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Thread started 01/13/21 6:40am

JoeyCococo

Request - Questlove interview with Jesse Johnson

Hi All, I'm hoping someone can provide me with a copy of this interview i've never heard. Pandora is not available in Canada. I can not find this anywhere.

Pls send me an org note if you can help.

tx

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Reply #1 posted 01/13/21 7:09am

RJOrion

jesse johnson and andre cymone give the most courageous and insightful Prince interviews... seems like they refused to kiss his ass, in life or death....unlike the strange BrownMark book and podcasts, where he 'cries' about what he coulda did and shoulda did...
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Reply #2 posted 01/13/21 8:41am

JoeyCococo

can you hook me up with the audio?

I too have noticed that some from the Prince camp are very guarded or cautious on how complimentary they are about him. Andre, Jesse and especially Eric....each seem to not drink the purple kool aid...but I believe each highly respect Prince. When Eric says things like 'i didn't like his music'...I find it very hard to believe considering Eric is all over some of Prince's most creative peaks both in studio and live. I think Eric's contribution is possibly the greatest of all band mates but I just hate when I hear him say that stuff...b/c I don't believe it. When he talks about W&L and how great they are, I find it hard to believe he didn't like Prince's music (generally).

Andre, to me, sounds like someone who wants to be seen as Prince's peer and not a follower/protege etc. Of course he's not the latter and struck out on his own. He seems intent on making that point whenever I hear him talk. Having said that, he seems like a very intelligent guy with a lot of experience.

Jesse, I think he's so damn great an artist that i totally get how he'd develop the belief that he and Prince were sort of on the same level. Anyone who can make Shockadelica, or Verbal Penetration is pretty damn accomplished. However, he is no Prince.

What these guys prob have in common is some tension or being on the receiving end of Prince's controlling or nasty side. That must be colouring their feelings about him. I'd love to watch them watching Prince blow up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...(as one example). I'd love to see how they could not be super impressed watching Prince school all those on stage. How can you not be impressed.

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Reply #3 posted 01/13/21 8:51am

JoeyCococo

I will also say, i have heard the same stories of pettiness about Stevie Wonder, about MJ etc. When you are focused on being the greatest ...friendships /relationships are the casualty. Prince died all by himself...makes me sad to think of it but it feels like he was a loner to the end.

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Reply #4 posted 01/13/21 9:53am

thebanishedone

avatar

I like Jesse but i don't pretend he is something he isn't. His stuff is funky and i love it ,but there is no sophistication in his work.Very simple 3 chord patterns arranged as funk but rooted in rock.an 80s rock progressions.Also where Prince escapes Jesse and Andre is singing.Prince is a much better singer.

And he worked hard to become great cause was not great from the start.Prince's voice didn't have personality until the Controversy days.Take a listen to Dirty Mind shows and compare to the Controvery shows,just that drastic change in his voice.

Regarding Jesses voice i like his voice and he did improve alot on Verbal Penetration but judging by his 80s singing i can asume that in the 80s he was more into practicing pentatonic licks instead of singing.

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Reply #5 posted 01/14/21 4:10pm

PURPLEIZED3121

JoeyCococo said:

can you hook me up with the audio?

I too have noticed that some from the Prince camp are very guarded or cautious on how complimentary they are about him. Andre, Jesse and especially Eric....each seem to not drink the purple kool aid...but I believe each highly respect Prince. When Eric says things like 'i didn't like his music'...I find it very hard to believe considering Eric is all over some of Prince's most creative peaks both in studio and live. I think Eric's contribution is possibly the greatest of all band mates but I just hate when I hear him say that stuff...b/c I don't believe it. When he talks about W&L and how great they are, I find it hard to believe he didn't like Prince's music (generally).

Andre, to me, sounds like someone who wants to be seen as Prince's peer and not a follower/protege etc. Of course he's not the latter and struck out on his own. He seems intent on making that point whenever I hear him talk. Having said that, he seems like a very intelligent guy with a lot of experience.

Jesse, I think he's so damn great an artist that i totally get how he'd develop the belief that he and Prince were sort of on the same level. Anyone who can make Shockadelica, or Verbal Penetration is pretty damn accomplished. However, he is no Prince.

What these guys prob have in common is some tension or being on the receiving end of Prince's controlling or nasty side. That must be colouring their feelings about him. I'd love to watch them watching Prince blow up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...(as one example). I'd love to see how they could not be super impressed watching Prince school all those on stage. How can you not be impressed.

absolute truth in all of this...you reading my mind?!

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Reply #6 posted 01/14/21 7:03pm

Margot

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

JoeyCococo said:

can you hook me up with the audio?

I too have noticed that some from the Prince camp are very guarded or cautious on how complimentary they are about him. Andre, Jesse and especially Eric....each seem to not drink the purple kool aid...but I believe each highly respect Prince. When Eric says things like 'i didn't like his music'...I find it very hard to believe considering Eric is all over some of Prince's most creative peaks both in studio and live. I think Eric's contribution is possibly the greatest of all band mates but I just hate when I hear him say that stuff...b/c I don't believe it. When he talks about W&L and how great they are, I find it hard to believe he didn't like Prince's music (generally).

Andre, to me, sounds like someone who wants to be seen as Prince's peer and not a follower/protege etc. Of course he's not the latter and struck out on his own. He seems intent on making that point whenever I hear him talk. Having said that, he seems like a very intelligent guy with a lot of experience.

Jesse, I think he's so damn great an artist that i totally get how he'd develop the belief that he and Prince were sort of on the same level. Anyone who can make Shockadelica, or Verbal Penetration is pretty damn accomplished. However, he is no Prince.

What these guys prob have in common is some tension or being on the receiving end of Prince's controlling or nasty side. That must be colouring their feelings about him. I'd love to watch them watching Prince blow up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...(as one example). I'd love to see how they could not be super impressed watching Prince school all those on stage. How can you not be impressed.

absolute truth in all of this...you reading my mind?!

I'm sure Andre and Jesse knew they weren't the total package that Prince was.

It was also likely it wasn't the first time either of them witnessed P 'blowing up the stage'

Fans were impressed, but I doubt they were.

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Reply #7 posted 01/15/21 8:54am

PURPLEIZED3121

Margot said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

absolute truth in all of this...you reading my mind?!

I'm sure Andre and Jesse knew they weren't the total package that Prince was.

It was also likely it wasn't the first time either of them witnessed P 'blowing up the stage'

Fans were impressed, but I doubt they were.

Talented as they are they just were NOT P..as much as they, amongst may associates want to take credit most have achieved very little. W&L aside the rest have earnt a living with mimal solo projects, session playing & of course getting proper exposure via the Prince tributes...oh the irony!

Love them ALL - genius musicians / writers etc BUT they nkow that P was born for far greater things.

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Reply #8 posted 01/18/21 10:43pm

Margot

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

Margot said:

I'm sure Andre and Jesse knew they weren't the total package that Prince was.

It was also likely it wasn't the first time either of them witnessed P 'blowing up the stage'

Fans were impressed, but I doubt they were.

Talented as they are they just were NOT P..as much as they, amongst may associates want to take credit most have achieved very little. W&L aside the rest have earnt a living with mimal solo projects, session playing & of course getting proper exposure via the Prince tributes...oh the irony!

Love them ALL - genius musicians / writers etc BUT they nkow that P was born for far greater things.

That is what I said. They weren't the total package and as long-time friends i'm certain they saw Prince blow up the stage before.

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Reply #9 posted 01/19/21 6:00am

OldFriends4Sal
e

I like this.
.
I'll try to find a few quotes by Eric, but I thought he said more specifically, he wasn't a huge fan of Prince's music. He also said the stuff he did during the 85-86 period was some of the most wonderful music etc
.
It does seem he trying too hard to be 'cool' and above it all but I think he really likes his time and the music he was a part of and around.

.
The one thing that still trips me with Andre is when he said after he left Prince's band he never listened to another Prince album again. He's heard songs yes. I guess that could be taken a lot of ways. Maybe he didn't want to be influenced by what Prince was doing, or didn't want to hear something he did/did with Prince on latter music.
.
I've watched Jesse, I love Jesse's music, but he doesn't have the charisma Prince has.
Prince lightly mentioned it in an 85 interview, that he didn't feel Jesse had that frontman energy.

Jesse said in 2019 that the music Prince did after he/they(the Time) left was not good lol

JoeyCococo said:

can you hook me up with the audio?

I too have noticed that some from the Prince camp are very guarded or cautious on how complimentary they are about him. Andre, Jesse and especially Eric....each seem to not drink the purple kool aid...but I believe each highly respect Prince. When Eric says things like 'i didn't like his music'...I find it very hard to believe considering Eric is all over some of Prince's most creative peaks both in studio and live. I think Eric's contribution is possibly the greatest of all band mates but I just hate when I hear him say that stuff...b/c I don't believe it. When he talks about W&L and how great they are, I find it hard to believe he didn't like Prince's music (generally).

Andre, to me, sounds like someone who wants to be seen as Prince's peer and not a follower/protege etc. Of course he's not the latter and struck out on his own. He seems intent on making that point whenever I hear him talk. Having said that, he seems like a very intelligent guy with a lot of experience.

Jesse, I think he's so damn great an artist that i totally get how he'd develop the belief that he and Prince were sort of on the same level. Anyone who can make Shockadelica, or Verbal Penetration is pretty damn accomplished. However, he is no Prince.

What these guys prob have in common is some tension or being on the receiving end of Prince's controlling or nasty side. That must be colouring their feelings about him. I'd love to watch them watching Prince blow up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...(as one example). I'd love to see how they could not be super impressed watching Prince school all those on stage. How can you not be impressed.

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Reply #10 posted 01/20/21 6:59am

JoeyCococo

Andre didn't listen to any Prince albums after he left? That just sounds like bullsh&& and kind of makes my point...he had something to prove distancing from Prince.

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Reply #11 posted 01/22/21 8:32am

Margot

I get the impression Prince put in the work to learn 'charisma' as well as singing, writing and dancing.

Can't see mortals such as Andre/Jesse being that driven.

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Reply #12 posted 01/25/21 3:02am

funkaholic1972

avatar

Margot said:

I get the impression Prince put in the work to learn 'charisma' as well as singing, writing and dancing.

Can't see mortals such as Andre/Jesse being that driven.

Yeah, "For You" Prince and "Purple Rain" Prince were on a complete different level.

RIP Prince: thank U 4 a funky Time...
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Reply #13 posted 01/25/21 8:02am

RJOrion

Margot said:


I get the impression Prince put in the work to learn 'charisma' as well as singing, writing and dancing.


Can't see mortals such as Andre/Jesse being that driven.







you cant "learn" charisma...you either have it or you dont... it cant be faked or maufactured
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Reply #14 posted 01/26/21 3:32pm

Margot

RJOrion said:

Margot said:

I get the impression Prince put in the work to learn 'charisma' as well as singing, writing and dancing.

Can't see mortals such as Andre/Jesse being that driven.

you cant "learn" charisma...you either have it or you dont... it cant be faked or maufactured

Hear me out... I know you know about charisma because you have it.

IMO, Prince had it w/his friends & bandmates when he was in control and comfortable.

However, when he was w/ those he was unfamiliar with he was shy/awkward; he did not have it in high school nor in his early performance efforts. His dancing was more like prancing etc.

IMO he was willing to 'train' himself . In his early years, he had tape rolling in his home to observe his movements/mannerisms to ascertain what was most attractive.

I feel some of the difference w/Prince was his drive. Just think if Jesse or Andre or...chose not to sleep very much, continually videoed their mannerisms, worked tirelessly on dancing/wardrobe/songwriting/, etc., they may have risen to that level.

Most mortals don't want to be that obsessive/driven. They occasionally want to sleep, play, chill,

hang-out, or do nothing...

Who knows?

[Edited 1/26/21 16:05pm]

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Reply #15 posted 01/27/21 10:49am

RJOrion

Margot said:



RJOrion said:


Margot said:


I get the impression Prince put in the work to learn 'charisma' as well as singing, writing and dancing.


Can't see mortals such as Andre/Jesse being that driven.






you cant "learn" charisma...you either have it or you dont... it cant be faked or maufactured



Hear me out... I know you know about charisma because you have it.


IMO, Prince had it w/his friends & bandmates when he was in control and comfortable.


However, when he was w/ those he was unfamiliar with he was shy/awkward; he did not have it in high school nor in his early performance efforts. His dancing was more like prancing etc.


IMO he was willing to 'train' himself . In his early years, he had tape rolling in his home to observe his movements/mannerisms to ascertain what was most attractive.


I feel some of the difference w/Prince was his drive. Just think if Jesse or Andre or...chose not to sleep very much, continually videoed their mannerisms, worked tirelessly on dancing/wardrobe/songwriting/, etc., they may have risen to that level.


Most mortals don't want to be that obsessive/driven. They occasionally want to sleep, play, chill,


hang-out, or do nothing...


Who knows?


[Edited 1/26/21 16:05pm]




i dig what youre saying...because all 3 had natural good looks, charisma and presence, but with his unmatched work ethic and singular perseverance, Prince was able to maximize and monetize his unique "charisma" well before Jesse and Andre ever could...and by the time each of them went solo, almost everyone looked at them as creations of Prince, or his "sons" or "followers"..
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Reply #16 posted 01/27/21 6:41pm

Margot

RJOrion said:

Margot said:

Hear me out... I know you know about charisma because you have it.

IMO, Prince had it w/his friends & bandmates when he was in control and comfortable.

However, when he was w/ those he was unfamiliar with he was shy/awkward; he did not have it in high school nor in his early performance efforts. His dancing was more like prancing etc.

IMO he was willing to 'train' himself . In his early years, he had tape rolling in his home to observe his movements/mannerisms to ascertain what was most attractive.

I feel some of the difference w/Prince was his drive. Just think if Jesse or Andre or...chose not to sleep very much, continually videoed their mannerisms, worked tirelessly on dancing/wardrobe/songwriting/, etc., they may have risen to that level.

Most mortals don't want to be that obsessive/driven. They occasionally want to sleep, play, chill,

hang-out, or do nothing...

Who knows?

[Edited 1/26/21 16:05pm]

i dig what youre saying...because all 3 had natural good looks, charisma and presence, but with his unmatched work ethic and singular perseverance, Prince was able to maximize and monetize his unique "charisma" well before Jesse and Andre ever could...and by the time each of them went solo, almost everyone looked at them as creations of Prince, or his "sons" or "followers"..

Good summary.

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