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Thread started 06/26/16 2:08pm

slvrhrt7

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thoughts on book by Matt Thorne?

hey peeps, happen to go into a record shop last night i just found this book, PRINCE: Man & his Music". has anyone read this????worth it????

"May U live 2 C the Dawn"
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Reply #1 posted 06/26/16 2:31pm

NorthC

Yes, I think it's worth it. It's refreshing to read a book that does not focus on the glory years of the 1980s alone. Thorne has listened to a lot of outtakes and gives a good review of Prince's music throughout the years, which of course doesn't mean you have to agree with everything he says. He doesn't dig as deep as Per Nilsen did, but then again, nobody ever did, so this is the next best thing.
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Reply #2 posted 06/26/16 2:35pm

Militant

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I didn't like it.

Not much insight that wasn't taken from other books, and some very bizarre opinions on songs that are widely considered classics. I think he referred to "Shockadelica" as a "throwaway".

Per Nilsen's DMSR remains the champ.

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Reply #3 posted 06/26/16 2:40pm

Replica

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I think Ronin Ro did a better job with his imo. I actually didn't finish Matt Thornes book. Should probably try reading it again.

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Reply #4 posted 06/26/16 2:48pm

Bighead

Militant said:

I didn't like it.

Not much insight that wasn't taken from other books, and some very bizarre opinions on songs that are widely considered classics. I think he referred to "Shockadelica" as a "throwaway".

Per Nilsen's DMSR remains the champ.




Shockadelica was a throwaway

Matt Thorne's book is a great book, btw
[Edited 6/26/16 14:49pm]
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Reply #5 posted 06/26/16 2:57pm

mynameisnotsus
an

He manages the very difficult task of making Prince's music a chore and boring as fuck. You don't want to listen to it after plowing through it. It's not useful as a reference unlike Per Nilsens books, it's just hundreds of pages of blah. Sorry Matt, I wanted to like it.
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Reply #6 posted 06/26/16 2:59pm

mtlfan

I have the book, just cracked it open. Thorne never calls "Shockadelica" a throwaway, in fact it comes across as an important song in the catalog. He does have a lot of opinions though - expect music criticism as opposed to something that tries to be unbiased. I think overall he tries to temper his adoration for Prince with some negative appraisals. Overall, I'd say it's great as a crash course, and I've read it two-three times. The book gets me going when I want to make music.

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Reply #7 posted 06/26/16 3:23pm

slvrhrt7

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thanks, yes I have both Ron and Per's books. plus others, I was suprsied to see this one on the bookshelf as I thought I had everythign that came out. I had some store credit so I picked it up. Just finsihed the Purple Rain book, that was good.

thanks for the thoughts

"May U live 2 C the Dawn"
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Reply #8 posted 06/26/16 3:37pm

djThunderfunk

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I liked it. It's refreshing to have a book by somebody who knows his subject and doesn't make simple mistakes that a trip to PrinceVault would prevent.

Liberty > Authority
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Reply #9 posted 06/26/16 6:51pm

Militant

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mtlfan said:

I have the book, just cracked it open. Thorne never calls "Shockadelica" a throwaway, in fact it comes across as an important song in the catalog. He does have a lot of opinions though - expect music criticism as opposed to something that tries to be unbiased. I think overall he tries to temper his adoration for Prince with some negative appraisals. Overall, I'd say it's great as a crash course, and I've read it two-three times. The book gets me going when I want to make music.

I haven't read it since it came out, but maybe it wasn't that song. But there was definitely at least a couple of songs generally regarded as classics that he was very dismissive of.

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Reply #10 posted 06/26/16 7:04pm

yukoncornelius

I really enjoyed the book. As noted, I thought it Matt did a good job of highlighting music outside the '80's.

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Reply #11 posted 06/26/16 7:32pm

Iamtheorg

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Im thinking of getting Thornes or the Ronin Ro book,,,somebody here was ranting about one of them being soon to be revised with material regarding his fans

which one was he takking about?

I dont wnt to waste in getting one thats going to have a soon revised edition

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Reply #12 posted 06/26/16 10:33pm

floralelephant
s

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Funny you ask. I finished Matt's book last night. I thought it was pretty well written. It doesn't compare to Per's work, but it well researched and goes up to HitnRun Phase One. I would recommend it.
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Reply #13 posted 06/26/16 10:58pm

redaddict

I am reading this at the moment...and finding it very hard going! I can't stand the way he presents his opinions on songs as absolute facts. I also think the book sucks the joy, energy and vibrancy out of Prince and his work. I love Prince and have for most of my life but even I am finding this boring. Credit where credit is due though... It takes a singular talent to make Prince boring biggrin
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Reply #14 posted 06/27/16 12:09am

mynameisnotsus
an

redaddict said:

I am reading this at the moment...and finding it very hard going! I can't stand the way he presents his opinions on songs as absolute facts. I also think the book sucks the joy, energy and vibrancy out of Prince and his work. I love Prince and have for most of my life but even I am finding this boring. Credit where credit is due though... It takes a singular talent to make Prince boring biggrin


Thank you! I thought I might have been reading a different book for a second. I can't even think of one memorable insight or new piece of information from that book.
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Reply #15 posted 06/27/16 1:03am

Starlit

I started reading it (I didn't find it a particularly nice read) but I stopped after I came across a section in which he called Prince a psychopath for a view expressed in one of his songs (I don't remember which song).

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Reply #16 posted 06/27/16 3:13am

Miles

Not trying to be the Prince music 'bible', but a very comprehensive personal overview of our man's output right through his career up until recent years.

I've always found it very interesting, entertaining and enlightening. The writer is clearly either a true fan or has done a lot of good research.

I particularly like how he highlights how odd some of the subject matter and lyrics of Prince's songs can be, especially in the 90s smile.

My favourate Prince book out of the small number of decent ones currently available.

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Reply #17 posted 06/27/16 3:39am

muleFunk

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DSMR is obviously the best of the lot but Let's Go Crazy is obviously the second best.

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Reply #18 posted 06/27/16 5:09am

NorthC

Starlit said:

I started reading it (I didn't find it a particularly nice read) but I stopped after I came across a section in which he called Prince a psychopath for a view expressed in one of his songs (I don't remember which song).



That's Big Tall Wall and what Thorne writes is that he feels like he's been listening to a psychopath, which isn't really the same as saying Prince is one. And he says that Extraloveable and Lust U Always with their talk about rape come from a sick mind. So he isn't shy about offering an opinion and he explores the dark sadomasochistic side of Prince's songwriting, which not a lot of authors have done. (That I've read.)
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Reply #19 posted 06/27/16 10:10am

Obsessed

I actually bought this book a couple of weeks ago and it's been a slow read. I don't love it but I don't hate it. My only really big complaint is the author is all over the place in the book which frustrates me to no end.

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Reply #20 posted 06/27/16 11:12am

CAL3

In the midst of reading it currently - absolutely LOVE it so far. I find Thorne's writing to be extremely readable. I love that he's forthright in his opinions on specific songs or albums - even when I don't agree with them (i.e. saying "The Max" should've been left off the Symbol album - how DARE he!!)



I can't fully formulate an overall opinion until I finish reading it - and also I've skipped ahead a lot (wondering what he had to say about this album or that tour, etc). But I think it's easily recommendable.

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Reply #21 posted 06/27/16 11:55am

RenaRF

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mynameisnotsusan said:

redaddict said:

I am reading this at the moment...and finding it very hard going! I can't stand the way he presents his opinions on songs as absolute facts. I also think the book sucks the joy, energy and vibrancy out of Prince and his work. I love Prince and have for most of my life but even I am finding this boring. Credit where credit is due though... It takes a singular talent to make Prince boring biggrin


Thank you! I thought I might have been reading a different book for a second. I can't even think of one memorable insight or new piece of information from that book.


I am almost finished with this book. I don't have the negative reaction that some have had to it, but I do find some of the negative comments appropriate. It is a bit workmanlike in its approach. The first three quarters of the book were taken pretty much in chronological order with any necessary reference back to current context songs that were released but recorded much earlier in his career. That can get confusing. I particularly liked the chapter on 21 nights, as it appears the author attended 19 of them and many of the after shows. I'm feeling a bit bored with the entire discussion of his protégé projects, because the chapter pulls you out of the context of the confluence of time to cover this subject.

I agree as well that there is a ton of personal opinion laden throughout. Songs that I adore are cast as insignificant, and songs that are not my favorite are cast as among the most important tracks he ever released. I go with the flow on that, because I don't see how you write this book without having an opinion, and I know perfectly well that opinions are like you know what, and vary by person.

Having said all of that, I like the arc of this book generally. Taken as a whole, it reads to me like an interesting conversation in both the development of and frustrations held by Prince. You have to dig for it, but you can see the efforts at reinvention, the frustrations when something Prince thought was great didn't take off, and the compromises he made to remain relevant. Whatever that means.
[Edited 6/27/16 12:01pm]
"Everything that's in your heart, come what may
Even though his might get broken" RIP Prince
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