Well- maybe not discrediting, but there was disrespecting going on. I do remember reading that Apollonia threw shade at Vanity back in the day and some over the years immediately proceeding- something about her bra size vs. her IQ. Anyone remember that? There were other things too. Just to note, it seemed like they forged a friendship later through the years. Even though Jill was very favorable and respectful towards Vanity in her recent podcast, she did admit there was jealosy between the women, particularily when it came to her (Vanity). While I haven't read anything specifically, I've always wondered about how Wendy and Lisa got along with Vanity back then as well. I never got the impression there was any camaraderie there but I could be wrong. As evidenced in this thread, Dez was not feeling Vanity and I'm sure he wasn't the only one disgruntled by her presence. | |
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I just love Jellybean, he came out hard, but he was being honest
BBP: So why do you think the women get treated better?
Johnson: This goes all the way back to Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, and how we used to get treated because of them. We played for Vanity 6 and we were in their band, we didn’t get but an extra $100 for doing that shit…and when we came to major cities like New York, L.A., he booted our asses off there. He kept them, made us play for them and wouldn’t let The Time play. Do you know what it’s like to have a major star—Quincy Jones, Sting—coming to see us, and we don’t play?
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Apollonia seemed cool with Vanity after the PR thing. If she said something it could have been an insistence from Prince. Like when he had Jerome clowning his friend(Morris Day) during the A Love Bizarre video about the Oak Tree
I think overall the women were pretty mature as could be in the environment, compartmentalizing it all. I read some things by Lisa that were very flattering of Vanity. I doubt Wendy would have any issue with her either
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Thinking Andy Allo leading the NPG...
But with Vanity I was blessed to have a local radio station the 'LOVED' everything Prince. and that helped me to see early on the 'vision' that Prince was creating which was visually and musically of course. And Vanity had the look AND Charisma to own that spot. And she did. I'm hearing/think of her version of Sex Shooter... she killed it. I think if there was a woman who was too much of a singer, it might not have worked. The fun sexiness and playfulness would have been lost. I mean the Vanity 6 extension was basically high society women who represented certain male fantasies.
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i DON'T LISTEN TO VANITY 6 OR APOLLONIA 6 TOO OFTEN BUT DAMN i COULD LISTEN TO nASTY GIRL ALL THE DAY LONG. i LOVE THAT SHE TAUNTS THE MAN IN THE SONG.
THERE IS A BELIEVABLE SULTRINESS TO HER VOICE. It also always reminds me of Beverly HIlls Cop when I hear it. LOL..I love that movie.
[Edited 6/24/17 23:01pm] | |
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Yep, Nasty Girl is the song. Have U heard Vanity 6 version of Sex Shooter?
I love Drive Me Wild(extended) too, one of my other favorites, If A Girl Answers...
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Nasty Girl is Eveything Keep Calm & Listen To Prince | |
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He favored the women over the guys. It is easier to get a girl group to sell then a bunch of guys. Plus he was going with two of the women in the group.
If you want to know about how the industry treated black bands with just guys read Nile Rodgers book about why he put two women singers up front in Chic. It was the only way to for the band to get a recording contract.
Prince was just following the industry trend which has not changed since as we have very few bands with all black guys in RnB today.
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the story goes that,Prince removed The Time from the LA and NY shows because he didn't want to risk getting upstaged by them in those major cities. | |
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Not hard to believe but also not completely unreasonable. I don't know what to think about the Time? I sympathize with them but at the same time, did they not see the signs almost immediately that they were a passion project/side project for Prince. (Regardless of how much talent they had or how much they contributed---with Prince's little fingers in every piece of the pie, what did they think they were going to come away with?) Why weren't they a bit more weary from the beginning?
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I agree with u about Jill she was the girl who was always overlooked in PR & GB. Although in PR her character was far more likeable than the one in GB. Interesting Purple Food Chain theory. | |
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Prince was The Time. How do you get outdone by yourself? | |
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People will dispute you on that one. But I see what you mean. Then again, how many people actually knew that in the earlier days?
He certainly had his fingers in every little piece of that pie. Obviously the degree to which jam sessions influenced his writing is debatable, but like I said, he certainly controlled a great deal of what was going on in the studio recordings of the first two albums and played all the parts (except drums) on them of course (and wrote the lyrics and melodies). This, to me, seems like a red flag. I don't know why bandmembers didn't think, Geez, I am just a cog on this wheel, I better get ready with something to fall back on when boss moves on to another whim (or switches vehicles)." Isn't that what Jam and Lewis got fired for (their back plan was discovered...LOL). Well, look how they are doing now and they don't seem to have issues with Prince anymore.
[Edited 6/26/17 14:12pm] | |
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Well he has admitted that The Time "were becoming like Godzilla" and their live performances were well-received.It's understandable that he may have been feeling a little threatened.I notice that he never ever had this problem again with any future proteges.That's because The Time were truly one of a kind (hey that rhymes,lol) | |
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With the players (Jimmy, Terry, Monte, Jesse, 'Bean, Morris) in a live concert is how. While Prince was busy being an enigma that sometimes didnt work out too well with the audience, The Time were busy throwin down, giving the people what they wanted with no pretentiousness. "Climb in my fur." | |
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One thing I've noticed is that,in every situation like this,there are always disgruntled employees who feel that they're not getting enough credit/acclaim/money.It happened with George Clinton and his P-funk empire,it happened with Berry Gordy and his Motown empire,it happened with Maurice White and his Earth Wind and Fire band,etc.,etc...I can truly understand both sides.One person is the "leader" and at first,everyone is okay with that.But then there are issues with money...folks feeling that they're not getting the proper credit.....folks feeling creatively stifled (with all of the talent that Jam and Lewis had,Prince still didn't want them writing and producing songs for others).Monte Moir complained that "He (Prince) would tell us 'why do you wanna work elsewhere when you have all these opportunities here"? | |
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I dont blame Prince. He didnt want his people playing "Those away games" () Barksdale/The Wire "Climb in my fur." | |
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rdhull said:
With the players (Jimmy, Terry, Monte, Jesse, 'Bean, Morris) in a live concert is how. While Prince was busy being an enigma that sometimes didnt work out too well with the audience, The Time were busy throwin down, giving the people what they wanted with no pretentiousness. Prince was one of the greatest live performers ever. Don't get why he would say he was afraid anyone would upstage him. | |
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Hon, because it happened. Severl times. By The Time. "Climb in my fur." | |
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rdhull said:
Hon, because it happened. Severl times. By The Time. Strange. Maybe he should've kept his own music. Then Prince became Prince tho..., so there was nothing for him to worry about. | |
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endiadj said: rdhull said:
With the players (Jimmy, Terry, Monte, Jesse, 'Bean, Morris) in a live concert is how. While Prince was busy being an enigma that sometimes didnt work out too well with the audience, The Time were busy throwin down, giving the people what they wanted with no pretentiousness. Prince was one of the greatest live performers ever. Don't get why he would say he was afraid anyone would upstage him. then why do YOU think he removed The Time from those shows? Back then,the Time were getting a lot of raves for their live performances,especially with R&B/funk fans and the black media.Prince later admitted that they were "the only band that I was ever afraid of". .. [Edited 6/26/17 16:42pm] | |
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and he made sure to take The Time off the performances in major cities like Los Angeles etc so they wouldn't get shine or upstage him in the reviews. Folks dont understand, The Time was happenin with the kids etc and Prince was just weird to them. "Climb in my fur." | |
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EXACTLY...and they were so talented that they left and over the next 30 years went on to become superstars in their own right cuz they didn't need the P connection to be relevant and their fanbase wasn't folks who either grew up with them or folks who only heard of them because of being known as purple associates and were his biggest rivals...even before 4/21's inumerable P tributes that included them ad nauseum until infinity...
Um...
Wait...No, that didn't happen...4/21 made them relevant again after 30 years cuz now they can play P music and give interviews about how much they miss him and that he'll always be their brutha...
Nevermind...
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see sig (c) Bart circa 2002 "Climb in my fur." | |
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I feel that way about the Jackson siblings as well. Keep Calm & Listen To Prince | |
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Well, now...I'm not an MJ fan, but to be fair...The Jacksons were successful before him...and were extra successful with him...
But after him they were never as successful again... | |
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Yuuup and I get it, you have to strike while its hot, but now they are making all kinds of claims that he was gonna do another album and world tour etc......but it total BS. Keep Calm & Listen To Prince | |
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LBrent said:
EXACTLY...and they were so talented that they left and over the next 30 years went on to become superstars in their own right cuz they didn't need the P connection to be relevant and their fanbase wasn't folks who either grew up with them or folks who only heard of them because of being known as purple associates and were his biggest rivals...even before 4/21's inumerable P tributes that included them ad nauseum until infinity...
Um...
Wait...No, that didn't happen...4/21 made them relevant again after 30 years cuz now they can play P music and give interviews about how much they miss him and that he'll always be their brutha...
Nevermind...
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Well Prince started doing a lot of things we never thought he would do in the last year before his passing. And he has had The Time perform at the 3121 Residency and @ Paisley Park celebrations. | |
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Because the investment into his protege groups would only foster his own stardom. But they also believed in Prince and the vision. They were dedicated, and living in that whirlwind of time, probably couldn't see it right of the back.
BBP: So he did them a favor more or less, right?
Jellybean Johnson: He did them a favor, more or less. But still it’s just—it’s just—all this shit is just so childish when you look back on it 35 years later. You’re like, “what the fuck was he doing?” Because you know what, man? He could have had all of us. We could have all been working for him; we could have all been making hits for him and everything and he would have made even more money. But his ego won’t let that happen. His ego cannot take that. He had all of us: every guy in the Time, with the exception of Jerome—and Jerome had his own record deal—every guy in the Time had a top 10 hit. Every one! Monte, Jesse, Jimmy and Terry sold over 100 million records. Morris, I—all of us—had Top Ten, Top Five records. Prince could have had all of us. Didn’t want to pay us; didn’t want to do it
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