My observations of Eddie M playing sax for both Sheila and Prince is that he was absolutely lousy. Especially during critical and major performances. He was embarassing at the 1985 AMA's while performing Glamorous Live, Sheila screached his name, Eddieeeeahahah. When he went to blow, there was nothing because his mike didn't work. I even remember him playing for P at the 1985 Grammys (the one when P hit himself in the face with the mike) They were performing Baby I'm A Star. Towards the end of the performance, two men literally had to pick him up and carry him to the stage. This just didn't look right. Was he a help or a hinderence to Sheila and Prince?

[Edited 11/28/10 12:44pm]

I never thought Eddie M sounded all that great. To me, his playing sounded like if some random person just picked up a sax and started blowing for the hell of it.

I love Eddie M's sound. His work on Romance 1600 was amazing, imo. I don't know what you mean about the Baby I'm a Star performance--where do you see him getting carried off? I guess I'm missing it. For The Glamorous Life, I can't really tell. Aren't most of the horns sampled on that performance? He seems to be the only horn player on stage, and he's often not even playing. If his mic wasn't turned on when he was cued, that doesn't seem like it would be his fault. Wouldn't someone else be to blame for that?

Who do you mean first of all? I don't know an Eric M. I know Eddie M. and I know Eric Leeds. So you kinda lost me. Besides that, I personally don't care.

LoDog said:

Who do you mean first of all? I don't know an Eric M. I know Eddie M. and I know Eric Leeds. So you kinda lost me. Besides that, I personally don't care.

LOL! Exactly. And coupled with the fact that Eddie M was purely and truly bad ass on the sax, this thread is ultimately an epic fail.

LoDog said:

Who do you mean first of all? I don't know an Eric M. I know Eddie M. and I know Eric Leeds. So you kinda lost me. Besides that, I personally don't care.

LoDog, no one ever mentioned Eric, please read my thread again and if you're kind've lost and don't care, then why would you respond to this thread?

[Edited 11/28/10 12:48pm]

Efan said:

I love Eddie M's sound. His work on Romance 1600 was amazing, imo. I don't know what you mean about the Baby I'm a Star performance--where do you see him getting carried off? I guess I'm missing it. For The Glamorous Life, I can't really tell. Aren't most of the horns sampled on that performance? He seems to be the only horn player on stage, and he's often not even playing. If his mic wasn't turned on when he was cued, that doesn't seem like it would be his fault. Wouldn't someone else be to blame for that?

Agree. Eddie is really good ! I like the Nice performance of America when the two horn players (Eddie and Eric) blow their horn !! Historic !

And then, his playing is absolutely epic on Jesse's "Every shade of love".

I like Eric and I like Eddie, to each their own style...

OOOOMMMMGGGGG, this thread! Eddie added so much to Sheila's band and he was straight up funky when playing for Prince. Not meaning to turn this into a comparison thing because I love both Eddie and Eric Leads, however IMO Eric was better technically and Eddie was better naturally. Love Eddie.

jason7sh said:

My observations of Eddie M playing sax for both Sheila and Prince is that he was absolutely lousy. Especially during critical and major performances. He was embarassing at the 1985 AMA's while performing Glamorous Live, Sheila screached his name, Eddieeeeahahah. When he went to blow, there was nothing because his mike didn't work. I even remember him playing for P at the 1985 Grammys (the one when P hit himself in the face with the mike) They were performing Baby I'm A Star. Towards the end of the performance, two men literally had to pick him up and carry him to the stage. This just didn't look right. Was he a help or a hinderence to Sheila and Prince?

1) That's a sound man's mistake, not Eddie's. As the performances for awards shows are rehearsed, the sound man should have conceivably kept the sax mic hot for the solo. I'm sure any antics involving carrying him were Prince's idea and all part of an effort to draw attention to Eddie's addition.

2) To that point, Eddie M. represented Prince adding a different element to his sound. It took him a lot closer to his James Brown roots. Stylistically, I think Eddie M. was Prince's first attempt to have a Maceo Parker-type element to his music, much like other elements, techniques and decisions paid tribute to Larry, Hendrix, Sly, Carlos and Joni.

I always thought Eddie kinda "squeeked" sometimes with the sax. I think he did it on purpose but it always sounded weird to me. That said, i've heard live performances on cd where he sounded great.

GaryMF said:

I always thought Eddie kinda "squeeked" sometimes with the sax. I think he did it on purpose but it always sounded weird to me. That said, i've heard live performances on cd where he sounded great.

I think those squeaks are on the sax equivalent of guitar harmonics. Totally deliberate.

Why the heck do you put your headlines in ALL CAPS? Do you think your topics are that much more important/interesting than everyone else's that you have to yell it at us? It's hard to read whether in the body of a message or in a headline. Look at allllll the other subjects, do you see anyone else doing that every time? If you're a kid, just chill out a bit, if you're an adult, grow up.

And...GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

[Edited 11/30/10 8:11am]

Serena said:

Why the heck do you put your headlines in ALL CAPS? Do you think your topics are that much more important/interesting than everyone else's that you have to yell it at us? It's hard to read whether in the body of a message or in a headline. Look at allllll the other subjects, do you see anyone else doing that every time? If you're a kid, just chill out a bit, if you're an adult, grow up.

And...GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

[Edited 11/30/10 8:11am]

[Snip - luv4u]

VelvetJ said:

OOOOMMMMGGGGG, this thread! Eddie added so much to Sheila's band and he was straight up funky when playing for Prince. Not meaning to turn this into a comparison thing because I love both Eddie and Eric Leads, however IMO Eric was better technically and Eddie was better naturally. Love Eddie.

Exactly! ............

[Edited 12/1/10 1:08am]

His mike didn't work, so you think he is lousy saxophone player? Huh??

Eddie's style is from the Maceo school of playing.

The way you posed the question makes you sound like a hater. You should have phrased that differently

[Edited 11/30/10 13:10pm]

BlaqueKnight said:

Eddie's style is from the Maceo school of playing.

Both Prince and Sheila used Eddie because 1. he was talented and 2. he took a different approach than someone like say...Kenny G. His playing style is percussive as well as melodic.

The way you posed the question makes you sound like a hater. You should have phrased that differently

[Edited 11/30/10 13:10pm]

Yes, I am a hater of Eddie's style of playing. Maceo, Eric Leeds and Candy are excellent. I watched Maceo in Vegas and I became a certified believer in the craft that he perfected. Ms. Dulfer's playing on Nothing Compares To U, left me totally transfixed. As far as Eric, well what else can be said but he's extraodinary. The sax is my 2nd favorite instrument. Eddie has the skills to play, but I've always viewed him as being purely manufactured. He always lacked style and appeared not genuine at all.

jason7sh said:

BlaqueKnight said:

Eddie's style is from the Maceo school of playing.

Both Prince and Sheila used Eddie because 1. he was talented and 2. he took a different approach than someone like say...Kenny G. His playing style is percussive as well as melodic.

The way you posed the question makes you sound like a hater. You should have phrased that differently

[Edited 11/30/10 13:10pm]

Yes, I am a hater of Eddie's style of playing. Maceo, Eric Leeds and Candy are excellent. I watched Maceo in Vegas and I became a certified believer in the craft that he perfected. Ms. Dulfer's playing on Nothing Compares To U, left me totally transfixed. As far as Eric, well what else can be said but he's extraodinary. The sax is my 2nd favorite instrument. Eddie has the skills to play, but I've always viewed him as being purely manufactured. He always lacked style and appeared not genuine at all.

At least you're honest about it.

ThreadBare said:

GaryMF said:

I always thought Eddie kinda "squeeked" sometimes with the sax. I think he did it on purpose but it always sounded weird to me. That said, i've heard live performances on cd where he sounded great.

I think those squeaks are on the sax equivalent of guitar harmonics. Totally deliberate.

I guess, but I haven't really heard other people do that. In facdt Eddie himself didn't seem to do it when I saw him live with Sheila.

I just found that sound kind of cringeworthy, though it may been due to the sound mixing as well.

jason7sh said:

BlaqueKnight said:

Eddie's style is from the Maceo school of playing.

Both Prince and Sheila used Eddie because 1. he was talented and 2. he took a different approach than someone like say...Kenny G. His playing style is percussive as well as melodic.

The way you posed the question makes you sound like a hater. You should have phrased that differently

[Edited 11/30/10 13:10pm]

Yes, I am a hater of Eddie's style of playing. Maceo, Eric Leeds and Candy are excellent. I watched Maceo in Vegas and I became a certified believer in the craft that he perfected. Ms. Dulfer's playing on Nothing Compares To U, left me totally transfixed. As far as Eric, well what else can be said but he's extraodinary. The sax is my 2nd favorite instrument. Eddie has the skills to play, but I've always viewed him as being purely manufactured. He always lacked style and appeared not genuine at all.

Jesse johnson's Every shade of love (the song, but also the whole album while you're at it !). Listen to Eddie...

LoDog said:

Who do you mean first of all? I don't know an Eric M. I know Eddie M. and I know Eric Leeds. So you kinda lost me. Besides that, I personally don't care.

um I think in trying to dump the thread you messed up lol where did you see Eric M?

GaryMF said:

ThreadBare said:

I think those squeaks are on the sax equivalent of guitar harmonics. Totally deliberate.

I guess, but I haven't really heard other people do that. In facdt Eddie himself didn't seem to do it when I saw him live with Sheila.

I just found that sound kind of cringeworthy, though it may been due to the sound mixing as well.

oh hell no. Those squeaks were deliberate, that was wicked sax playing

jason7sh said:

BlaqueKnight said:

Eddie's style is from the Maceo school of playing.

Both Prince and Sheila used Eddie because 1. he was talented and 2. he took a different approach than someone like say...Kenny G. His playing style is percussive as well as melodic.

The way you posed the question makes you sound like a hater. You should have phrased that differently

[Edited 11/30/10 13:10pm]

Yes, I am a hater of Eddie's style of playing. Maceo, Eric Leeds and Candy are excellent. I watched Maceo in Vegas and I became a certified believer in the craft that he perfected. Ms. Dulfer's playing on Nothing Compares To U, left me totally transfixed. As far as Eric, well what else can be said but he's extraodinary. The sax is my 2nd favorite instrument. Eddie has the skills to play, but I've always viewed him as being purely manufactured. He always lacked style and appeared not genuine at all.

lol lacked style,,, not genuine at all LOL

That's one of the things about the 1980's musicians, they were totally genuine

Eddie brought his own style, it's totally why Sheila E took him everywhere

And Prince using him on Temptation & the Ladder is what made me like those songs as much as I could. Especially on Tempation, his playing is just as wicked as Prince's guitar playing or more so

jason7sh said:

My observations of Eddie M playing sax for both Sheila and Prince is that he was absolutely lousy. Especially during critical and major performances. He was embarassing at the 1985 AMA's while performing Glamorous Live, Sheila screached his name, Eddieeeeahahah. When he went to blow, there was nothing because his mike didn't work. I even remember him playing for P at the 1985 Grammys (the one when P hit himself in the face with the mike) They were performing Baby I'm A Star. Towards the end of the performance, two men literally had to pick him up and carry him to the stage. This just didn't look right. Was he a help or a hinderence to Sheila and Prince?

[Edited 11/28/10 12:44pm]

I think you might be totally reading reactions and antics wrong

Sheila screached Eddie's name on the album and live all the time,

His playing was totally a help, how could it have screwed things up

All the playing on Romance 1600 ie A Love Bizarre, Dear Michaelangelo

Around the World in a Day: Temptation, the Ladder, the America live video

on the Purple Rain tour he totally exuded the purple danger.

If someone carried him to the stage it was probably an impromptu thing, like Big Chick carrying Prince on the stage on his back at James Brown's show

While Mr. Leeds is my favorite sax player, I think Eddie M is outstanding.

Listen to him blow on A Love Bizarre on 27. He's funky and fit Prince's music very well.

I agree with some of the others on here. Eddie M is a bad-ass sax player. Sheila's band was so good Prince stole some of her musicians for his own band like Levi and Miko. Miko is an excellent rhythm player too, just check out his playing on the SNL performance of 'Electric Chair', right in the ****ing pocket.

By the way I love Eddie M's 'screeching' and 'honking'. The best players do it. Listen to late period Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders. Gary Thomas (from Jack DeJohnette's band) does it sometimes too.

While I like Eric Leeds I kinda wish Eddie M. woulda joined Prince's band instead, at least for a while. To me Eddie was more in your face and downright funky than Eric. Though, don't get me wrong I have both of Eric's solo albums and love 'em.

akossofi said:

I agree with some of the others on here. Eddie M is a bad-ass sax player. Sheila's band was so good Prince stole some of her musicians for his own band like Levi and Miko. Miko is an excellent rhythm player too, just check out his playing on the SNL performance of 'Electric Chair', right in the ****ing pocket.

By the way I love Eddie M's 'screeching' and 'honking'. The best players do it. Listen to late period Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders. Gary Thomas (from Jack DeJohnette's band) does it sometimes too.

While I like Eric Leeds I kinda wish Eddie M. woulda joined Prince's band instead, at least for a while. To me Eddie was more in your face and downright funky than Eric. Though, don't get me wrong I have both of Eric's solo albums and love 'em.

Eric has a third, but it falls short of the first two's level.

akossofi said:

I agree with some of the others on here. Eddie M is a bad-ass sax player. Sheila's band was so good Prince stole some of her musicians for his own band like Levi and Miko. Miko is an excellent rhythm player too, just check out his playing on the SNL performance of 'Electric Chair', right in the ****ing pocket.

By the way I love Eddie M's 'screeching' and 'honking'. The best players do it. Listen to late period Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders. Gary Thomas (from Jack DeJohnette's band) does it sometimes too.

While I like Eric Leeds I kinda wish Eddie M. woulda joined Prince's band instead, at least for a while. To me Eddie was more in your face and downright funky than Eric. Though, don't get me wrong I have both of Eric's solo albums and love 'em.

Then get the third one cuz it's even better (btw the 1st one is more a Prince album than a Leeds album, as Eric himself confessed).

As 4 Eddie M. i absolutely love his style, as said b4 it's really punchy, i think the only reason Eddie was left off the boat is because P found Eric, whose style was more cohesive with P's own musical universe at the time (like the Hornheads were in the 90's).