thebanishedone said:

nayroo2002 said:

Lead guitar on "3 Chains O' Gold" has to be Prince, cuz Michael Bland said they recorded the song in one take.

Who doubted that Prince played bass on "2 Nigs..." ?!!

Prost!

i highly doubt that 3 chains of gold was recorded in one take.there are so many chord and tempo changes. Why would levi say it's him soloing on 3 chains of gold? Well i doubted if it was prince on bass on 2 nigs song because he played with a pick,and solo is very sophosticated with jazzy voicings

Its not at all improbable 3 Chains was recorded in one take - its really not that complex and certainly sounds like the basic tracks (drums, bass, keys, guitar) were recorded in one take. It just has that sort of flow. All the musicians on that album are perfectly capable of such a thing. And there are many examples of Prince songs where the basics of the track were recorded in one take - he's been doing that since his very first album.

Furthermore, which solo are you (and Levi) referring to? There are 3 or 4 (maybe more - haven't listened to it in some time) guitar solos in that song, so its quite possible that Levi is doing one of them. I think most people here are thinking about the run at the end (where its just guitar), which is very similar to the one Prince plays at the end of Let's Go Crazy. So similar that, for me, that's definitely Prince. Any of the other solos could be Levi, but I'm not sure that it really matters.

Also, the bass solo on 2 Nigs doesn't sound to me like its played with a pick. Its sounds like finger picking and slap, with some strumming of chords near the end. Its also well within Prince's bass-playing capabilities.

nothing's a sure thing when dealing with Prince, he has routinely lifted so much but.....I always could hear Prince's distinctive style in his rhythm playing and in his solo tones. I would think it was him but I'd have to listen to it again, and it's possible he took credit for a great solo.

IstenSzek said:

I'm pretty sure that michael b already stated that the song was recorded in a single take. He told it in relation to prince sometimes making impossible demands. Like they all got their parts and then he just told them they would cut it in 1 take. Can't remember where I read it though, but I'm absolutely sure that I did.

yeah I read the same thing.

Obviously not all the parts though...

On the Act 1 tour, i have seen him play that part, live.

Sam 8)

That's interesting. I don't think Levi would lie. Some of us may be surprised because the assumption is that because Prince can play EVERYTHING, he does so on most of his recorded music. Doesn't really change anything because I remember Prince ripping that solo to shreds live on the Ride Divine concert. It's like when Miko played on Anastesia because Prince's guitar was dead during the LoveSexy concert. He's always had wonderfully capable musicians around him who inspire him and make him better.

sunlite said:

2020 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

sunlite said:

Prince did not play the guitar solo on "Little Red Corvette". Dez Dickerson did! Fact.
He rips it to shreds live today, but Dez played the solo we all know and love

I s to remember reading that Dez didn't actually play the solo as we 'know and love' it. Prince pieces it together from two separate solos, so Levi did the playing and prince did the arranging. As I recall anyway.

Dez was credited with the solo, yes it was pieced together from three takes for whatever reason and although it's one of the iconic guitar solos ever, it's not that complicated to play for a guy at Prince's level.

thebanishedone said:

2020 said:

Don't believe it That solo is signature Prince all the way

you don't believe it because like me you always listened to it with a presumtion it's prince.but if you listen again you will notice some parts that don't sound like prince's vibrato style.i asked levi does he plays rock blues guitar sometimes and he said that he is doing projects in that style and he said i quote :that's me soloing on 3 chains of gold

I haven't gotten around to giving it a spin but my memory tells me it's Prince's sound and feel. It could be Levi though, I wouldn't be surprised, but i'll have to listen to it again.

Why would Prince turn over a major solo on that CD over to Levi?

Oh thats right...he wouldnt.

NEXT!!!!

I still don't buy that it's Prince playing drums on the single version of 'Most Beautiful Girl in the World'. Its sounds like Michael Bland to me. The album version the drums were re-recorded but (for me) they dont sit with the vocals as well.

I just listened to it and a few thoughts ran through my mind, it's one of my favorite Prince songs and one that I think is a great example of great work of his being lost or ignored or taken for granted. Now, the solo, it's hard to tell, It's not in the range prince typically plays solos so I can't hear that Prince crackle in the tone, but.., it doesn't seem much different in form to the Let's go Crazy solo at the end which is probably more complicated and he pulled that off with no problems. I still don't have a conclusion though, only Prince could corraborate at this point and he wouldn't care to answer. Maybe Pers Nilsen would know or maybe others too.

yup Prince isn't that good on guitar. His thing is to play sustained notes with bends and swing his hand in the air as if the gods made it happen. All style no substance. But I do enjoy his easy playing where he's just having fun and not trying to get too technical. An example of that was the concert where Miles Davis joins him. The particular part being where he plays "old lang syne" to Purple Rain's instrumentation.

Rockability said:

yup Prince isn't that good on guitar. His thing is to play sustained notes with bends and swing his hand in the air as if the gods made it happen. All style no substance. But I do enjoy his easy playing where he's just having fun and not trying to get too technical. An example of that was the concert where Miles Davis joins him. The particular part being where he plays "old lang syne" to Purple Rain's instrumentation.

Man your first line is bullshit really. i play guitar for more then 17 years,i'm 30 now.

i think that as a guitarist and music lover i can say Prince is that good on guitar.

Go watch Montreux dvd to see how amazing Prince is on guitar.

O n those 2 dvds you can see Prince ripping ,shreading playing

all kind of things .

His guitar playing on that concert is fucking amazing

and beside techincal thing displays Prince's knowladge of various modes whic he combines great with pentatonic and chromatic scale.

I have seen for example a recent performances

of another 80's guitar hero,and i can tell you

that now days Prince can easy outplay Eddie Van Halen .

And people celebrate Eddie as a virtuoso.

Well Prince is faster,sharper,better player then Eddie.he wasn't in 1984 but now days he is.

But great ssolo isn't about flash anyway it's about the structure.

I hate to see that this thread become "Prince is not that good on guitar so he used Levi"

Everything played on 3 Chains of Gold could have been played by Prince.

Some parts are like that fast wah ending of the

song and some Santana like passages .

But early solos in the song don't sound like the way Prince attacks the strings.

2020 said:

Why would Prince turn over a major solo on that CD over to Levi?

Oh thats right...he wouldnt.

NEXT!!!!

Because Levi said he played it.

Anyway Prince's first crossover hit had Dez on lead guitar.

Prince could have played it even better but Prince use outside players sometimes not because he can't play it it's because of the diversity of sound.

Rockability said:

yup Prince isn't that good on guitar. His thing is to play sustained notes with bends and swing his hand in the air as if the gods made it happen. All style no substance. But I do enjoy his easy playing where he's just having fun and not trying to get too technical. An example of that was the concert where Miles Davis joins him. The particular part being where he plays "old lang syne" to Purple Rain's instrumentation.

Utter crap. He is one of the best rhythm guitarists EVER and whilst he may not be the best lead player in the world, he's certainly up amongst some of the best. Other world-famous and renowned guitarists often give him props for his playing. Just who are YOU to attempt to qualify how good he is?

I think Rock was joking guys.

2020 said:

Why would Prince turn over a major solo on that CD over to Levi?

Oh thats right...he wouldnt.

NEXT!!!!

I don't have any idea who played the solo on 3 Chains Of Gold (though I don't see why Levi would lie), but it's Levi DID play the solo's on Sexy MF and Damn U, so it's not all that far-fetched.

2020 said:

Why would Prince turn over a major solo on that CD over to Levi?

Oh thats right...he wouldnt.

NEXT!!!!

i know it is not like he ever would (sexy mf) let someone else play a guitar solo on one of his songs

muirdo said:

NDRU said:

I believe it IS Prince, but for exactly the opposite reason. It's not very clean, and it is hardly impressive compared to what the shredders do.

But why would Levi lie about his contribution on a song,on an album that he sued Prince for royalties?

[Edited 12/27/11 9:56am]

muirdo said:

steakfinger said:

I am a guitar player. I am a very good one, too. I can tell you for a fact that Prince did not play the big shredder guitar solo at the end of that song. He cannot play those types of lines that cleanly. I can tell by the sound of it that not only did Levi play it, but he likely used the same Ibanez guitar he used on the live version of Live 4 Love on the D & P video tape. The guitar was humbuckers and had that compressed, basswood sound. Prince definitely played the guitar solo after the section with the flutes AND the sloppy, way too loud harmony guitar that buries Levi's at the end of his solo. I've never talked to Levi, but I would bet my soul, (if such things existed) that my theory is absolute fact. Ask Levi. Ibanez RG model.

Nice post...wait a minute!!!

Are you Levi?

"Fuck the funk - it's time to ditch the worn-out Vegas horns fills, pick up the geee-tar and finally ROCK THE MUTHA-FUCKER!! He hinted at this on Chaos, now it's time to step up and fully DELIVER!!

KrystleEyes 22/03/05"

steakfinger said:

I am a guitar player. I am a very good one, too. I can tell you for a fact that Prince did not play the big shredder guitar solo at the end of that song. He cannot play those types of lines that cleanly. I can tell by the sound of it that not only did Levi play it, but he likely used the same Ibanez guitar he used on the live version of Live 4 Love on the D & P video tape. The guitar was humbuckers and had that compressed, basswood sound. Prince definitely played the guitar solo after the section with the flutes AND the sloppy, way too loud harmony guitar that buries Levi's at the end of his solo. I've never talked to Levi, but I would bet my soul, (if such things existed) that my theory is absolute fact. Ask Levi. Ibanez RG model.

Such things exist, but u can't bet 'em

Thanks a lot for the technical info, though

databank said:

steakfinger said:

I am a guitar player. I am a very good one, too. I can tell you for a fact that Prince did not play the big shredder guitar solo at the end of that song. He cannot play those types of lines that cleanly. I can tell by the sound of it that not only did Levi play it, but he likely used the same Ibanez guitar he used on the live version of Live 4 Love on the D & P video tape. The guitar was humbuckers and had that compressed, basswood sound. Prince definitely played the guitar solo after the section with the flutes AND the sloppy, way too loud harmony guitar that buries Levi's at the end of his solo. I've never talked to Levi, but I would bet my soul, (if such things existed) that my theory is absolute fact. Ask Levi. Ibanez RG model.

Such things exist, but u can't bet 'em

Thanks a lot for the technical info, though

Its really not possible for steakfinger, no matter how good a guitar player he thinks he is (btw, just how good are you?), to definitely say what manufacturer of instruments or pickups were used in the recording. He can say it about L4L, because he can see the guitar on the video. But, on an studio recording, its much more difficult. You don't know what effects have been used, whether it was recorded direct or mic'd to an amp, what cabs were used.......there are so many variables, all of which will have an impact on the tone, that its nigh on impossible to say "Yes, it was an Ibanez RG!".

Furthermore, Prince is totally capapble of playing the end solo on 3 Chains (and, that's not even played that cleanly - but, its supposed to be dirty).

Guess someone will just have to ask Levi............