Prince's music

[joebar]

What other man could wear makeup, six inch heels and still appear masculine, sexy and a heartthrob

perhaps scott weiland

I just read an article that said the Purple Rain motorcycle was a 400 twin 2 speed automatic. Lol

always wondered why it wasn't a Harley-shoulda been.

I wasn't a huge fan, had no albums, but I knew he was awesome.

he was sort of like a miles davis I suppose; operating on another level.
I respect him for never going Hollywood, his privacy, his prolific catalog and his ability to make any music he wanted-no box allowed.

 

[bluesblaster]

Most of the commercial stuff you've heard is dated. The sounds of that era. It was also a signature Minneapolis thing.



I know the whole "Minneapolis sound" was propagated back in the eighties with Purple rain and such but the reality is that Minneapolis has a rich musical history to which Prince is only one chapter. I have a real problem with him being defined as the sound of Minneapolis because it simply isn't the case. He's part of the fabric but far from the only thing that ever happened here. I've lived and played music here for nearly half a century so I know a little about that.

 

[TyBo]

This comment is a bit of a nuclear option in a civil debate - but if you actually feel that way you might not have listened to enough Prince. He didn't rely on chops; didn't need to for many of his killer songs, but boy did he have 'em when he needed 'em.

I don't see where saying that Prince didn't have as powerful and fluid a voice as James Brown, or as strong physical command on guitar as Jimi Hendrix is somehow a "nuclear option". It's just factually true. There's a reason Brown was "The Godfather of Soul" and a reason that Hendrix is probably the most admired (and possibly most influential) electric guitarist to have played. Prince had tremendous versatility, could play a lot of instruments well, sang well, arranged well, and wrote some good songs. And had great stage presence. To me that doesn't equal genius. I've not seen or heard anything from him that blew me away, either before this or in this thread. He doesn't raise the hackles on my neck. Not that many people do. That doesn't make him bad, it just means he doesn't have that physical factor to take it over the top. He ain't no Ray Charles.

 

[Clark Dark]

I don't have TV and actually have not listened to the radio in a few weeks. I do hit news sites on the internet. I have a lot of musician facebook friends and you would think Prince was the second coming of the Christ the way they talk about him. I ignore those threads, but there are just so many of them.

I bowed out of the entire conversation wherever I saw it, except for this thread because of the theme of this thread.

Prince had a lot going for him, but it took his death to remind me that he was still alive. I consider most pop to be ephemeral. I understand how a lot of musicians see him differently, especially if they are in an age group "sweet spot". But to be clear, it is not the "over reporting" of celebrity deaths that is annoying to me. Rather, it is the virtual deifying of some of them. At the end of the day, he was a good musician that threw a lot of stuff against the wall to see what stuck.

And when it's your day job, you've got time to get pretty good at it if you are inspired and/or have a good work ethic.

Empirically well stated
He was a consummate musician and businessman.

 

[bluesblaster]

well perhaps not that good of businessman , his sister filed petition today for probate because there was no will, this could get messy

 

[Fxpmusic]

I don't see where saying that Prince didn't have as powerful and fluid a voice as James Brown, or as strong physical command on guitar as Jimi Hendrix is somehow a "nuclear option". It's just factually true. There's a reason Brown was "The Godfather of Soul" and a reason that Hendrix is probably the most admired (and possibly most influential) electric guitarist to have played. Prince had tremendous versatility, could play a lot of instruments well, sang well, arranged well, and wrote some good songs. And had great stage presence. To me that doesn't equal genius. I've not seen or heard anything from him that blew me away, either before this or in this thread. He doesn't raise the hackles on my neck. Not that many people do. That doesn't make him bad, it just means he doesn't have that physical factor to take it over the top. He ain't no Ray Charles.

"Factually true"? I think you meant "subjective opinion".

 

[bluesblaster]

people like what they like... big deal, if we all liked the same stuff it would be a pretty boring place don't ya think ?

 

[Altitude]

I don't see where saying that Prince didn't have as powerful and fluid a voice as James Brown, or as strong physical command on guitar as Jimi Hendrix is somehow a "nuclear option".

Actually, I meant that my comment was the nuclear option, not yours. Because I was telling you that you don't know what you're talking about, which is poor form and doesn't score anyway.

But since I'm here again - you said in two different posts that Prince lacked chops, which I take to mean that you believe he lacked technical capability as a musician. It's hard for me to imagine anybody who has seen him live saying that. The dude was a savant on everything he touched.

 

[FilterFunk]

I understand having a problem with Prince and Co.'s music being called "the Minneapolis sound," but let's be real.

I'm sure there's more to Nashville than country, and more to Memphis than the blues. But those are the sounds most associated with those cities. Take an informal poll around the country and ask what music makes you think of Minneapolis, and the Prince-influenced stuff will probably win in a landslide. Of course, it's not the only music out of Minneapolis, but it's the music most associated with the city. That's just the way it is.

 

[000_Unknown]

I don't think that's necessarily true.

I understand why you would argue with that.. I suppose my comment wasn't properly worded to reflect my actual opinion. However, I would find it hard to believe that my statement was ever actually found to be scientifically incorrect (if such facts were able to be determined for sure, stuff like this is all we have to go by). I can only speak from my own unique experiences which have created that opinion.

For instance, I did like Prince but almost none of my band mates (over the years) ever did. Now mind you, these are the guys who almost never listened to a song that was sang by a woman.. And their vast music collections almost never had anything created by female artists. So for this reason, I would consider their musical interests to be shifted more towards the "masculine" end of the spectrum. That was really all I meant by that comment.

Also, another factor that might make me biased is, just about every woman in my life, from the girlfriends to my wife and even my mom really LOVED Prince. I mean they really LOVED Prince.

Prince is 18 months older than I am. Trust me, lots of men my age, and little younger, we're trying to be like Prince. Prince pulled all of the women, what straight young dude wouldn't emulate the man with all of the ladies? Trust me, lots of very masculine men, wanted to be like Prince. Even Dr. Dre, when he was in the World Class Wrecking Crew, was into lingerie. I don't think Dre is feminine.

I've concurred.. And regarding Dr Dre.. Im a fan.

^Metal God Rob Halford. The rest has been redacted. Cheers!!






Also, lets all not forget the songs that Prince wrote but were made famous by others. Here is one of the more beautiful ones (IMHO):

 

[TyBo]

Actually, I meant that my comment was the nuclear option, not yours. Because I was telling you that you don't know what you're talking about, which is poor form and doesn't score anyway.

But since I'm here again - you said in two different posts that Prince lacked chops, which I take to mean that you believe he lacked technical capability as a musician. It's hard for me to imagine anybody who has seen him live saying that. The dude was a savant on everything he touched.

Of course I know what I'm talking about. I've listened to Prince over the years, and listened to people who influenced him, like Brown and Hendrix, and everything else under the sun. As well as playing several instruments myself, and singing as well, and so having some perspective on those things. Prince just didn't, physically, have the strong voice that James Brown had. Even less so compared to someone like Ray Charles. Where did Prince display that kind of power? On guitar ... Hendrix pretty much reinvented the way it was played - nobody was playing like him before, and a large majority of guitarists will point to him as one of the, if not the, greatest electric players. Prince just didn't have that kind of ability on guitar, wasn't a guy who reinvented the instrument and made everyone's jaw drop when he played - I'm primarily a guitarist myself, and Prince never made me feel, "Holy sh*t, dig that!" He played some stuff in a sort of Hendrix style, and while it was nice, it wasn't "genius". That's all - he was very good, at a lot of things, just not the best at them. He had chops instrumentally, up to a point, but not compared to guys who could really bring it. Vocally ... well he put his songs across effectively, and got by. Genius? No.

 

[bluesblaster]

I understand having a problem with Prince and Co.'s music being called "the Minneapolis sound," but let's be real.

I'm sure there's more to Nashville than country, and more to Memphis than the blues. But those are the sounds most associated with those cities. Take an informal poll around the country and ask what music makes you think of Minneapolis, and the Prince-influenced stuff will probably win in a landslide. Of course, it's not the only music out of Minneapolis, but it's the music most associated with the city. That's just the way it is.

Pop music didn't start in the eighties around here, I understand if your a certain age then you might perceive it that way, it doesn't make it true its just the way its been marketed to you. None of the music towns you mentioned were defined by one particular artist in the way Prince was associated with the so called "Minneapolis sound"

Both native sons Prince and Bob Dylan didn't hit it big here, they went to where the Music business could propel there careers, Dylan to new York and Columbia records and Prince to L.A. on whatever label he debuted on, had either of them stayed here and slogged it out on the local scene they most likely would have never had the success and notoriety they enjoyed. I used to see new age composer Yanni here quite often as he played with a local band called Chameleon before moving to L.A. to seek his fame and fortune.

I guess if your not from here you wouldn't know what the music scene is really like, When Prince got all weird and changed is name to some undeciferable symbol , the press dub him "Symbolina" a lot of people kind of shook there head and went "yeah whatever dude" maybe it was a joke only he got, I don't know.

Theres a lot of fine music that has come out of this town if you care to look , prince only being one of many.

BTW, Bob Dylan has owned a farm outside of the metro area near a small town for years, his kids played little league ball there and he's seen at the local diner now and then, he's very low key and people respect that and give him his space, he doesn't go out on the town accompanied by a couple big goons for bodyguards like He's "Royalty" or something.

 

[Kmonk]

30+ albums, thousands of unreleased songs, allegedly played 27 instruments... Yeah, not sure why he was considered brilliant.

My mistake. It has now come out that he was drug addict and had aids. I guess when someone makes bad choices, writes simple pop songs and rips off other artist's material, (Journey's Faitfully" and calls it "Purple Rain"), that makes him a genius.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I acknowledge and respect the man's talent. He was musically brilliant. No doubt about it. It's a tragedy that he passed. A lot of people are mourning and it's really sad he's gone.

His music.....maybe there's something I'm missing. It seems to be mostly 80s style, electronic-ey, drum machine-y pop music. That's fine. Lots of people love that. I'm not a fan. Not of that kind of music in general and not of the Prince songs I know. I'm not trying to disrespect his memory or his talent or his vast catalogue of music. Not at all. I'm trying to understand it. I know he was a great musician but I don't hear it in his music...at least the music I know. Are there deep tracks that are.......better? No, better isn't the right word. But different from how I described how I perceive his music. Is there more funky stuff he's done? More rock and roll?

Prince marketed himself in odd ways. When I worked in the UK in '82, they talked about his guitar skills like he was Hendrix. My listening to him up until then had been in the States and it was dance/soul music, very light on guitar pyrotechnics. It was competently played but nothing grabbed me.

Then.......someone brought me one of his albums, one that wasn't released in the US though available if you knew where to look and order.

Much different material. Is the U.K. less niche oriented than the American market? Seemed to be a wider array of his music being sold that we had in the US.

Prince had some formidable skills on guitar and knew how to groove

Prince also had a drug problem and shortened his time on the planet because of that problem.

He had my respect musically, his life skills were lacking.

HE made great music in spite of the drugs, not because of them. Unfortunately some of his fans don't think that is the case.

Without the drugs, he would have made more and most likely better music.

Too bad.

 

[Fxpmusic]

My mistake. It has now come out that he was drug addict and had aids. I guess when someone makes bad choices, writes simple pop songs and rips off other artist's material, (Journey's Faitfully" and calls it "Purple Rain"), that makes him a genius.

Your lack of compassion throughout posts on this subject makes it clear no more reasoning will be worth it. Good luck being perfect.

 

[GregC]

My mistake. It has now come out that he was drug addict and had aids. I guess when someone makes bad choices, writes simple pop songs and rips off other artist's material, (Journey's Faitfully" and calls it "Purple Rain"), that makes him a genius.

When you have to cite the sketchiest tabloid rumors and make a ripoff claim citing a song that doesn't sound hardly at all like the other one, you're really grasping at straws in order to try and dog someone.

 

[Fxpmusic]

When you have to cite the sketchiest tabloid rumors and make a ripoff claim citing a song that doesn't sound hardly at all like the other one, you're really grasping at straws in order to try and dog someone.

Not to mention the Journey story is quite honorable and it seems Journey has nothing but respect and admiration at how it was handled.

 

[DWBass]

and rips off other artist's material, (Journey's Faithfully" and calls it "Purple Rain"), that makes him a genius.

What? Prince has NEVER ripped off anyone's music. Prince was adamant about writing original music and barely covered anyone else's music. Not sure where you're getting your info but it's false. Did you even listen to the 2 songs? I get that a lot of folks didn't like Prince but you can't deny his success and his immense fight for the musician's rights of owning their music and not the record companies. He just wasn't having it!

It's been said that Prince was addicted to particular pain killer. Let's save that conversation for when and if that is confirmed. Way too much misinformation and speculation going on!

 

[bass12]

My mistake. It has now come out that he was drug addict and had aids. I guess when someone makes bad choices, writes simple pop songs and rips off other artist's material, (Journey's Faitfully" and calls it "Purple Rain"), that makes him a genius.

I'm guessing the "monk" part of your username is in reference to your holier-than-thou attitude, right? Cool.

 

[Fxpmusic]

What? Prince has NEVER ripped off anyone's music. Prince was adamant about writing original music and barely covered anyone else's music. Not sure where you're getting your info but it's false. Did you even listen to the 2 songs? I get that a lot of folks didn't like Prince but you can't deny his success and his immense fight for the musician's rights of owning their music and not the record companies. He just wasn't having it!

It's been said that Prince was addicted to particular pain killer. Let's save that conversation for when and if that is confirmed. Way too much misinformation and speculation going on!

He was referring to this


Prince "Purple Rain": Similarities to Journey's "Faithfully," Asked for Blessing

Far from a rip off IMHO