booyah said:

to my knowledge, those songs were not necessarily intended for the emancipation album. all we knew was that michael jackson's "HIStory" album was counted as two releases, not one, on soundscan. so, essentially, he sold 1 million records, but it counted as two. so, you do the math, where emancipation is concerned.

no, he didn't really discuss the emancipation album with us, much. and, most of the work he did on it was after we were gone..

i think there are some good songs on emancipation.. but i woulda distilled it down to the 12 best, or so..

michael b.

Krystal666 said:

long and tedious.. except for the part where tracey bingham sat on my lap, for about 7 minutes..

troy was at the shoot.. she was cool. she struck me like she was probably a tomboy, growing up..

michael b.

Taurus said:

1. i just don't see that as a constructive use of my time, man..
i'm happy to say that i'm simply to busy to even consider it..

2. "joy in repetition"..

M.B.

joelmarable said:

1. yes.
2. the firebird suite by igor stravinsky.. or the donny hathaway live album..

michael b.

Sowhat said:

good is kind of a relative term. good enough for what band? does he have endurance? couldn't tell ya. but, there are professional drummers in the world that don't have his imagination, feel, or sense of time..
does that answer your question?

michael b.

Spinlight said:

1. we had a few cookouts at paisley.. on the road, we always went out.. but it was sorta part of the job.. and most of the time, it was to play..
prince still comes out to bunker's, every once in a while..
but, if i had to put a ratio on it, 80% business, 20% social..

2. alot of the tracks we had heard, he worked on alone.. we heard "emancipation", and a couple others..
we were finishing "chaos and disorder, during the last days..

3. yes, i remember a discussion about touring as the npg all-stars.
we couldn't get everybody to commit.. it would have included rosie gaines, mavis staples, the steeles, george clinton, etc.

4. writing is abstract territory. it's hard to quantify someone's input.. what the value is of their intellectual property. we would make suggestions, and some of them were used.

michael b.

joelmarable said:

1. i'm sure that there's a songwriting seminar, or something, that you can go to, if you're serious about pursuing a career of this type. i'm not qualified to speak on that.

2. dude, you're pushing it.. you're treading on gossip territory..
write me when you have questions of real significance.. what do i care, what prince eats? and, why should you?

michael b.

ebonyrhythmbuddha said:

Thanks for awnsering Michael. Tracey Bingahm? From Baywatch?

Michael B

Lipsyching? Prince always seemed so AGAINST it. He referenced acts like janet Jackson when U guys hit venues right b4 or after an act like that. His motto lately and always has been "Real music by real musicians"

Can U shed som light on why he chose to lipsynch so often with such a well oiled (rehearsed) machine like the NPG
Examples:
"P Control" (VH-1 Fashion)
"TMBGITW" (world Music Awards)
"Acknowledge Me, "Love SIgn", "TMBGITW" (Soul Train)
"Gold Medley/Purple Medley" (American Music awards)

It just seems 2 go against EVERYTHING in music he believes.....


2nd - U mentioned that performing "P Control" was uncomfortable. What about songs like "Sexy Mf" or most songs on Goldn*gga and Exodus? Your boy Sonny T loves 2 say/sing F-Bombs all the time, Even on the "News from the Jungle" CD.
I don't even know what im asking. Just really was it only "P Control" that put you off?

3rd - How did U prepare for an aftershow. When a tour came up did U rehearse a lot more than what the show required? Were you told to learn certain songs that were specificvally for aftershows? Was there a setlist for an aftershow? It also seems that certain songs would go together like if he told you to play "Days of wild" then "Now" was always next (something like that)

Finally - Before Prince actually hooked up With Larry G, the NPG started playing a lot of GRAHM CENTRAL station tracks and SLy and the Family Stone trax. Was that purely at his suggestion of did it come from jamming without Prince. Most of the NPG are Sly fans but were they also Larry G and GCS fans?

Sorry - I know this is a lot of questions but im stuck at work this memorial day weekend and id rather talk about this than do ACTUAL work.

as always Thanks 4 all Ure time.....


7

Hello Michael.

Thanks for sharing with all of us.

I have got a few questions.

According to what you said Prince keeps relationships with band members more professional than personal. How did the relation ship with Sonny T. went (Prince even refered to him as "my idol" )?
If i am correct, they are sort of childhood friends. (Maybe you can tell us more about the origin of their friendship?)
Was Sonny "treated" differently due to this friendship (if it has indeed existed prior to Sonny joining NPG)?

Your job in the NPG looked like a tough one. Performing continuously in front of your boss, sometimes without enough sleep, etc... What kept you guys going? Knowing that you were making history? (As in people from all over the world are still asking U questions 17 years after the beginning )
just doing your jobs?
the love of the funk?
You guys were big prince fans? ... Any other reasons?

Thanks Michael

Hello Mr. Bland, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.

I have two for you:

1. Is there a song you would love to hear Prince perform but he hasn't?

2. Does Prince enjoy dancing or just accepts it as part of the job?

Krystal666 said:

yes, from baywatch..

michael b.

thaCONcept said:

1. everyone lip-synched on soul train, except for patti labelle, and one other artist... i can't recall..
if you'll notice, in every other instance, prince's vocals are live.. so, if you're referring to the fact that sometimes, the music was pre-recorded, that was mostly a precautionary thing. almost every time we tried to perform totally live on tv, the mix would suck, and the union guy on the job obviously could care less about turning up the electronic loop, or keeping the keyboards present in the mix.. so, it was easier for us to record it at paisley, and hand the union guy a stereo dat mix, and have prince's guitar rig live, and his vocal live.. so, i'm not sure if that qualifies as lip-synching or not..

2. honestly, it all bothered me, on some level.. but, by the time "p control" was a regular fixture in the set, everything was getting more racy and overtly base. i mean, prince was always dirty. but it started to feel bad.. borderline mysogynistic, to me.. as far as goldnigga and whatnot, i was never that fond of the idea.. i just couldn't buy into it, the same way i can't buy into gangsta rap.. those are not the ideals that my mentality, towards myself and others, was founded on. and, where exodus is concerned.. i think sonny would tell you himself, that he wished he didn't say some of that stuff..

3. during tour rehearsal, we would jam on other stuff, to break up the monotony.. sometimes incidentally, sometimes by design.. some stuff would live, some stuff would die.. some stuff would go over so well at the aftershows that it would be added to the arena set list..

4. somebody brought up "the jam", and it kinda steamrolled from there..
"remember 'hair'?" "my favorite was 'it's alright'!!" and pretty soon, we were learning GCS songs..


michael b.
[Edited 5/27/06 23:23pm]

Hi, again, Mr. Bland!

I will always have questions, as long as you are here!
No matter how silly they may seem...

1-Were the drums from "Cream" recycled for "My Name Is Prince?"

2-Can you list the songs that were, to your knowledge, recorded in one take and released without overdubbing? (I'm thinking "I Like It There" as one example)

3-What are your thoughts on the rhythmics of Tool? (Prince at one point had praised 'Lateralus' as "off tha hook")

mangoust2004 said:

even though prince and sonny came up together, and sonny was, and is, prince's idol, prince didn't treat sonny any different than the rest of us..

what kept us going? the same thing that keeps us going , now..
the pursuit of excellence.. that's all.. that's all any of us needed, really.. that's what kept us all on the same wavelength..

michael b.

littlemissG said:

1. no. none that i can think of, right now..

2. i would say yes.. cause he's always dancing.. in the studio.. in the kitchen.. it's just a means of expression for him..

michael b.

hi mike question?Are there fines for mistakes during a show?
2. Is it hard to work for prince? Is it all work are do u guys have any fun,how does prince lighten things up b4 a show.

Hey Michael,

Firstly i gotta say a big thanks for something i'm sure u won't remember... but when Prince and the NPG played Wembley Stadium for the first and only time in 1993, you came out front of stage early during the day to have a look around and say hi. You chatted to me and others for quite some time and it made my year!!! I was 19 then I was a little star struck but you were cool!

How did that gig feel? Did it feel special? Or is it a bit of a surreal experience playing to that many people? I guess it's the smaller venues that can be more nerve racking as everyone is in your face.

Also... later that year your played the now 'infamous' Welcome to the dawn after show party at Bagley's warehouse. Were you aware of the mayhem and crushing that went on before you guys and Prince actually came on to play?

ebonyrhythmbuddha said:

You are right. Good in my eyes might not be good in your eyes and vice versus. It is all a matter of personal opinion.

But you did pretty much answer my question. Thank you.


Well, on second thought, do you think Prince could have been a drummer on tour for himself during your time period in his band (endurance not withstanding)? I know a kind of convoluted question.


And you may have answered this earlier but do you play any other instruments besides drums (like say guitar, drummers seem to be good guitarists also... Jellybean Johnson from the Time, Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighers / Nirvana)? Do you sing at all?





...
[Edited 5/30/06 14:01pm]

Hey Mike,

Hope U didn't create a monster answerin' our, sometimes silly, questions.
2 me U & Stokely (Williams) belong 2 THE most remarkable drummers out there. I love, I mean, I adore ur playin'. Here's my question. I once heard/read that U were part of an early Mint Conditon formation. Is that true? If so, R U willin' 2 shed some light on that? If not, R there still some stories that involve U (& or Prince) and Mint Condition U'd like 2 share?

P.S. As much as U guys regret sayin' certain things on certain records, I think it's safe 2 say that I speak 4 the majority of us when I say that the cussin' didn't hurt the quality of the music & the listenin' pleasure.

Keep on doin'what'cha doin, cuz it sho' sounds good 2 me !

Michael,

Prince has been very vocal about how he feels about large corporations controlling music. How do you feel about the current music industry? Do you think it’s likely that a group of prominent (meaning well heeled) artists could come together and create an alternative? A cable station for example, or collaborate on developing and promoting new artists in some organized fashion?
[Edited 5/30/06 14:51pm]

Michael B

I know U have said countless times that U never had much of an idea as 2 what project U were workin on at a given time. Was this also the case for projects like
Mavis Staples, Mayte and Elisa Fiorillo?

For example - the song "The Undertaker" was recorded by the entire New Power Generation - minus Prince. Did he really have NO invlovement in this? Did U just do the session assuming it would be a Prince song or did U know it was 4 Mavis? I have 2 assume the Mayte songs were really just leftover Prince songs so U recorded them as such.

Can U shed any light on this project:

Geneside II
A 2cd set was released called New Life 4 The Hunted back in 1996 By Internal Records (TRUDC 14).

The 2nd disc contains four live songs by NPLS, The Artists Formaly Knows As New Power Generation.

The tracks are called:
Waistline Firecracker
Distant Noises
Blue Ferocious Metal
Why You Watching Me

Many times Prince was not at rehearsal (at least 4 the entire time)
was there a designated band leader? It seems like it may have been Levi at first and then Morris when he left? Was it just UNDERSTOOD what had 2 be done?

Finally - How is a song taught 2 the band? Do U listen 2 the cd first and then Prince makes changes 2 the arrangment or is it taught 2 U the way he wants up front? Once the *version* or arrangement is decided upon how do U make a note of that? Is it committed 2 memory or is it written down? I'm especially curious on songs that were not per4med that ofter like aftershow songs.

Thanks again 4 your patience and answers.

7

nayroo2002 said:

1. i don't think so..
2. no, i can't. in any case, prince quite often would record his vocal over again, after we recorded the basics.. so, 99% of the time, there was at least that much overdubbing going on.
3. i don't listen to Tool.

michael b.

joelmarable said:

first off, you're phrasing your questions like you think i still work for prince.. i don't.. you do realize that, right?

1. i never got fined.

2. if you have a hard head, have to be told something several times before it sinks in, don't like someone having an immense control over your life, don't like being told what to do, don't enjoy recording at all hours of the night, can't remember complicated changes in musical arrangements from one day to the next, then yeah.. it's hard..

sure, we had fun every once in a while.. but make no mistake.. if you get a job working for prince and you turn out to be too much of a punk to hang, you won't be under his employment for too long, anyway..

michael b.

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

it felt like a familiar place, under familiar circumstances. on my first tour with prince, we played wembley arena 18 times.. that was just in 1990, alone. and in 1992, i'm sure we did a stretch of shows there, for the diamonds and pearls tour.. unless that was the year we played earl's court.. can't recall, really.. but, no. there was no special feeling about being in that place, playing prince's music.. we played there, more than any other place on the planet.

i was not aware that there was crushing going on, before the show.. however, on our way into the venue, some dude bumped into morris hayes, impolitely, and didn't apologize.. as a matter of fact, i think he cursed at morris..
and, morris put his hands around this guy's neck and started to choke him.
ian jeffrey, our tour manager, had to pry morris' hands off of him!!
so yeah, we knew it was packed. people kept bumping us around, the whole time we were coming in.. but the only crushing i was aware of, though, was that dude's windpipe..

michael b.
[Edited 5/31/06 0:33am]

Sowhat said:

sure he could... why not?

i also play bass, and a little keys..

michael b.

HrdwcH said:

yes, i was in mint condition for a while before they got signed to perspective records, and for a few months after i started working with
prince.. they used to rehearse upstairs from me, in a building in downtown mpls. when my band would go on break, i would hang out in the parking lot, drinking cream soda, and listening to mint condition going over their set.
one day, their drummer had to work a day shift, and i was just practicing alone, downstairs. i went to take a break, and they were coming down to take a break, too.. we got to talking. they were saying how their drummer wasn't around and they were having trouble rehearsing without him. i tell them that "i can come up and sorta keep time.." without letting them know that i essentially know their whole set from top to bottom, just from listening from the parking lot.
so, i go up there, and sit down, and start playing all the breaks right, and catching all the cues, and they asked me to join probably a couple days after that..

once, before they signed with terry and jimmy, i played an early demo for prince, hoping he would sign them to paisley park records.. i don't think he thought they were good enough, but he did say, "the singer can kinda blow!!"


michael b.
[Edited 5/31/06 0:42am]

littlemissG said:

i dunno about all that.. a wise man once said, "you can accomplish anything, as long as you don't concern yourself with who gets the credit.."
you're talking about super blown out egos and control freaks. i think if it could happen, it probably would have, by now..

michael b.

thaCONcept said:

in those cases, specifically, and carmen electra's album, and the npg records, we kinda knew what the point was to the work. but, it was never clear what prince was working on , in terms of when something might be released, and along with what else. the process was non-linear, when it came to his albums, specifically.

we knew "the undertaker" was for mavis' record.
i don't really recall what was on mayte's record, i don't think i ever heard it in it's entirety.

the whole genaside II thing? it was just an extremely short lived side project that fell in our laps.. so, went to london, did the work, and came home. i didn't even know they released the tracks from the show. the other thing is, i think we were actually going under the name "mpls" and people spelled it wrong, and then went with the whole "artist formerly known as.." bit. that was not our intention.

it was levi, then kinda me, then morris, if you ask me.. either of them may say different. but, there was no official title for any of us..
no, it wasn't really just understood.. prince would delegate responsibility by telling the person he wanted to make responsible what was required. and, they would, in turn, tell everybody else..

it's not cut and dried. songwriting with prince happened usually one of three ways.. he either walked in with a clear idea, or a sketch in his head, or we just would jam, and if something hit him, we would record it..
under any of those circumstances, anything could still happen.. he was never closed to ideas..
you learn as you go, and you retain the arrangement changes along the way either by making your own notes, or using your memory.
aftershows could be well rehearsed, or anything goes.. it depended on what mood prince was in.

michael b.
[Edited 5/31/06 0:30am]

ebonyrhythmbuddha said:

Thanks Michael. I think you're reffering to Wembley Arena where you did play lots of times (and yes the larger venue for Diamonds and Pearls was Earls Court). I meant Wembley Stadium the big open air place that holds (or held as it is no more) 70,000+.

It's funny how these dates and places stick out in fans minds where as for you guys all these venues and cities must merge in yo' mind.

That's a shame that happened to morris. The venue had many rooms but the one the band played in was very small and obviously those who found it crammed in at all costs. The room became far too full and very very hot. The closed the doors to stop more people coming in but people could not get out. There was a small bar at the back that served alcohol and water. The water ran out. Prince came on at something like 3am and by that time people were fainting and becoming very aggressive with venue staff.

Of course this was not Prince's fault... and the plus side to the eve is the band played very well and due to the heat... girls were stripping down to their bras!!!!!