digitalelectric said:

That's how tight he was. That's how unreal he was. That's how special he was. Let's face it. His best music-making year was 1983. His parabolic curve ended a couple years after that. Yes, there were some OK jams after that, but don't embellish it. After that it wasn't that good. Period. Yes, we want it to be good., but it was at best less than half as good. You want it to be good, but it isn't. Let's get real.

My point. The only way he can appeal to his real fans is to release the old, unreleased stuff now. If he never gives it to us, then his legacy to the real fans diminishes exponentially daily.

To Prince: Quit wasting our time. It's over. The only way to be relevant is to give up the goods now.

People buying and dancing to the new shit now and the shit for the last 20 years is played out a thousand fold.

Let's get real, org people. Why are we still here talking P when the last perfect song was "If I was Your Girlfriend?"

I'll still watch every live performance, and listen to every new release. Because I'm a fan.

But I'm disappointed every time despite the fact that I'm witnessing a living legend due to his otherworldly output that rocked my world closing in on 30 years ago.

Is it worth it?

[Edited 7/29/11 0:04am]

He had perfect albums after 83, everything up Batman is arguably perfect. Diamonds and Pearls had several songs that could easily make 80s albums, so does 0)+> and Gold Exp. I think your just playing favorites with your synth Prince sound.

SquirrelMeat said:

The bottom line for me is that his weaker modern output is still ten times better than his peers.

This statement interests me: who do you class as Prince's 'peers'?

[Edited 7/29/11 12:22pm]

Prince "peak" ended in 1987-88, not 1984 anyway...

JoeTyler said:

Prince "peak" ended in 1987-88, not 1984 anyway...

Yeah though I argue he was still really good that his peak extended to at least '92 THEN it started to drop but gradually lol

Timmy84 said:

JoeTyler said:

Prince "peak" ended in 1987-88, not 1984 anyway...

Yeah though I argue he was still really good that his peak extended to at least '92 THEN it started to drop but gradually lol

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah though I argue he was still really good that his peak extended to at least '92 THEN it started to drop but gradually lol

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

Good overview.

JoeTyler said:

Prince "peak" ended in 1987-88, not 1984 anyway...

I'd say he musically peaked in 1986/87 because a lot of what was SOTT was really Dream Factory/Crystal Ball (Prince & the Revolution), I think in 1987 & 1988 he was riding of the waves of the 1984-1986 years. It was exhausted and we see a drop in quality.

He still put out a good song but the influences changed and the peak plateaued

I mean most of the best songs from GB came from the 1984-1986 sessions not from the NPG Graffiti Bridge years, music from SOTT was not the sign o the times band except for Dr Fink Eric Atlanta and a bit of Sheila. Can say the same for most of the Black album music. Lovesexy was more the whole era than the actual album I love some of the outtakes and non album tracks that came with it Pink Cashmere the Line Still Would Stand All Time Rave etc

no musician EVER could top his 84-87 output

EVER EVER

(FORVER EVER?)

FOREVER

Yeah - I agree with some of the what digitalgard is saying.

I didn't even get into Prince until the mid-90s, but most of my favorite songs are from the 80s and even 70s.

I am a fan because I think Prince still brings something unique to the industry even if some of his more recent stuff doesn't get me rockin'. His musicianship is still flawless, even if his inspiration is lacking. (or is it my connection to what he is putting out there that is lacking?)

Whatever - just keep giving me some good guitar and I'll keep listening.

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah though I argue he was still really good that his peak extended to at least '92 THEN it started to drop but gradually lol

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

I don't think he gets ANY medal in the "2004 -" years. He deserves a "participant" trophy/certificate, and that's about it.

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah though I argue he was still really good that his peak extended to at least '92 THEN it started to drop but gradually lol

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

where's the 96-03 period ?

Zannaloaf said:

HonestMan13 said:

You answered your own redundant question. "Because you're a fan." Accept it and either stay put or move on. Why does Prince have to adjust something in his life for you to find solace in yours?

as an aside it's funny that you naysay things like REMASTERS? THE REVOLUTION REUNION? OPENING THE VAULT but your icon pic is as old as it gets...just sayin '

I want those things but am not obsessed by them. At the end of the day I already have the music. I'm as appreciative of the music he's doing now and not mired in the past. Prince has much more to offer than what the majority focuses upon on these threads.

Dewrede said:

JoeTyler said:

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

where's the 96-03 period ?

he probably erased it from his own memory. It must have been really bad years of bad music, haha.

Dewrede said:

JoeTyler said:

for me:

80-88: Solid Gold Medal

91-95: Big, fat, shinny Silver Medal

04-??: decent Bronze Medal

where's the 96-03 period ?

Joe HATES that period lol

Timmy84 said:

Dewrede said:

where's the 96-03 period ?

Joe HATES that period lol

ugh

that period could have been tolerable if he had released just one album in 1997 (best songs off Emancipation/Rave in one single disc) , TRC should have been mostly instrumental lol

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

Joe HATES that period lol

ugh

that period could have been tolerable if he had released just one album in 1997 (best songs off Emancipation/Rave in one single disc) , TRC should have been mostly instrumental lol

I paid little attention to Prince during this period except for some songs off Emancipation, New Power Soul and Rave (the last one I bought and only listened to like five times lol).

the poster is absolutely right, but waaaaaaaaaay off with 1983. i would say 1988. during the manic 90s i still went to over 50 concerts, bought all his ropey, schizophrenic albums. now i follow him more in hope that one day he can produce something vital to me again. i don't think he will, but i want to be proved wrong. so to me i'm as much a "fan" as anyone else on here.

Timmy84 said:

Dewrede said:

where's the 96-03 period ?

Joe HATES that period lol

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

Joe HATES that period lol

ugh

that period could have been tolerable if he had released just one album in 1997 (best songs off Emancipation/Rave in one single disc) , TRC should have been mostly instrumental lol

I think all of the albums released in that period have some great songs on them

Particularly TRC is a masterpiece (hated it at first though , til i finally got it)

Mya said:

I've just got two things to say ..

1. You're pretty stuck in the past.

2. I'm sick of this negative bullshit, honestly

You've got to remember the beauty of being a Prince fan - none of us have the same taste when it comes to his colourful yet enormous music catalogue. We're all fans from different Prince eras. We're all different ages. We're all fans for completely different reasons. It's impossible for any of us to agree.

saying you personally don't like his output past a certain date isn't negative. It's an opinion.

[img:$uid]http://www.gifsoup.com/view/580704/chris-crocker-o.gif[/img:$uid]

I disagree OP.

Prince was good and succesfull up to 1984, but still a bit lumpen and one-dimensional in his musical and lyrical vocubalaire.

He was great in the period 1985 - 1988. Offering more subtleties in his music and lyrics. Being more ambivalent and 'artsy' in a good way.

What happened after that? well, up to 1995 he was able to impress me from time to time. But after that it has been very annoying.

jonylawson said:

no musician EVER could top his 84-87 output

EVER EVER

(FORVER EVER?)

FOREVER

I dunno- they said that about a LOT of artists. Stevie Wonder's best years (1970-1980) outdo Prince imo (8 albums- two double). And you have even MORE to choose from with him. So saying no one ever...blah blah blah is pretty ridiculous.

[Edited 8/31/11 7:10am]

Prince was so good until !995 that we still love him today. There, I fixed it for you.

Some Prince fans really are excessively hateful and nasty towards Prince. This place intrigues me…

HonestMan13 said:

Zannaloaf said:

as an aside it's funny that you naysay things like REMASTERS? THE REVOLUTION REUNION? OPENING THE VAULT but your icon pic is as old as it gets...just sayin '

I want those things but am not obsessed by them. At the end of the day I already have the music. I'm as appreciative of the music he's doing now and not mired in the past. Prince has much more to offer than what the majority focuses upon on these threads.

100% right, the OP's topic is full of shit. Prince is STILL amazing today.

love your sig btw

purplemonster04 said:

[img:$uid]http://www.gifsoup.com/view/580704/chris-crocker-o.gif[/img:$uid]

I agree that 1983/84 made me a fan...dude was smoking hot back then, But its his work since that keeps me a fan. There have been a few times where I am not sure I am liking his direction (Lovesexy, Symbol, Rave) but then he comes up with something that gets with me again (Gold Experience, TRC, Lotusflower) and I am back in the fold...usually as strong or stonger than ever.

That's just the way it is, man. Captain Kirk can't wrestle a Gorn no more either, but he can still fire them phasers.