Reading Morris book, and he talks about how he went to form the band for The Time and recruited all the Flyte Time cats, Jimmy & Terry, Monte and Jellybean, but also Alex. He said Alex would be lead singer, and 'Bean would be on drums.

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So what would Morris be doing? Just producing?

GaryMF said:

Reading Morris book, and he talks about how he went to form the band for The Time and recruited all the Flyte Time cats, Jimmy & Terry, Monte and Jellybean, but also Alex. He said Alex would be lead singer, and 'Bean would be on drums.

.

.

So what would Morris be doing? Just producing?

On mirror?

GaryMF said:

BlaqueKnight said:

GaryMF said:

Reading Morris book, and he talks about how he went to form the band for The Time and recruited all the Flyte Time cats, Jimmy & Terry, Monte and Jellybean, but also Alex. He said Alex would be lead singer, and 'Bean would be on drums.

.

.

So what would Morris be doing? Just producing?

On mirror?

I think he said Jerome was recruited too, so even that Job was filled!

I thought Morris would have stayed on drums if Alexander O was lead. When it didn't work out with Alexander, then Prince made Morris lead singer and they then acquired Jellybean on drums.

PeggyO said:

GaryMF said:

PeggyO said:

I thought Morris would have stayed on drums if Alexander O was lead. When it didn't work out with Alexander, then Prince made Morris lead singer and they then acquired Jellybean on drums.

But I his book he says he recruited Dan on drums and was negotiating with Alex for lead and that his intention was for Alex to song lead live. Unless they were going to both do lead, Morris on the uptempo “cool” songs and Alex on the soul ballads which Morris said Alex could do better.

It seems that may have been the idea until Alex demanded 'paper' and Prince/Morris had to go to nix Alex altogether. I did not finish Morris's book so perhaps I'm missing something.

PeggyO said:

GaryMF said:

PeggyO said: But I his book he says he recruited Dan on drums and was negotiating with Alex for lead and that his intention was for Alex to song lead live. Unless they were going to both do lead, Morris on the uptempo “cool” songs and Alex on the soul ballads which Morris said Alex could do better.

It seems that may have been the idea until Alex demanded 'paper' and Prince/Morris had to go to nix Alex altogether. I did not finish Morris's book so perhaps I'm missing something.

i guess he just didn't make that clear that they both would've been lead singers. though he wsa always going to be the 'leader' but would hard to be 'leader' and not have anything to do during Alex's numbers!

Puppet Master, Gemini Twinning, Morris Day looked more like Prince, It was going 2 go the Morris Day way all day

Something weird about this anyway. In the Vlad interview, he said they finished the record and were signed before the band was together. Why would Alexander Oneal join a band and sing lead when he isn't singing on the record?

LoveGalore said:

Something weird about this anyway. In the Vlad interview, he said they finished the record and were signed before the band was together. Why would Alexander Oneal join a band and sing lead when he isn't singing on the record?

That was done sometmies back in the day, ,create a studio record and then hire people for live dates. Shalamar started like that too I think.

Morris would drum because Prince said himself he felt bad for him for not getting his props on the drums. I heard Morris drum and he is good but drumming can be physical so I guess he did the right thing to sing lead and he just do his nice moves not using heavy instruments.

Just keeping it real I am so glad Alexander O'neal did not become lead singer of the Time one of my Favorite bands Groups etc in any genre Rock Pop R&B Hip Hop etc. I don't think the Time would have that flavor even with Prince grooming and giving The Time that Cool vibe early on it was Morris Day who made that sh!t work since 1981 , can u imagine how The Time would be if they had got with O'Neal ? I am not knocking his style and he is a great ballader with a few uptempo cuts Innocent and Fake come 2 mind but overall I saw the direction he went after not getting with The Time .

Morris Day Jesse now Jerome Jimmy and Terry Monte Moir and Jellybean are an all star band with all having success on the solo tip and within the band they just vibe off of each other , plus they are good freinds which is a huge plus . I can't see any other person being lead with the Time than Morris Day . He is the image of this legendary band but I would not like 2 see him without The Time . I hope 2 see them on tour again in 2020 I have seen the Time 4 or 5 times and loved em everytime .

What Time Is it.....Ladies and Gentleman please welcome The Time !!!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Puppet Master, Gemini Twinning, Morris Day looked more like Prince, It was going 2 go the Morris Day way all day

Yeah.. that's what I think too. Prince probably went along with Morris's plan until he had the excuse he needed to get what he wanted all along.

LoveGalore said:

Something weird about this anyway. In the Vlad interview, he said they finished the record and were signed before the band was together. Why would Alexander Oneal join a band and sing lead when he isn't singing on the record?

Because Prince played every instrument and sang every track until the leads were swapped out.

And now for the correct answer...

violetcrush said:

I haven’t read Morris’s book, but have listened to Jimmy, Jesse, and most recently Jellybean (his interview with The Current), tell the story of how The Time formed. They all state that Morris was initially slotted to be the drummer and Alexander the lead singer until Alexander demanded more money during the first meeting at a local restaurant ( Jimmy tells a funny version of that meeting on Questlove’s podcast). Alexander had already been doing some lead singing, but Morris had to be groomed and prepped to be the lead. Bean was then brought in to take over drums. * No doubt Prince’s “Alexander Nevermind” alias was born out of this situation

OldFriends4Sale said:

Morris Day looked more like Prince

I just watched Purple Rain with my friends last night, and they all thought Morris Day (freckles and all) looked like Maya Rudolph (with a mustache).

Cinny said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Morris Day looked more like Prince

I just watched Purple Rain with my friends last night, and they all thought Morris Day (freckles and all) looked like Maya Rudolph (with a mustache).

LOL yeah they could be siblings LOL

That still isn't totalliy clear.

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In Morris' book it sounds like Prince and Morris did the tracks, and Morris sang the leads, and THEN they asked Alex to be the lead singer.

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which woudl be a little weird if the album had Morris on some songs whcih Alex then sang live

Cinny said:

And now for the correct answer...

violetcrush said:

I haven’t read Morris’s book, but have listened to Jimmy, Jesse, and most recently Jellybean (his interview with The Current), tell the story of how The Time formed. They all state that Morris was initially slotted to be the drummer and Alexander the lead singer until Alexander demanded more money during the first meeting at a local restaurant ( Jimmy tells a funny version of that meeting on Questlove’s podcast). Alexander had already been doing some lead singing, but Morris had to be groomed and prepped to be the lead. Bean was then brought in to take over drums. * No doubt Prince’s “Alexander Nevermind” alias was born out of this situation

GaryMF said:

violetcrush said:

GaryMF said:

That still isn't totalliy clear.

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In Morris' book it sounds like Prince and Morris did the tracks, and Morris sang the leads, and THEN they asked Alex to be the lead singer.

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which woudl be a little weird if the album had Morris on some songs whcih Alex then sang live

Hmmm... or did Morris go in and record his vocals after Alexander was booted by Prince? Seems Morris joined Prince in studio for drums, but I didn’t think he did vocals with him. Prince always recorded his vocals and then had the protégés go in and copy them. [Edited 1/22/20 16:51pm]

that would make sense, but in the book he made it sound like he was doing the vocals too, but he may be misremembering or I may be (I just remember him talking about how he wasn't as good/comfortable on some of the ballads)

violetcrush said:

GaryMF said:

That still isn't totalliy clear.

.

In Morris' book it sounds like Prince and Morris did the tracks, and Morris sang the leads, and THEN they asked Alex to be the lead singer.

.

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which woudl be a little weird if the album had Morris on some songs whcih Alex then sang live

Hmmm... or did Morris go in and record his vocals after Alexander was booted by Prince? Seems Morris joined Prince in studio for drums, but I didn’t think he did vocals with him. Prince always recorded his vocals and then had the protégés go in and copy them. [Edited 1/22/20 16:51pm]

I always thought Morris & Prince at least were in studio recording.
'Song' like Tricky is definately Prince & Morris (and probably Jerome) at the same time.

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It seems there were times when Prince was in studio recording or directing etc

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I forget which person said it, I think Jellybean, that he remembers times when Prince had the band come to the studio and waiting in the hall, while Prince Morris(sometime Jesse) were in the studio recording. Then Prince would walk out and say 'You guys did a great job' etc

Whatever Prince told him to do.

Well Morris was taking photos for Prince at the time leading up to The Time and some roadie stuff

OldFriends4Sale said: