Terilicious said:

PRINCE BRAIN PICKIN'S:

If you like the music I just posted, then you are in good company cuz Prince liked it too. In fact, he moved it from the middle of the set to the start because it was the “strongest song,” according to Robin.

At some point, he told Robin that he liked the “bells” on top of the groove. It was so cool for Prince to notice a detail like that cuz I was most proud of those “bells.” I put them on top there in a dissonant fashion to make the kick (bass drum) sound like it was hitting metal. It was little things like that that made me think he and I saw eye to eye musically. That was one of my fantasies with Prince, Krystal.  I can’t tell you how flattering it was for Prince to compliment my music like that, cuz he otherwise was very critical and demanding.

Prince was the one who suggested we break it down after the third chorus and have Tracy do a guitar solo. Then he told us to build it back up to the final chorus with Tracy still soloing. To me that was a brilliant sense of musical drama on his part.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

The name of the song is "Woman's Touch." For the drum loop, I used a standard sample that came bundled with the Emax module. (Hey - I was in a hurry!) The go-go beat is a testament to my experience with it, while the guitar chords and string harmonies show my other influences from rock and classical music. I thought it would be interesting to mix the genres.

The rap was not written by Robin. A 17 year old kid named Kou wrote it - he was one of my clients at the recording studio. I thought he was good but at least one of you doesn't think so. Oh well - what do I know - I'm just a classical music nerd.

COMING SOON:

Like I said in my very first post, Prince applauded another song the Dames and I wrote together. I found a version of it without Robin’s rapping on it (it was close to the gig and she was saving her voice.) This is good because 1) you get to hear it since it doesn’t have Prince’s copyrighted lyrics on it and 2) a lot of you seem to hate Robin’s rapping. I will post that soon.
[Edited 5/1/05 6:50am]

Hey Artpal!

Well, at least we can NOT blame Robin for the writing now, on that song anyway. A grown WOMAN probably should have written the rap. It may have sounded more believable.

While I have taken piano, guitar, flute and drum lessons (I even briefly performed in a group) in no way do I consider myself a musician. I do write and perform poetry. I have an ear and a LOVE for music. I support local musicians-I'm in St. Louis MO. I'm basically a seasoned groupie! But I believe that the groupie is truly underrated. Groupies are the backbone of up and coming musicians, both male and female!

I love hearing your stories and especially the tech stuff. It's great when someone hones their craft, whatever that may be.

I look forward to hearing the instrumental track! Thanks so much.

Terilicious said:

I have an ear and a LOVE for music. I support local musicians-I'm in St. Louis MO. I'm basically a seasoned groupie! But I believe that the groupie is truly underrated. Groupies are the backbone of up and coming musicians, both male and female!

ScarletteP said:

artpal said:

ScarletteP said:

I'm sorry to hear about the way Sheila treated your drummer too. For the most part she seems like she'd be a pretty decent person... Maybe it was a really shitty/hard day for her... With P (@ that point in time) hanging over one's head, you all could probably well understand how that could be. Also, I know she was very sick for many years, which may have had something to do with it too.

Hey, where can I/we hear your solo stuff?
Much respect ladies,
ScarletteP

Hey ScarletteP,

I forgot to thank you for listening to my music and complimenting me. It means a lot.

Back to Sheila E: A couple of others responded similarly to my story about Sheila. I think I figured out the discrepancy between what you know of her now and what we experienced in 1991. I read some interviews (below) that suggest to me that after we met her in March 1991, she left Paisley, went on tour in Japan, got sick, and became a Christian. The Christianity thing changed the way she dealt with people.

Here are the interviews and excerpts from which I gather my conclusion.

From http://www.crosswalk.com/1140100.html

Janet: How did the Lord recapture you after your detour?
Sheila: I had actually met Prince in 1978; we've been friends for the entire time. In 1991, I finally quit his band and the whole organization. I was totally exhausted. So, I went to Japan with my band to do a tour and when I came back, my neck was really bothering me. I was stressed out and totally exhausted, mentally and physically. I went to get acupuncture and they punctured my lung accidentally.
From http://www.the-fuze.com/sheilae.html
Did you handle the sudden success well, when ‘The Glamorous Life’ hit big?
“I tried my best. It really happened so quickly. It was overwhelming. You almost want to say “I wish I would have known then, what I know now.” I would have dealt with some things differently – with people, especially. I see how you get caught in being a celebrity. Fame can destroy you.”
“…Also, after I accepted Christ, I started calling people and I said, "You know what? I'm sorry that I did this or that. I'm really sorry." And He had me continue to call and I'm still apologizing, 10 years later. I wanted to be a good person. It's not that I did anything bad because I wanted to - it was like I was forced to in a way, just to fight back.”
From http://www.the-fuze.com/sheilae.html
“And a lot of people don’t know that I’m a Christian, which is ok because I’m not walking around with a big sign. But people are noticing a lot of positive things. They’re like “Wow, you’re just so different, and you’re so easy to talk to.” Basically it is because of my faith. You know, I’ve changed a lot. I’ve grown a lot, and I think the people that have been with me in my music have done the same. We’ve all taken a journey together. “

Does anyone know exactly when in 1991 she got sick? We met her early that year (March) and she seemed physically fine. You have to have seen her body language to sense the vibe we were getting.
[Edited 5/3/05 4:49am]

Krystal666 said:

Wow! Thanks for posting that artpal. I REALLY respect Shiela even more now that I read that and she was so honest, and mature. She sounds really great to admit to something like that and change her behavior.

So what's the next story about artpal? ...(Paitently awaits next story)....

artpal said:

Krystal666 said:

Wow! Thanks for posting that artpal. I REALLY respect Shiela even more now that I read that and she was so honest, and mature. She sounds really great to admit to something like that and change her behavior.

So what's the next story about artpal? ...(Paitently awaits next story)....

Hey Krystal,

I must admit, I really admire Sheila now that I think about her honest introspection. It really take a lot of courage to admit something like that and change it. I hope Kim the drummer is out there somewhere reading this.

I'm freakin' out right now because I have too much work to do. But I can share a very short story for now.

Ready for another little story?

When we were shooting the "Number One" video, we dressed in outfits that already existed in Paisley Park. The one concern that the Paisley people had about my looks was that my boobs were too small. Whatever. I guess it's better than having to starve to death to lose weight. So anyway, I had to wear an outfit that used to belong to a more famous Prince protege who had the same "problem."

I'm gonna let you all guess who that protege might have been, but I'm not gonna tell you the answer cuz I don't want to have to pull this thread again.
She was one of Prince's girlfriends. So now we know that Prince likes women with small boobs as well as those with big boobs.
[Edited 5/4/05 17:40pm]

boriquateddy said:

artpal said:

Hey Krystal,

I must admit, I really admire Sheila now that I think about her honest introspection. It really take a lot of courage to admit something like that and change it. I hope Kim the drummer is out there somewhere reading this.

I'm freakin' out right now because I have too much work to do. But I can share a very short story for now.

Ready for another little story?

When we were shooting the "Number One" video, we dressed in outfits that already existed in Paisley Park. The one concern that the Paisley people had about my looks was that my boobs were too small. Whatever. I guess it's better than having to starve to death to lose weight. So anyway, I had to wear an outfit that used to belong to a more famous Prince protege who had the same "problem."

I'm gonna let you all guess who that protege might have been, but I'm not gonna tell you the answer cuz I don't want to have to pull this thread again.
She was one of Prince's girlfriends. So now we know that Prince likes women with small boobs as well as those with big boobs.
[Edited 5/4/05 17:40pm]

Vanity????? LOL

Prince never seemed to be a boob man to me anyway. He seemed more like an ass/leg man imho. Am I right artpal??

Krystal666 said:

Prince never seemed to be a boob man to me anyway. He seemed more like an ass/leg man imho. Am I right artpal??

artpal said:

Krystal666 said:

Prince never seemed to be a boob man to me anyway. He seemed more like an ass/leg man imho. Am I right artpal??

I never did get to know Prince directly enough to know the exact answer to that, but my impression of him is that he liked all kinds of women just like he liked all kinds of music. Hm. Except I don't think he's been with a real fat woman. Nor a real dark skinned woman. Nor a real Asian woman. But he had so many girlfriends it's hard to know who else he might have been dating.

Krystal666 said:

boriquateddy said:

Vanity????? LOL

I was gonna say pre-boob job Vanity!
Nothing wrong with small boobs, nothing wrong with big boobs everyone is unique and special in their own way.

artpal said:

Krystal666 said:

I was gonna say pre-boob job Vanity!
Nothing wrong with small boobs, nothing wrong with big boobs everyone is unique and special in their own way.

Vanity had a boob job??? Was it when she was with Vanity 6?

Krystal666 said:

artpal said:

Vanity had a boob job??? Was it when she was with Vanity 6?

no, it was nuch after her assiociation with Prince and Vanity 6!

artpal said:

Krystal666 said:

no, it was nuch after her assiociation with Prince and Vanity 6!

Man, that was so not necessary.


Here's another shorty...

When some of us Dames were living with Robin in her apartment, she told us little tidbits about Prince that only a girlfriend would know. You know - girl talk.

She told us why Prince always smiles with his mouth closed. Can anyone out there guess why? Guess, and I'll tell you the answer.

Krystal666 said:

artpal said:

Man, that was so not necessary.


Here's another shorty...

When some of us Dames were living with Robin in her apartment, she told us little tidbits about Prince that only a girlfriend would know. You know - girl talk.

She told us why Prince always smiles with his mouth closed. Can anyone out there guess why? Guess, and I'll tell you the answer.

Oooohhh, I like this game artpal! Hmmm, I'm going to say because he feels self concious(sp?) about his back teeth?

Yay!!! I got half a purple point for that! Let's do another one artpal! If you ever feel it is too intimate you can always orgnote me... : ...I won't tell...promise!...

Krystal666 said:

Yay!!! I got half a purple point for that! Let's do another one artpal! If you ever feel it is too intimate you can always orgnote me... : ...I won't tell...promise!...

Hey Artpal!

Eventually I will orgnote you with some of my poetry. I'm too busy right now. Work work work! Thanks for the interest. I love the music to The Teacher. Have you gotten any feedback since posting it here. Has anyone written anything to it? I have a few ideas. I just have to find the time to explore them. I am really interested to know if anyone else has responded to writing something over it.

Take care.

Terilicious said:

Artpal, you are such a cutie.

BlaqueKnight said:

I noticed that at least one of you wrote reviews of "The Teacher" in the garageband.com site. Thanks a bunch for your input. And thanks for the compliment.

I'm lovin' the input from the other folks in that site cuz they are complaining about the lack of a vocal rap or singing - I guess they don't know the background behind that post. Tee hee.

Don't worry about putting feedback in that site - I'm not trying to win that contest with a half written song on a rehearsal tape recording. I just wanted the feedback. You can go ahead and just write something here or send me an org note.

If you are not sure what to think or say, please say so. Even that feedback is helpful.

See, I always fantasized about getting the dames back together and finishing this song in a studio. Maybe I'd pull the singer Alisa up to the real front where I think she belongs. Maybe we could do a video too.

I don't know - what do you guys think? I'll give you Prince brain pickins soon.

Thanks!
[Edited 6/1/05 5:26am]

Now it's time to tell the story behind the song:

THE TEACHER: Behind the Song

At some point, Robin told us that we would have to create some new music to a song that Prince wrote for her called “The Teacher.” I do not know why we had to change Prince’s music – I was just following orders. It seems to me Prince did not want us to use any of his music – and if we did we had to do a different version of it.

One rehearsal, Joanie was fiddling around and discovered an interesting musical idea on her bass. It was very simple – four notes descending one at a time repeatedly. She was excited by it and showed it to Robin. Maybe we can do something with this, she suggested.

By this time, I had become Robin’s golden girl – the composer who saved her project because I could write and direct. To her, Joanie was just a bass player and nothing more. If it wasn’t my idea, it was a waste of time to Robin. It didn’t help that Joanie’s idea was so simple. Robin turned it down flatly.

I, on the other hand, liked Joanie’s idea. Simple ideas are always the best to me. I heard the possibilities in my head. So in private, I told Joanie that when the time comes, we’ll try her idea without telling Robin that it was her same idea. I predicted that Robin would forget what the idea was because she didn’t even listen to it closely enough to give it a chance.

I was right.

One subsequent rehearsal, Prince suddenly instructed us to write some new music to “The Teacher” immediately on the spot and that he would come back and check on us in a few minutes. Everyone looked to me in shock. I looked at Joanie. Robin said she had to go to the bathroom or something and told us to get started.

“Play your idea,” I told Joanie.

She started playing her four notes over and over again, and Kim the drummer started playing to it. They kept playing and groovin’ on that for a minute, then Tracy started playing her guitar.

Now Tracy just loved that wah wah pedal of hers. It seemed to me that was all she ever wanted to play with. But that was her and we just went on with that. Most guitarists would have asked Joanie what key she was playing in, but - maybe because we were all panicking with the deadline - Tracy just started playing anything. Then Lisa the other keyboard player started throwing in anything.

The whole thing sounded kinda off to me, and I soon realized the band was playing in two or three different keys, which is technically wrong in standard musical thought. But I liked it. It was sounding really funky to me in a really powerful way.

The off key thing kind of fit with the hip hop thing we were trying to do with the band anyway. You see, when you do the turntable thing with standard rap, you might mix two different songs together which are in two different keys. That’s part of what makes the groove funky. So I said to myself, oh what the heck, I’m game.

Paisley Park provided me with some really old cheesy sounding keyboard aside from the Emax. I had to work with what I had, so I put a really cheesy sounding string/voice on top that was WAY off key. I came from the avant garde musical crowd, so I was comfy with that. On the Emax, I played some heavy sampled Lynn drum sounding percussion/drums to supplement Kim’s beat.

Robin came back in and liked what she heard. It was rockin’. Then she started rapping over it and man did that sound good. When the song was over, Robin said, “Man, that’s a BAD groove!”

“Thanks,” I said. “That was Joanie’s idea you turned down the other day.” We all just laughed. Robin knew we got her, but she was cool cuz the music was great.

We played the song a few more times just to get it tight and mess with the arrangement. It was all an impromptu evolution. When the song ended, I simply said “Dayum,” it was such a funky groove.

All of the sudden we heard some clapping – slow loud congratulatory applause from one person standing at the entrance of the sound stage. We turned around – and I’ll be damned – it was freakin’ Prince.



Prince, who had been raggin’ on each of us for various “faults” we had musically, looks wise, whatever. Prince, who had been threatening to replace so and so and such and such. After all that terror, Prince was freakin’ applauding our music. Pure Uptown Dames music.


PRINCE BRAIN PICKINS:

Later, Prince listened to our music again while watching some rehearsal videotapes. He called Robin and, in reference to the “Teacher” music, told her, “You guys were playing in three different keys and made it work – and you didn’t even know it.”

Kind of a back handed compliment – but I’ll take it.
[Edited 5/15/05 15:44pm]

Hey Artpal,

Haven't been able to get to a computer in awhile. You should DEFINATELY (is that spelled right?) get the Dames back together!! I'm sure others here feel the same way. Gotta go. Sorry.

Terilicious said:

Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences artpal - that was really interesting to read.

That teacher groove is seriously funky! And the groove wouldn't be the same without the claps you added.

wahclavinet said:

Krystal - haven't heard from you for a while. But I haven't forgotten about your request. Ready for another Prince fact mc nugget?

According to Robin, "The Kid" to Prince represented the more spiritual side of himself. He created another character that represented the other more worldly nasty side of himself. Who do you think this character is?