Funkiness is not something one can LOSE. If one's diverse musical interests takes them away from focusing on it PRIMARILY, then that's a different issue (and I believe this is the case with P, despite the fact that he's thrown us at least ONE meaty funk bone IMO on every release, even the much maligned, underrated recent output). Me citing Mutiny was not related to the song itself (I mean, Prince gave the thing away right) or how old it is, it just triggered my thinking in reference to Bowie being the conduit for SOMEBODY ELSE'S funkiness (i.e. Nile Rodger or the other producers of his "so called" funky stuff). The point I was making is, is that "funk" authentically HIS (Bowie's) since it had to be PRODUCED by others??

Bowie is generally considered as one of the greatest songwriters ever! He's in the same league as Lennon / McCartney and he could write a true authentic funk tune in his sleep....

[Edited 1/10/13 11:24am]

um, funk is NOT in the lyrics.

Soulstar77A said:

Bowie is generally considered as one of the greatest songwriters ever! He's in the same league as Lennon / McCartney and he could write a true authentic funk tune in his sleep....

[Edited 1/10/13 11:24am]

Sorry but Bowie's funk sounds so white... aaarghh... Never liked his attemps at this genre at all.

Even on Scary Monsters, I always skip Fashion.

Bowie is a master at sophisticated pop tunes.

I think you kinda underestimate what it takes to play some real tight funk a la Prince.

You should try The Party Man bassline for instance to start with.

[Edited 1/11/13 13:18pm]

TheFreakerFantastic said:

lagantest said:

Absolutley. Prince is what 54 now? If you look at Bowies albums from that age. Heathen and Reality. Especially Heathen. Listen to how mature the songs are. How deep they are. I was listening to the song ‘Sunday’ this morning and if you think about a tragedy or a personal tragedy it sent shivers down my spine. The gorgeous melody and music on the song ‘slow burn’ is to die for. Also I think what Prince is lacking is that organic sound. Even when he sounds organic it doesn’t sound so real? Does that make sense? Listen to ‘Slow Burn’ and hear the music. Then listen to something from Lotus flow3r? Princes sound cheaply recorded and he seems to over produce the live sound in the studio to make it more manufactured thus saturating the sound of the song.

Taking 20ten as an example? It was really a total throwaway. I like ‘beginning endlessly’ but it seems to be sucked of a melody. And also ‘future soul song’ would have worked better with real drumming and without that annoying keyboard sound. It should have been live drumming and guitar instead of that. I just don’t know what he is hearing anymore. It just sounds so plastic now? I am not a musician, I can play the keyboard but cannot compose, but I am very strongly into music its what I live and breathe for and I want Prince to do better. I know he can do better. He is not shaming himself by sitting at a piano and singing some lovely melodic adult songs about adult themes. Not about how trendy he is, or who can ‘holla’ but just life. Life experience. His thoughts and opinions. He can write them metaphorically like he used to so it is open to interruptation. He just seems lazy on the lyrics and dare I say it, lazy on the music now.

I know Prince has already done acoustic stuff like ‘the truth’ etc. But just a nice grown up album would really make a nice change. What he needs to re-establish is what he was famous for in the past. He was never trying to ‘impress’ he was just doing what he does. I feel the last 10 maybe 15 years he has been trying to ‘impress’ people. Therefore leaving his music soulless. There have been the odd glimmer of hope. And some stonking songs but for everyone 1 good song there are 5 average songs. Or 3 awful songs.

What upsets me most though is that people know Bowie has released a single in 10 years. And so when he does everyone is going mad about it. Rightly so, as it is amazing. However people I speak to, say, ‘is prince still about?’ They have not got a clue of any of his output for at least 10 years. If he had a hit single, the press and people would be saying, ‘Prince’s comeback….’ But we know he has never really been away. But he has totally lost his way in my opinion. I still love him though…….

I second my comment - you HAVE hit the nail on the head

Ah yeah Prince should have stopped for ten years like Bowie. That's the idea! Woaw what a plan. A heartattack, a cancer. You nearly pass away. Then you come back.

What a genius this Bowie!

The truth is before he was ill, his audience had been reduced considerably and his sales were poor whether you like it or not.

His tours were successful but he was playing in smaller venues. Nothing like Springsteen Or the Prince Musicology Tour or 21 O2 Arena gigs.

You need to wake up. The media like the story of the resurrection. That's it really.

If you guys are bored with Prince music, fuck off and go to Bowie's forum.

Prince is great at what he does and Bowie in a different style is great at what he does too. Full stop.

[Edited 1/10/13 12:25pm]

ohYeeeeeah said:

TheFreakerFantastic said:

I second my comment - you HAVE hit the nail on the head

Ah yeah Prince should have stopped for ten years like Bowie. That's the idea! Woaw what a plan. A heartattack, a cancer. You nearly pass away. Then you come back.

What a genius this Bowie!

The truth is before he was ill, his audience had been reduced considerably and his sales were poor whether you like it or not.

His tours were successful but he was playing in smaller venues. Nothing like Springsteen Or the Prince Musicology Tour or 21 O2 Arena gigs.

You need to wake up. The media like the story of the resurrection. That's it really.

If you guys are bored with Prince music, fuck off and go to Bowie's forum.

Prince is great at what he does and Bowie in a different style is great at what he does too. Full stop.

[Edited 1/10/13 12:25pm]

Bowies last 2 albums were reviewed as two of his best of his career. The songs were so strong had some much debt and credibility. especially on heathen. it is an all out world class record from a seasoned vetran. Also i have been reading a book on Bowie and he has always said that he prefers to play smaller venues as he likes the intimate feel with the fans rather then a massive arena.

I am not saying who is better then who because that is not what this is about. I am saying that prince really needs something to get him back into gear. Not even in the charts, but he needs people to talk about his music again outside our circle.

It is a shame Bowie was ill because i am sure over the last ten years he would have pushed about about five more albums maybe and they would have all no doubt been class. So yes very excited as someone said the other day, 'its funny how we are looking for someone with some creative talent to come out and a 66 year old man comes back and blows everyone away!!'

ohYeeeeeah said:

The truth is before he was ill, his audience had been reduced considerably and his sales were poor whether you like it or not.

His tours were successful but he was playing in smaller venues. Nothing like Springsteen Or the Prince Musicology Tour or 21 O2 Arena gigs.

No, the truth is that Bowie never sold that much records during his career. His legendary status is more based on the influence he had on the music scene in general. The only time he really sold a lot of records was when "Lets Dance " was released in the 80ies. ...

I dont know where you live but during the last two Bowie tours over here in Europe he was playing big arenas and not small venues like you claim....

[Edited 1/11/13 6:36am]

datdude said:

um, funk is NOT in the lyrics.

Of course it's not.

I'm not a native speaker, but i always thought that the term "songwriting" refers to both: composing the music and writing lyrics.

sorry, double post

[Edited 1/11/13 6:41am]

ohYeeeeeah said:

I think you kinda underestimate what it takes to play some real tight funk a la Prince.

You should try The Party Man bassline for instance to start with.

Partyman sounds like "real tight funk" to you??? Are you serious???

Yes, it does.

novabrkr said:

Yes, it does.

Get your ears checked please....

Why would that alter my perception of a great Prince track?

^^ It is indeed a great track, but its not "real tight funk". Hell, Prince isnt even considered a true funk artist... We had this discussion over and over here at the org...

Soulstar77A said:

^^ It is indeed a great track, but its not "real tight funk". Hell, Prince isnt even considered a true funk artist... We had this discussion over and over here at the org...

Yeah and most people here have agreed that he is a "true funk artist".

paisleypark4 said:

JoeTyler said:

really? Bowie was, for a time, the funkiest white artist out there

Well I know there was Young Americans album and Golden Years...but come on now....we talking true funk musician

check Ashes to Ashes and keep in mind it was released in 79 I believe.

Certainly not at the same level as Prince, as far as funkiness goes, but stinky enough and an amazing song.

[Edited 1/11/13 7:05am]

novabrkr said:

Soulstar77A said:

^^ It is indeed a great track, but its not "real tight funk". Hell, Prince isnt even considered a true funk artist... We had this discussion over and over here at the org...

Yeah and most people here have agreed that he is a "true funk artist".

Yeah but who in the muscial world cares what the Kool Aid drinkers on prince.org think?

Soulstar77A said:

novabrkr said:

Yeah and most people here have agreed that he is a "true funk artist".

Yeah but who in the muscial world cares what the Kool Aid drinkers on prince.org think?

Try harder next time.

^^ Huh? What??

Try to express yourself with proper arguments and not just with pointless rhetorical questions that rely on hyperbole and outdated metaphors.

It requires a bit more effort than what you've showcased so far.

Especially after you gave so many proper arguments... Too funny!

[Edited 1/11/13 8:24am]

novabrkr said:

Try to express yourself with proper arguments and not just with pointless rhetorical questions that rely on hyperbole and outdated metaphors.

It requires a bit more effort than what you've showcased so far.

Don't worry about him. Ignore him. I see TROLL written on his forehead from here.

I love the "Prince is not even a true funk artist".

Beyond dumb.

Soulstar77A said:

datdude said:

um, funk is NOT in the lyrics.

Of course it's not.

I'm not a native speaker, but i always thought that the term "songwriting" refers to both: composing the music and writing lyrics.

I see where u were confused then. SO, after Bowie "writes" great funk record "in his sleep", he has to wake up, CALL the producer, explain his vision, his IDEA for the song and what he WANTS it to sound like, but ultimately the producer MAKES the funkiness manifest. Unlike Prince, Bowie, albeit a great songwriter, when he's DABBLED in funk, he was the conduit for SOMEBODY ELSE'S funk.

As a Bowie fan, I have to say it is quite nice to see there are as many haters in Bowie's fans community than in Prince's. These are just a few of the negative comments/reactions regarding the new single from Bowie's fans. Hilarious cuz it reminds me so much of what is going on the org.

See by yourself:

David, you were so handsome and talented once. What the hell happened? Also, I respect Tony Visconti immensely for his work with Bolan, Sparks, McCartney and the rest, but this is the blandest production I've heard in years! Tony, you can do better than this!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

old bowie was buddhamind/ this bowie is boring mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a person more interested in the content & context of music and song (and not some pathetic cunt obsessed with the individual who made it), I have to say this is tedious, miserable shit.But I expect you lot would happily munch on one of Mr Bowies own fresh turds given the chance.Weirdos!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

another carnage of old trifles, we persecute ourselves while collecting antiques.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nope, I'm not impressed.Neither is anyone else outside of the pretentious, arty, fan club circle jerk.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Its truly fucking rubbish isn't it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will people stop liking it just because its bowie... It's bloody awful....... Drab trash.....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Very dreary and depressing. (Cue a plethora of votes down because I have the audacity to proclaim I don't like it)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Bowie never writes a real song anymore. This is just him improvising a melody atop fairly benign chords on piano. it's always so morose & quickly done. Ugh!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE BIG PILE OF DOG TURD THE END

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

david, go home U R DRUNK !!!wort song by David Bowie EVER !!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

how's the masturbation goin dude?
Absolute shite if I'm to be honest

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've enjoyed most of Bowie's music in the past, but I find this bland & dreary.(Sorry David)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buhhh.... Borring!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Come on David, you know you can do better than this. You said this was an album from all your styles, so when your album comes out it better like that because this song shouldn't be a single, this should like the last song you record when you are about to die. You are better than this

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Utter shite.Retire.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Awful video and a bit of a depressing song. Sorry Bowie, I like your older roots, this... this is not you!

ohYeeeeeah said:

Don't worry about him. Ignore him. I see TROLL written on his forehead from here.

I love the "Prince is not even a true funk artist".

Beyond dumb.

This is coming from a guy who knows obviously absolutely nothing about Bowies career but claims to be an expert and who is convinced that Prince is considered in the music scene as a true funk artist. It's so much fun to have "flame wars" with little clueless suckers like you....

[Edited 1/11/13 9:30am]

wow, interesting indeed. who knew!

Soulstar77A said:

ohYeeeeeah said:

Don't worry about him. Ignore him. I see TROLL written on his forehead from here.

I love the "Prince is not even a true funk artist".

Beyond dumb.

This is coming from a guy who knows obviously nothing about Bowies career but claims to be an expert and who is convinced that Prince is considered as a true funk artist.

[Edited 1/11/13 9:24am]

I am a MASSIVE Bowie fan. I attended precisely 47 Bowie gigs in my life (sorry I have inclued 3 Tin Machine gigs in this total).

I own god knows how many bootlegs.

I own all his LPs.

All his Cds.

All his remastered CDs.

I play around 25 tunes from him reguralry on the guitar.

No I know shit about him. You're right.

You can claim whatever you want, i wont believe your bullshit!

You pretend to be a massive Bowie Fan, yet you dont even know that Bowie was never a big seller when it comes to records!

You claim that Prince owes Bowie nothing, when he clearly copied the whole androgyny thing from him.

You think that Princes "Partyman" (which you prefer to call "The Party Man") is a "true funk" tune and that Bowies songs sound "too white" (whatever that means... )

My dog knows more about funk than you do!

You're absolutely clueless!!!

[Edited 1/11/13 10:51am]

ohYeeeeeah said:3 9:24am]

I am a MASSIVE Bowie fan. I attended precisely 47 Bowie gigs in my life (

Let me guess: All these imaginary gigs you attended were at small venues, am i right?

[Edited 1/11/13 10:20am]