Dear All Orgers,

I regularly come to this site and read with considerable interest many of the view points expressed on the notice boards and discussion forums. Most recently with the anticipation and indeed delivery of N.E.W.S., Prince's latest studio material, I have been astounded by some of the comments.

New musical directions, was indeed a bold statement for Prince to make, considering he has pretty much explored most of those in his extensive and prolific career. I will make no specific references on this point, I think most longer term P fans, and even the newer ones, must realise how wide Prince's musical spectrum has been cast. In that time, some of his music, side projects and lyrics have been better than others, surely that is only reasonable. When have you sat at your desk or done your job at your very best every single time? I am sure if we all ask that question of ourselves we know that somedays we have good days and some days we have bad, and we can't please all of the people, all of the time.

Prince's career has taken him on a curious journey and us with him, with numerous twists and turns, contradictions, highs and lows - but whatever he has kept the interest of musicians and listeners who appreciate that he has a special artictic gift that not many are blessed with.

I have yet to hear NEWS, but am very interested in it, and indeed wil no doubt draw comparisons with the work of Miles Davis as Prince embarks on a CD of 4 long jazz-influenced trax. I was disappointed overall with Xpectation, however I can appreciate the few gems. But let your own expectations of Prince's music and output perhaps be tempered and more realistic - he is not a young, tempestuous and impetuous artist any longer - he is becoming a Godfather, a James Brown of our time, an artist who at his very peak was sensational at recording intriguing studio albums, and masterful live. Now Prince is more mature, less commercial and free - he is totally in control of his own music, output and indeed destiny - and that's kind of nice really - it is a new direction for any artist in a world where the corporate machine of the music industry is swallowing up so much talent, and literally dumping it out the back yard in favour of manufactured, syrupy chart music, which sells fast, and pushes poor and formulaic music to the top of our banal charts!

But think now what other musical directions Prince is still influencing, great acts and musicians like The Roots, Maxwell .. his influence on the likes of Macy Gray, Alicia K, India Irie...all have Prince in their music, and yet Prince is still working and creating his own stuff.

I am reminded when listening to trax from ONA Live just how I felt when he took stage in London and Paris, it was still magical, it was an artist at work, some quirky stuff maybe, but mostly brilliance, he thoroughly wowed me again, after all these years - and I truly buy-in to the message about the media and the radio stations. But I am most inspired by the words he preached at the end of Anna Stesia "we should champion our diversity, we should champion our similarities" - how true in the crazy, mixed up, war-driven world we live in.

In terms of his music, embrace the diversity, and yeah you won't like all of it, but remember he's an artist and not every canvass ends up with a masterpiece on it - but be thankful that he has created some masterpieces and will do so again! We are lucky to appreciate what he offers and had to offer, just think if you are 12-16 years young now, and the kind of work you will be growing up to thinking that it is great music, oh how sad, Justin Timberlake et al ... Prince is and always will be something very different, he is a musical genius of our time, and with genius comes controversy - and didn't he say that himself way back when...

I appeal to you all, remember him at his best, remember him at his worst, remember what he still makes you feel and what music and art he will be able to create for a long time to come! CHAMPION HIS DIVERSITY!

I find his influence on artists like Maxwell, The Roots and Indie Arie to be quite flacid.

I much prefer to look at artists like Felix daHousecat and how Prince has influenced them, it's much more exciting.

Chasing said:

finally, it seems that there is someone in the org, who is willing to accept that Prince is an artist and most of all, he is a human being with his own ideas (whether we like them or not, doesn't really matter). Now think about how happy every one of us would be, if we could have the same grade of freedom that he has achieved for his life.

As a second thought I sometimes wonder what the orgers expect him to do. Some are demanding more chartbreaking hits and more airplay, others want new directions in music, some want music for free, some want it exclusive AND free. We all want to be in the first row at the concerts + aftershow (which we expect to follow every concert as a must), etc. etc. etc.
Reading the threads at the org must be very confusing for every artist, because it seems that every individual fan (or fam) has his own personal idea of what Prince should do, in Music, Concert, Social Life... That is basically ok, but pls. do not seriously expect him to even try to appeal each one of us. You wouldn't do that either if you would be him. So as a result he is trying his best to appeal most of us, but still his main focus will remain on his own ideas, and that is what really makes the difference. He is not selling out, like others do. There are so many good musicians out there, that have choosen the no. 1 chartlife and sacrificed their own ideas in exchange of fame, money and winning stupid polls.

Be sure, I am not preaching that he has the ultimate key to wisdom. And I will not join Jehova witnesses, because he is in that club. But I try to respect him as a person with his own beliefs.

His music still kicks-ass and even the worst albums popping out of Paisley Park can compete with most of the other material flooding your record store.

Peace 2 y'all




U may blame me, but I don't care

Very well put.

Always appreciate others 4 who they r, not who we think they should b.