on it. And he was a monster on harmonica when he was 12. It's probably not fair comparing people to him but when they do...
:D
 
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#87
howlin said:
Chem trails? I would have thought it have something to do with him not allowing his music all over the internet. But what do I know . . . ?
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I also got into an argument on another thread about how Kurt Cobain changed the music industry. IMHO this is a load of crap compared to Prince.

Cobain got screwed by the industry that made him a puppet. His response was to be a little bitch, write a bad song about it then paint the walls with his brains so morons will consider him a genius.

Prince wrote, produced, sang and played all of the instruments on his first three albums at age 16. Granted Todd Rundgren did the same thing. Oh well.


Prince, said wanted which led to at least 2 songs that he wrote (Darling Nikki, Sugar Walls) leading to US senate hearings.

He wasn't given the recording budgets and time he needed so he built his own studio. I've seen the layout and it gives me a major woody from an acoustics perspective.

He got screwed by his record label so he changed his name to a symbol to get out of his contract and wrote the word slave on his face to be public about what had happened.

When he was told he needed a major label to distribute his music he said "Screw You" and found other means of distribution to get his music heard. Using technology that independent musicians freely take for granted.


This to me is punk rock on a grand scale. He did more to revolutionize the music industry then Cobain ever did.

C/S,
Rev J
 
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#91
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#93
Brad Johnson said:
Yes, we know of people who are not on the same level as other people;).

We disagree on the equality part. Stevie wrote and performed an amazing amount of work. I like Prince but most of his work was Funk Rock with some Jazz sprinkled in sometime. Nothing wrong with that, he had his own style... but check out any of Stevie's early adult work when he had control over his recordings. The versatility was pretty staggering IMO. And seriously, if you haven't listened to Alfie lately, do yourself a favor and check out the jawdropping musicianship on it. And he was a monster on harmonica when he was 12. It's probably not fair comparing people to him but when they do...
:D
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Brad Johnson said:
Not the least bit surprising... and doesn't change a thing I've said.
:)

I'm glad he didn't sing anything. I have a problem with Cooper making that request. Offering remembrances is one thing, being asked to perform bugs me.
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My favorite Stevie record is F First Finale but I'd argue Prince's Sign of the Times is the superior record.

Could be a generational thing... I'm mid 40's and SOTT hit me like a ton of bricks.
 
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#98
Rev J said:
I just noticed something today. The last phrase in the intro to "Let's go Crazy" was "It's much harder in this world/In this world you're on your own." The next lyric starts talking about an elevator. He then died alone in an elevator.

C/S,
Rev J
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The line is actually:
And if de-elevator tries 2 bring u down
Go crazy - punch a higher floor

de-elevator... has as its own meaning.

BTW, in Paisley Park the elevators are labeled "elevation".
 
#99
foal30 said:
My favorite Stevie record is F First Finale but I'd argue Prince's Sign of the Times is the superior record.

Could be a generational thing... I'm mid 40's and SOTT hit me like a ton of bricks.
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I still disagree, as you and Dr. Cheese do with me.

Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life, Sign of the Times? Nope.
:D

It could be generational. I remember music before and after Stevie. It wasn't the same.
 
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#100
ModuMan said:
The line is actually:
And if de-elevator tries 2 bring u down
Go crazy - punch a higher floor

de-elevator... has as its own meaning.

BTW, in Paisley Park the elevators are labeled "elevation".
Click to expand...


I also read an interview where he said in the original lyric it was supposed to be Devil but the record company insisted that he change it to avoid religious controversy with radio stations.

At least Princes passing was more dignified than Elvises.

C/S,
Rev J
 
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