nigel1013 said:

TASKAE said:

XNY said:

I wouldn't include Jill Jones or The Family. They do nothing for me...

My favorite Prince related cd's are The Time four albums, Vanity 6, Npg- Goldngga, Sheila E- Romnce 1600, Mavis Staples- The Voice, and Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready(not all Prince tunes of course but a good album IMO).

Were you a fan in the 80s? I would think if you were that you would understand why the Family album is so important to his sound direction at the time. Jill Jones was a continuation of that. Plus, why Tevin Campbell at all. To me, that was just a one-time minor hit and that's all.

Sorry for the wait... I was a fan in the 80's, since 1983. The Family album/group was intended to replace the Time in my opinion. Prince had a falling out with Morris and Co - and threw together a group to put out some songs. The fact that they never matched the Time's success, had a hit record, or any longevity only adds to my point.

Btw, St Paul (Peterson) is a talented musician, but I don't think singing is his strong suit.

To each their own, but IMO The Family album is really a bland "Prince" album without Prince. The Time on the other hand had their own personality and showmanship.

XNY said:

To each their own, but IMO The Family album is really a bland "Prince" album without Prince. The Time on the other hand had their own personality and showmanship.

On stage, without a doubt. But we know that the 1st 2 albums were purely Prince composing, playing and producing as well.
It seems the only tracks he kept are Morris and Jesse's parts.
So your statement about The Family applies to The Time IMO.

The Time

Shelia E.

The Family

Nasty Girl (I really want this song but cannot locate the original on my itunes. I've only seen karaoke versions)

XNY said:

The Family album/group was intended to replace the Time in my opinion. Prince had a falling out with Morris and Co - and threw together a group to put out some songs.

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Sure, The Family was a result of The Time falling out. But it was mainly an attempt by Prince to "go after that Duran Duran money". But their album is important not just because it contains some great music but also because it points to Prince's future: adding Leeds to the Revolution plus adding Clare Fischer's strings to his compositions. The Family is the link between ATWIAD and Parade.

I've listened to The Family and it's only noteworthy if you're a Prince diehard or love Eric Leeds. St Paul is a very mediocre singer and the only decent songs are the ones that P has gone on to perform - Nothing Compares and Mutiny. But they are weak on this album. I'd pick it up if I could get it for a tenner but its not worth the £50 or so that I've seen it going for.

calciumpaul said:

I've listened to The Family and it's only noteworthy if you're a Prince diehard or love Eric Leeds. St Paul is a very mediocre singer and the only decent songs are the ones that P has gone on to perform - Nothing Compares and Mutiny. But they are weak on this album. I'd pick it up if I could get it for a tenner but its not worth the £50 or so that I've seen it going for.

You've probably listened to some crap MP3 through some laptop speakers.
The performances and production is enough to make this a prime side project.
You just have to have the vynil

You don't expect Vanity to sing well neither.

bonatoc said:

calciumpaul said:

I've listened to The Family and it's only noteworthy if you're a Prince diehard or love Eric Leeds. St Paul is a very mediocre singer and the only decent songs are the ones that P has gone on to perform - Nothing Compares and Mutiny. But they are weak on this album. I'd pick it up if I could get it for a tenner but its not worth the £50 or so that I've seen it going for.

You've probably listened to some crap MP3 through some laptop speakers.
The performances and production is enough to make this a prime side project.
You just have to have the vynil

You don't expect Vanity to sing well neither.

The sax is amazing and while the production may be great, the 'sound' just isn't. Prince's albums in the 80's were timeless but The Family just sounds (and looks) like another whiteboysoul / synthpop 80s record to me.

'It's a Different Kinda Thing' by Tony LeMans (even though it has been stated has no Prince involvement), I love it as it's sounds very much like a Prince production to me (it has that wobbly sound similar to Good Love and an Eric leeds track?)

bonatoc said:

calciumpaul said:

I've listened to The Family and it's only noteworthy if you're a Prince diehard or love Eric Leeds. St Paul is a very mediocre singer and the only decent songs are the ones that P has gone on to perform - Nothing Compares and Mutiny. But they are weak on this album. I'd pick it up if I could get it for a tenner but its not worth the £50 or so that I've seen it going for.

You've probably listened to some crap MP3 through some laptop speakers.
The performances and production is enough to make this a prime side project.
You just have to have the vynil

You don't expect Vanity to sing well neither.

Nope, don't blame it on crap MP3's and laptop speakers--I've listened many times in just that form, and it was still great. (I have better MP3's now). We just obviously have a serious difference of opinion here.

.

I do regret that I had the vinyl decades ago, but I think I dubbed it to cassette and re-sold it back to the used record store I'd picked it up at. If I didn't sell it back, I have no idea where it is.

Hmm, as much as I've tried I just don't like Prince's side projects or bands heavily linked to him. I have tried but if it ain't Prince I don't like it. Saying that that non-Prince endorsed cancelled project a couple of years back had some good takes of his songs.

The other thing about his other projects is that they're all realllllllllly old. And they sound it

the only ones that really make sense in connection with Prince's direct albums
.
the Time . What Time Is It?. Ice Cream Castles

Vanity 6

Sheena Easton:Sugar Walls

the Glamorous Life . Romance 1600 . Sheila E.

Apollonia 6

Bangles:Manic Monday

Andre Cymone:Dance Electric

the Family

Mazarati

Madhouse 8 . 16

Jill Jones

Taja Sevelle

.

and possible Ingrid's album

I assume by Prince related, you mean ones that sound like Prince, but don't actually have any Prince input. In that case the following are worth investigating even if for comedy level.

.

Exotic Storm, In the Beginning 1986

Jak -I Go Wild 1985

Georgio - Sex addict 1987

.

Songz

Ready for the World - Oh Sheila

Jak - 69

Jak - I go wild

Exotic Storm - (I know you have got a) Krush on me, I'm my own person,You better get with it, I'ss save you from the world

Sam Bostic - Cold Tears

Georgio - Sex addict, quarter to nine, tina cherry

Sexual Harassment - I want a freak, we want Prince

Dandroppedadime said:

'It's a Different Kinda Thing' by Tony LeMans (even though it has been stated has no Prince involvement), I love it as it's sounds very much like a Prince production to me (it has that wobbly sound similar to Good Love and an Eric leeds track?)

David Gamson, who produced that album, is a genious. Check out his 2 albums with Scritti Politti on the 80's, they have a sound quite similar to Tony LeMans

OldFriends4Sale said:

the only ones that really make sense in connection with Prince's direct albums
.
the Time . What Time Is It?. Ice Cream Castles

Vanity 6

Sheena Easton:Sugar Walls

the Glamorous Life . Romance 1600 . Sheila E.

Apollonia 6

Bangles:Manic Monday

Andre Cymone:Dance Electric

the Family

Mazarati

Madhouse 8 . 16

Jill Jones

Taja Sevelle

.

and possible Ingrid's album

I don't understand this statement

how long i cry .. till the the river run dry

screams of passion is one of the best tunes EVER

mutiny is a concert staple still

nothing compares was a freakin number one hit ...

there is nothing bad on the family record and most of the tunes are easily some of prince and the revs best songs .. paul is ok but not bad enough to ruin how great these tunes are

TrevorAyer said:

how long i cry .. till the the river run dry

screams of passion is one of the best tunes EVER

mutiny is a concert staple still

nothing compares was a freakin number one hit ...

there is nothing bad on the family record and most of the tunes are easily some of prince and the revs best songs .. paul is ok but not bad enough to ruin how great these tunes are

Exactly. The songs sequence, the production, Eric Leeds, everything is top notch.

This unskippable, mandatory album gave birth to Parade, SOTT, Madhouse.
Clare Fischer keeps it simple, but adds an indispensable tension to every song.
This is funk-pop filtered through the lenses of Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, Joni Mitchell, Talk Talk, Scritti Politti.

A melancholic elegance, Prince as its most dandy without overdoing it (am I right, Tracey?).

It has one of the best album endings ever. That instrumental fade-it-back-in, with those perfectly tiny DX7 bells.
Like "Whoops, I forgot, I have one last thing to say.". And there's this simple, childish riff, reminiscent of Pet Sounds, that repeats, while an ocean wave of strings grows and carries it gently away, back to one of your childhood's softest memories. And then it fades again.

Oh why, why did the Loudness Wars begin?

Where is the Prince who takes shots of his bedroom, his garden and puts them on his record's inner sleeve?

Where have gone the side project albums disguised as Prince albums disguised as side projects?

(I can go like this for hours )

For me, based on quality alone, it should be....

The Time - What Time is it?

The Family - The Family

Madhouse - 8
Jill Jones - Jill Jones
Sheila E - Sheila E

Mavis Staples - Time Waits for no one

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[Edited 1/25/15 17:42pm]

itsjustaroundthecorner said:

101 by Sheena Easton : go find it NOW!

Killer Prince donation track. It is right there with NOthing Copares 2 U in that category.

All the Time, Shiela E and Vanity/Apollonia 6 albums goes without saying - in fact, they should be removed from the equation because they are that much more iconic than all the other Prince projects.

With that said, I have to look at the Madhouse albums - especially 8. THis was so bold upon its release. It was Prince's undercover brilliance at its best. He had actually made a good jazz fusion record - without even taking credit for it!

If Times Squared by Eric Leeds counts in this category, I have to place it right behind the Madhouse records. THe quintessential Prince horn man blows away his debut - and the follow up album may be even better.

The Family and Jill Jones albums are great but I always felt they were a little overrated in this category - especially the Jill Jones.

the Mazarati album

with strong,infectious jams like "Player's Ball","100 MPH","She's Just That Kinda Lady" and "Stroke",this is one of the funkiest albums that Prince was involved with in the 80s.

I like it even more than the Family's album

SoulAlive said:

the Mazarati album

with strong,infectious jams like "Player's Ball","100 MPH","She's Just That Kinda Lady" and "Stroke",this is one of the funkiest albums that Prince was involved with in the 80s.

I like it even more than the Family's album

I know how you feel.
I like my "Strawberry Lover" cranked up to 11, that's when I think it's one of the best songs of all time

SquirrelMeat said:

For me, based on quality alone, it should be....

The Time - What Time is it?

The Family - The Family

Madhouse - 8
Jill Jones - Jill Jones
Sheila E - Sheila E

Mavis Staples - Time Waits for no one

.

[Edited 1/25/15 17:42pm]

That sums it up.
I would add Vanity 6 for the impeccable Linn programming and production.

Start from here and you're good to go.