Mac Site Editorial on Prince and Artist-Fan Relationships

{{{Weird, an editorial about Prince from a Macintosh-centric site. But it's worth a read... http://www.macobserver.co...08.1.shtml

TMO Short Take: This Column Has Nothing To Do With Prince, Or With Macs
by Rodney O. Lain

(ON AN AIR FLIGHT BETWEEN MIAMI AND MINNEAPOLIS) -- As a 30-something music lover, I have an on-again, off-again relationship with the Prince Formerly Known as the Artist. I've written about my musician-listener relationship elsewhere on the "Mac Web." Right now, I'm listening to some selections from this Artist's newest album.

As a result, I'm once more standing between "off again" and "on again" today, because "The Rainbow Children" isn't what I expected, and probably isn't what I wanted.}}}

Other than two James-Brown-funky songs -- "The Everlasting Now" and "The Work, Part 1" -- I really don't care too much for the blatant, born-again Jehovah's Witnessing in his lyrics. I'm sure there are other fans of his wondering also what the hell is going on with his latest musical direction. Nevertheless, in spite of the preachy lyrics, the music still attests to his, as one Amazon.com reviewer puts it, his "ingeniously bizarre song writing sensibility."

For the uninitiated, Prince is the diminutive wunderkind from Minneapolis who burst onto the music scene circa 1978 at age 17 and single-handedly defined a sound and showmanship second to none of his contemporaries. His claim to fame is that ever since Day One, this one-man band (he plays at least 27 instruments) has written, produced and performed damned-near every song on damned-near every one of his albums. Better than that, on nearly every song, he has played damned-near every instrument and has sung damned-near every vocal.

His other claim to fame is that he combined sexuality (thong underwear, high heels and liberal use of mascara) and salvation (he's written some of the most hauntingly beautiful Christian songs) -- wrapped in trend-setting fusions of funk, rock, blues, jazz, and rap -- plus any other music style that his Muse dictates him to incorporate. His singular vision and control-freakish influence midwifed the "Minneapolis sound" that dominated "cross-over" music during the 1980s, paving the way for Twin Cities golden-touch producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (they are responsible for hit songs and albums ascribed to Janet Jackson, Maria Carey, and a nigh-innumerable list of others).

By now, I'm sure that some TMO readers -- especially the more vocally critical and "playa hatin'" members of my readership cult -- have stopped reading at this point, because so far, nothing I have said has anything to do with Macs, a common complaint I get about my writing.

This time, they're right.

You see, I'm sitting here on the plane, iPod in hand, fuming over the fact that I feel cheated by Prince. I expected a certain type of music from him over the years, based on past albums. But now, he comes out with this spiritual mumbo jumbo. Some readers feel that way about me and my writing.

This is a "Mac" Web site. I typically write about Mac-related topics. I'm "supposed" to write about Mac-related topics. So, when I bring some tangential idea into a Mac Observer discussion, there is a minor hue and cry from those who feel cheated (how can someone feel cheated by a "free" offering continually amazes me).

I'm feeling similarly cheated today.

Prince failed me. I expected funky. I got funky, but there was some sermonizing in the mix. So I complain. At this point, I see that Prince and I share one common creative trait: Even though we have fans who regularly follow our work, our fan base has turned into a collective purist. They want us to draw only within the proverbial lines, to stay in the box, so to speak.

"Why in the hell do you use those quotes that have nothing to do with your subject matter?" "Why must you emphasize your blackness so much?"

My biggest complaint about Prince is that after his 1984 pinnacle of fame (Purple Rain), his music began to go into all of these weird -- in my mind -- experimental directions. For example, one album, "Around the World in a Day," took on a Middle Eastern air which worked quite well. Others, however, just did not move me. Each was an obvious exploratory move of a true artist. I respected it, but didn't get it.

I mean, up to 1984, every album was a solid collection of songs that had structure, theme, and logic to it. Some of those post-1984 had the same, but the content frustrated me. This man appeared to be writing songs that only he could listen to. What is up with those experiential, unconventional beats -- you expect me to dance to that?

I didn't understand the guy until I started this writing gig.

For the last few years, I've been writing Mac-related columns -- again, the Mac-related part is arguable in many readers' minds. They feel that any deviation from things Macintosh, no matter how minor or trivial, breaks some inviolate, unwritten contract between writer and reader.

I beg to differ.

Today's writer has a multi-faceted responsibility to the reader. By the way, there is stark difference between a writer and a reporter. I am a writer, while most people on the Mac Web are reporters. But I digress...

Now, where was I... Oh, yes. A writer and his responsibility. A writer -- not a reporter, mind you -- should entertain. A writer -- not a reporter -- should challenge. Hell, a writer should be the catalyst for an occasional bar fight -- or flame war, at least. What he should not be is predictable. A writer's job is to make the reader think, to make the reader question and look again at his beliefs, to make the reader re-examine his or her views from time to time. In order to do this, a writer should be willing to risk exposing his flaws, his warts, his humanity, which is part and parcel of (publicly) re-examining his beliefs. That is what I try to do. I risk falling on my face every time I write, but that is intentional. I'm not always a "safe" guy.

Let me go even further -- a reporter writes news stories which are just the facts, at least they are supposed to be. A writer writes opinions, columns and editorials, which are full of opinion, sprinkled with facts and interpretations of facts. I hope this clears up some of my more persistent flamers. I'm digressing again. Forgive me...

For me, being human and being humane in my writing is more important than getting readers to like and agree with me, which is the result of the safe, predictable fare offered elsewhere -- no offense intended to my fellow writers.

If I could dream a world, I'd dream a Mac Web site that grows beyond being merely a Mac Web site. How about a site, like Salon, where there is technology, but there is also art, commentary and other written observations of humanity.

One day, I hope that Mac Web sites will mature beyond the point where they are just "Mac" Web sites. I'd like to live in that world.

Sorry, for letting you down and not writing about anything Macintosh. I promise that the next column won't be about Prince. But it may not be about the Mac, either.

Then again, maybe it will.

Rodney O. Lain is full of it. When he's not trying to justify writing about whatever flits across his feeble brain, Rodney writes his iBrotha column for The Mac Observer, as well as the occasional editorial. Rodney lives in Minnesota, where he is an IT supervisor for The Man at a Fortune 50 company.

Hum... isn't he complaining on Prince because Prince does in his music something that he himself affirms he has the right to do in his writing? Not having a negative view, just thinking about what I just read...

Well, i agree on one thing with him... I find the preaching Jehovah stuff a real turn-off compaired to the great musical qualities. I have a big distrust towards religion but usually leave people alone about their personal choices and believes. But in prince's case, many people were drawn in by the fact that prince did not seem to fit the mold of what was expected of people, and could be seen as a "free-spirit", combined whith a wonderfull talent of making music and performing.

What he does on the cd only disturbs me mildly, but using the benefit of an already exctatic crowd, cheering with the music, and getting it to agree and cheer on religious outlets gets to sens as manipulative. Many in the public yelling along with one or other religious slogan/outlet wouldn't be so outspoken postitive on the matter when asked outside the concert.

You can not be that free when you have your questions in life answered by a so called higher power, whose existence is far from certain. Certainly a community as questionable as the Jehovah's witnesses gives me goosebumps when they try to rally for new believers.

So - as far as I am concerned, prince may talk about his believes and choices, but i feel very uncomfortable when it turns into a form of salestalk.

lulirom said:

Hum... isn't he complaining on Prince because Prince does in his music something that he himself affirms he has the right to do in his writing? Not having a negative view, just thinking about what I just read...

a little off the topic, but why has it always been said that Prince plays 27 instruments? Where did that number come from. I've been hearing that since 1984, though, like much about Prince's career, I think there's a little "mythologising" going on there...

Let's see, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards. Unless they count acoustic guitar/electric guitar as 2 seperate instruments, and piano and keyboards as seperate, there the man's instruments. He doesn't play woodwinds or brass. Altough i'm sure he could...

Peace

lulirom said:

Hum... isn't he complaining on Prince because Prince does in his music something that he himself affirms he has the right to do in his writing? Not having a negative view, just thinking about what I just read...

Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

true - but a "difficulty" remains, and that is that his tenacety (?) in his way of working, does partly alienate some/a lot... of the people who made him a respected artist. It's not just because you can do something and do it your way, that you become an artist: there is also a form of recognition from an audience.
I must say that I do respect his way of working; keeping in line with what he feels he should do; instead of a michael jackson who tried to keep up commercially and is going flat on his face (what explains a lot about the face ) and someone like madonna whose current succes is largely based on getting all the right , hip people in the industry to try and keep up, and is by now, creating a caricature of herself.
prince still remains an enormous talented musician, no matter what turn he takes. He is his own biggest strength.

JediMaster said:

Who is this guy? He sounds like a jack ass. What kind of a writer needs to justify what he writes to his readers? If he thinks he's an artist, he's wrong. Do you ever hear Prince explain Around the World in a Day or TRC? Nope. An artist lets his art speak for itself. Period!!!

AaronSuperior said:

this asshole just wasted 4 minutes of my life with his self indulgence.. fuck him..

You know what I miss in Prince's music these days? It has nothing to do with what he's singing. He can sing about whatever he want and always has. It's the raw passion. I was just listening to the extended version of Computer Blue and realized, even though he has powerful messages these days, the music doesn't touch the raw passion and energy that used to come out in his earlier stuff (Controversy, Something in the Water, Sign O' the Times etc.) It's too calculated and polished.
Just an observation while listening...

Who gives a fuck what else he said...this I like..."some of the most haughtingly beautiful christian songs" .

JUST A THOUGHT IN REGARDS TO THE HEPATITUS C THING

Didn't PAM ANDERSON Accuse TOMMY LEE of giving Pam Anderson Hepatitis C?

Maybe MAYTE was involved with Tommy Lee while she was married to PRINCE and transferred the Hepatitis to Prince….

(If any of this gossip be true……Gossip be damned!!!)

lol...

Prince is a songwriter, .Lain is a writer.

Prince gets dissed by his fans, and so does Lain.

Prince doesn't give his fans what they want, so why should Lain?

Maybe because he's not the Prince of Writing?

SEXUALCHOCOLATE said:

a little off the topic, but why has it always been said that Prince plays 27 instruments? Where did that number come from. I've been hearing that since 1984, though, like much about Prince's career, I think there's a little "mythologising" going on there...

Let's see, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards. Unless they count acoustic guitar/electric guitar as 2 seperate instruments, and piano and keyboards as seperate, there the man's instruments. He doesn't play woodwinds or brass. Altough i'm sure he could...

Peace

kevinmkeating said:

Huch! What's up?

27 instruments?

Hows about the Fuzz bazz and the mini-moog?