I was listening to Sheila E.s third album the other day,and I STILL can't get over how great this record is! It's her strongest,most consistent album ever.It had so much hit potential,and I think it's a shame that it didn't get the support and recognition it deserved.The following songs should have been singles (after "Hold Me")...

"Faded Photographs"
"The Pride And The Passion"
"Love On A Blue Train"

So,my question is,did Sheila make a mistake by becoming Prince's drummer at a time when she should have been promoting her OWN great album? It seems like,in 1987,she temporarily gave up her own career to play behind Prince.As a result,her excellent third album was all but forgotten.

I wonder what would have happened if she had done her own tour in the summer of 1987,and released kickass videos for the songs I listed above? Would it have made a difference?

SHEILA AND RHONDA...both

prince should have given rhonda plat4m 4 ntellipop.
it would not have hurt him 2 share the spotlight.

HisAngel said:

what !!!

do u think that we should have heard rhonda trax on the ONA live tour; just think about the responses here then !!

I think that prince is doing rhonda and others greats favores in playing. It was clear at the tour that they love it, and learn a lot: besides they get to be heard.

Love Henrik

henrik said:

I think it would be great if Prince and Rhonda played some of her music. I love the cd.

IMO, sheila probably wanted to promote the cd and release the singles that SHE wanted to.

but concidering p is such a control freak, he probably talked her out of it because he probably didn't want her to blow up like that.

also, didn't she get sick around that time?

YES!! YES!! YES!!

It was a HUGE mistake to go on tour instead of promoting that album. Faded Photographs had top-10 hit written all over it. Wednesday Like a River probably would have done well as a single also.

However...I think that Sex Cymbal was an even BETTER album...in fact it's my favorite. If she hadn't become ill and been given the chance to promote it, she probably would've done very well with it. Dropping Like Flies was an excellent single...but C&C Music Factory really did a shit job remixing it for the radio and it bombed.

Maybe...but then she seems 2 be in a happier place now. Things happen 4 a reason. Imagine, if she promoted her own stuff then, got a whirlwind of success, she may have fallen down a very different tunnel.

And I heard that she had drug problems at some point already, so only God knows.

But we can 'if' 4ever...she's where she is now and is doing well all things considered. Though it would have been nice 2 have seen more of her doing her own thing, no doubt.

TheJoker said:


Never heard about that?
Can someone give me more info about that?



Happy holidays,
TheKid

sparxxxtresss said:

Why wouldn't he want success for her if he was the one who encouraged her to sing/make her own records in the first place? That seems odd to me...

It could have been cool if she opened for him, therefore promoting her record & touring w/ him but I guess that's an impossible schedule to keep...

TheKid said:

Hey Kid!
Yeah, I only read that about 6 months ago somewhere in an interview with her. I can't remember where I found it - was it some spiritual website or a general music website?

I tend 2 think it was true. In another place she goes on 2 discuss how she almost died (like what Vanity went through), doctor's found she'd had a collapsed lung which had done so 80%! She was in hospital and lost a lot of weight. She then found God again..

But in the interview I read, it was mentioned that all this was due 2 the fact she had been abusing drugs in some 4m or other. I do not believe her case was as bad as Vanity's is reported 2 be, but...check the reports and see the results.

Who knows 4 sure. Not everything on the web is 100% true.
But that's what I heard. Hope this answers ur queries.

Peace*

CalhounSq said:

of course this is just speculation on my part, cal.

so, IMO, i think in the beginning he wanted her to be a success, but got scared when she did.

remember how terrified he was, at that time, of the time blowing up and being successful.

i think he wanted them to be heard and make money and all that, but he didn't want them to become as huge as him.

and with this third album, i think sheila proved that she not only could hang with him, but she could hold her own in the music industry.

so, IMO, he probably asked her to drum for him for only a couple of dates while the album was being released, that turned into a tour, which she probably didn't want to do in the first place, and she couldn't support the album like she wanted to.

plus, they had their falling out around this time.
[This message was edited Thu Dec 5 11:37:28 PST 2002 by sparxxxtresss]

sparxxxtresss said:

You think Sheila could fuck with him?? I know The Time could, but Sheila? She's BAD but is she BAD like that??? I don't really know the extent of her talent though, I admit...

Thanks Joker!

The story was new to me...



Happy holidays,
TheKid

CalhounSq said:

i hear you. sheila is bad like that. the girl can throw down. just listen to sex cymbal or heaven and you'll see

CalhounSq said:

Shelia E. is quite a One Woman Band Her Damn Self.SHelia while not the Greatest Singer easily in a different Setting could have had a Sheryl Crow Run in a fair world IMHO.She can play alot of Styles&whatnot but I think Prince Sold Her as a Female Morris Day&it hurt Her a bit.so She just bagged doing the Solo thing.I wasn't crazy about Her Being outfront overall as a Singer.but when She Plays or Directs Her Band She can Hang with just about anyone IMHO.She is also a Helluva Talent Scout.think about all the People Shelia Brought too Prince over the years?? WOW!

DavidEye said:

those were Catchy Songs but Shelia E. was thinking ahead for the Long term at getting gigs.She didn't want too be a Prince "PIN-UP"&She was becoming that.She wanted Her Music too speak first.also Paisley Park&Warners didn't really push anybody aside from Prince So She was in a No-Win situation as a Artist.but unlike alot of Acts then&Now She had Her Sticks too fall back on&could always keep a Hustle going.I think IMHO She didn't want too be known as just one of Prince's Girls you know? the Girl Been Playing for a really long time.She took the Playing route because She had that with Her Before "Glamourious Life" Kicked out&Since.

as for the report about her using drugs,i think you are mixing up her story and vanity's.vanity had drug problems and almost died due to her kidneys(which probably got messed up by using drugs).
sheila on the other hand had her lung collapse,because she was going for acupuncture for her bad back,due to years of strain from wearing high heels,anywaysome time afterward she was working and kept feeling like she was short of breathe,well to make a long story short,the hospital found that her lung had been pierced.i have the story saved,anyone who would like to see it,send me your email addy and i'll forward it to you.
i am a very big fan of sheila's and i've read all the articles i could find in books and on the web,and never once have i ever read about her using drugs.

drummergirl said:

I agree. I read an interview w/ Sheila and she said that the acupuncture caused her lung to collapse.

Sheila couldn't have been taking drugs and performing with such precision anyway!

On another note, I was in Express today in SF & they played The Belle of St. Mark

DavidEye said:[quote]I was listening to Sheila E.s third album the other day,and I STILL can't get over how great this record is! It's her strongest,most consistent album ever.It had so much hit potential,and I think it's a shame that it didn't get the support and recognition it deserved.The following songs should have been singles (after "Hold Me")...

"Faded Photographs"
"The Pride And The Passion"
"Love On A Blue Train"

You forgot the funkiest number on the album Boy's Club!!! Damn that should have been a club hit