Michael,

When you record with Prince, how surprised are you when you hear final (album) versions of songs you record?

I get the impression (I may be wrong) that you often lay down your drum tracks with maybe only a bassline or minimal instruments and the rest is added later.

hello Michael B.


1. was there ever a time while you were working with Prince, that you seen him appear to be afraid of..... something/anything?

2. has Prince ever talk to you about how he feels when other people cover his muisc?

thank you.
[Edited 6/20/06 9:57am]

...and he said, "do you think i wanted tom jones covering 'kiss'??"

michael b.

Michael,

To the best of your knowledge, how does Prince decide what songs make it on an album and what songs don't, same thing with choosing singles (You might not be the right one to ask, you might not have had anything to do with that process)?

I have heard many unreleased outakes (ooops, did I say that out loud?), and I often wonder how one song gets chosen over another.

Michael,

Do you know when soul asylum will be making it to the SF Bay Area and if so where?

Michael, again...thank you so much for participating in this forum and taking the time to address everyone's questions. Here are a few things that I'm curious about:

1) What was your favorite nationally televised performance while you were with Prince? Mine was the 1994(?) VH1 Honors where you guys tore it up with 2 (at the time) unreleased songs that seemed to leave the audience totally stunned!

2) You mentioned that you worked with Prince on some cuts from 3121....was that experience different from when you were in the NPG 10 years ago? Or did it seem like you guys picked up where you left off? Also, did you sense that Prince had changed over that 10 years or grown (or regressed) as an artist/musician?

3) Much is made about Prince as a guitarist, keyboardist and even drummer...but how would you rate Prince as a bass player? I don't think it was until the mid-90's that I recall him playing much bass live, but he seemed to play the "one eyed bass" quite a bit around the "Come/TGE" era. Do you recall what motivated him to start playing a lot of bass live in concert?

4) Do you know how aware Prince is of the various online communities (like this site) that are devoted to him? Do you know if he monitors them to gain feedback about his work, shows, etc., or to see what the fans want? It was rumored that he would "drop by" the Prince chatrooom on AOL in the mid-90's incognito...but who knows...I think "My Computer" from Emancipation all but alluded to that..


5) In a recent interview on Housequake.com, Susan Rogers had this to say:

"He's [Prince] a master arranger and his lyric writing is touching and profound. Currently I listen to 50's era jazz and am a huge fan of the pianist Bud Powell so my idea of a perfect Prince album would be just piano, double bass, and drums. I would enjoy hearing his melodic and harmonic ideas reduced to one instrument. I would also like to learn what Prince could contribute to interpretive music, in other words, an album of standards. Listening to jazz has sharpened my appreciation for the art of interpreting a known melody in an original way."

Is there anything you would like to see Prince do or try? Something, as someone who has worked with him, think he could really pull off that maybe he has hasn't done? Personally, I've always wanted him to do an MTV Unplugged.

1. the setlist always goes through many different mutations before it's decided on. we'd start out with a master list of songs that prince wanted us to learn, and we'd take it from there.. it depended largely on what he was sick of, what was on the latest album, what always worked, what covers might've been included, what the choreopraphy was doing, what key we would be transitioning from or to, etc.. and, partly, on the personnel. but, lastly.
what you're describing is a set we worked up, to play at warner bros. records, which kinda didn't work. so, we restructured the set again, for the jack the rapper thing in atlanta in 91', and again, after that.. it goes on, until the first 10 shows or so have been performed, and all the notes and revisions seems to be more effective. we'd keep going to prince's suite after the show, with notebooks, and watch the tape, and make notes until the show was airtight.
if you're in prince's band, you are presumed to know his catalog, words and music, in it's entirety, or learn rather quickly. rosie and levi and sonny were singing, because someone had to..

2. i couldn't believe people were saying that i played with prince on the SNL performance of "fury" and the other number they did.. i didn't realize i looked so much like a girl.. anyway, i got on to tell everyone that i, indeed, had not returned, and that it was cora playing drums on that show.
and from there, people first questioned whether it was really me on here, leaving messages, and after a while, i just decided that doing this was a constructive way to answer all valid questions about the process, and what it was like, doing what we did. and as long as people don't start getting stupid, i'll hang around. this is as close to a tell all book as i ever wanted to come, anyway..

3. yes, it was weird. yes, we did eventually jam, and record a little bit.

4. nope. but the way i understand it, some music is not necessarily made for mass consumption. sometimes, prince experiments for the sake of experimentation, alone. whether or not his music is released should be his choice. he did, however, cut into their profit margin quite a bit with the crystal ball package, i think.. even though the die hards all had most of that material, in one form or another.

5. work is work. rules are rules. people that work at bomb factories can't take the plutonium home, even if they're fascinated by it's incendiary
properties, and promise not to sell it to terrorists.

6. i dunno how personal the film was to prince. i remember someone questioning him about the quality of that film, which he edited during the nude tour by flying back and forth to los angeles from london, essentially.
he said something like, "i spent 11 million dollars of someone else's money. so, what do i care what you think?"
yeah, it's unfinished. i let my ex-wife read the original draft of the script, once. she thought the film could have been alot better, after she finished. but, too much had been taken out. however, she's not in the entertainment business, so it was just another person's opinion.

michael b.
[Edited 6/18/06 0:58am]

hi michael,

not sure if this question has been asked yet, but what is your favourite Prince era, discounting the main period you were with him, if you don't mind...and why?

thanks,

j

Michael,

In your estimate, when you have recorded with Prince, how much of that material is actually released (for every 10 songs recorded, 1 released, 2 are released, 5...)?


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[Edited 6/21/06 8:28am]

Michael,

On average, how many hours a day do you play drums? Bass? Keys?

Hi Michael.

Thanks for everything man. U are awesome.

Has the "Dr Mambo Combo" released a cd that I can buy? If yes where?

cheers

Thanks Sifi
Im gonna have 2 cop that one
I'm still getting through "news from the Jungle"

Michael

Q1 - U and the Combo played at Paisley for the 2004 celebration. Who arranges something like that? Does someone from Paisley call U direct or does the Combo have an agent? Was it at Prince's request? Just a curiosty question.

Q2 - U said U generally can get a good idea of the finished product b4 the overdubs r cut. were there any vocals on the "3121" sessions or was it just Drums, Bass and Guitar. Someone had run in2 Sonny just after U guys had cut those basics and I was extremely excited 4 the New CD. It was a disappointment 2 only get one track out of it. time will tell.

Q3 - Follow Up. were these basics written down or were U guys just jamming?

Q4 - U seem 2 be pretty aware of the bootleg Audio and video that is circulating. What is your general opinion of this? Understand that I don't feel that (while in principle its wrong) it cuts in2 any profits Prince might have. U used the example of "Crystal Ball". Everyone who had the outtake STILL bought it either for better quality or just 2 pay RESPECT. I'm getting off topic but the general question is. How do U feel about bootlegs in general. Prince seems 2 change opinions on this topic frequently but pretending they DON'T Exist is silly.

Q5- Kirky J. Ok if he is a friend of yours please understand I am only speaking of technique and not personality. He seems like a cool guy but.... as a drummer? I read a quote from Prince saying (about Kirk) "I wanted drums 2 play a less prominent role in my music". OK lets get 2 the point. Prince has employed some of the best drummers in the world - Sheila E, Michael Bland, John Blackwell - how did Kirk stay around almost 4 years?

Q5 - U mentioned the 94/95 american Music awards as ure favorite tv appearance. Wasn't this a (Gold/Purple) medley faked 2 DAT? Was it just a fun nite? what made this appearance stick out in your mind?

AS always thank U 4 ure time.

7

hi mike thanks so much.

1How did u break into the business and sign your 1st
perfessional musician contract and when?
2How did prince find out which band members are capable of doing backing vocals and were u ever thrown into the mix?
3Did prince ever do like my former college baseball coach use to do us after a bad game and let us have it,after a bad performance by the band, or a so so show
if there were any,how did he handle it with u guys.

ebonyrhythmbuddha said:

MANY THANX, Michael, 4 ur answers
By the way, u missed the Michel Portal question : i was wondering how Michel had the idea 2 play with u & Sonny & how he contacted u?

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[Edited 6/21/06 10:35am]