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Thread started 06/21/21 3:07pm

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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Kirk johnson - music discussion only

The tragedy of 2016 to the side, and for what it's worth as I don't want to be asked and then this goes off topic, I think he protected and is still protecting princes secrets/dignity and comes off as shady as he's uncomfortable keeping secrets under pressure. I hope I'm right. I think I am.

I was thinking today, how much musical influence did KJ have? Was it more than we think or was it minimal and is that minimalism what kept him in favour for so long.

He's a personal constant but I wonder how much influence that personal relationship has had with the music over time?

For instance, I know emancipation gets knocked but its a favourite for me and I don't know how much input he had or if he just took instruction.

Interested if anyone knows any facts/has thoughts
[Edited 6/21/21 15:12pm]
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Reply #1 posted 06/22/21 2:51am

BartVanHemelen

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Read the Hans-Martin Buff interview in the latest issue of Guitar Player.

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
your use. All rights reserved.
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Reply #2 posted 06/22/21 5:40pm

TrivialPursuit

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Just using Emancipation as an example...

For me, KJ had a lot to do with Prince's new acrylic flat sound. Emancipation has a lot on it, and is varied in mood and style. But the plastic aesthetic throughout falls.... well, flat. Those songs sound 100% better with a live band (even with a bit of adding backing track, like on the Emancipation Proclamation special).

An early hint of that was "The Purple Medley." While super fun overall, there is a slight bit of flatness to it, especially in the B-side medley or whatever it's called.

KJ was good at programming, but horrible at producing a song and really fleshing it out. If Prince's music was a table, KJ is the one who poured an epoxy resin to preserve it.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #3 posted 06/26/21 11:43am

nayroo2002

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The "Come On" remix was probably the last great extended version.

It definately kept that -Prince 12" experience- alive nod

"Whatever skin we're in
we all need 2 b friends"
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Reply #4 posted 06/26/21 3:45pm

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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TrivialPursuit said:

Just using Emancipation as an example...

For me, KJ had a lot to do with Prince's new acrylic flat sound. Emancipation has a lot on it, and is varied in mood and style. But the plastic aesthetic throughout falls.... well, flat. Those songs sound 100% better with a live band (even with a bit of adding backing track, like on the Emancipation Proclamation special).

An early hint of that was "The Purple Medley." While super fun overall, there is a slight bit of flatness to it, especially in the B-side medley or whatever it's called.

KJ was good at programming, but horrible at producing a song and really fleshing it out. If Prince's music was a table, KJ is the one who poured an epoxy resin to preserve it.



Would agree with all of this.

Do you think kj had the influence to have such a dramatic impact on the finished product, the resin, as friend or artist at this particular time?
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Reply #5 posted 06/26/21 3:48pm

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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nayroo2002 said:

The "Come On" remix was probably the last great extended version.


It definately kept that -Prince 12" experience- alive nod



Do you know nayroo, don't think I ever heard this one. And I love come on. I'm going to seek it out. I have boxes and boxes the height of my thigh with prince records, tapes, cds blah blah but I don't think I ever picked this up...?? I'm not a completist though
[Edited 6/26/21 15:48pm]
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Reply #6 posted 06/26/21 3:49pm

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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BartVanHemelen said:

Read the Hans-Martin Buff interview in the latest issue of Guitar Player.



Ordered it!
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Reply #7 posted 07/02/21 10:31am

lastdecember

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Who knows how much influence he had overall, I mean back in the day Prince did everything even when he put others names on it, I do agree most of what I dont like from Emancipation is because of production so If it was KJ all the way, not to crazy about his influence, same with Josh.


"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #8 posted 07/02/21 1:19pm

TrivialPursuit

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coldcoffeeandcocacola said:


Would agree with all of this. Do you think kj had the influence to have such a dramatic impact on the finished product, the resin, as friend or artist at this particular time?


It was probably a combination of things. I don't know why Prince didn't stick with his 90's NPG sound. It was guitar centered, bass heavy and funky, raw, real, yet oddly polished at times. Even if he changed up band folks, he could've kept the sound a bit. But it went all weird. I think Kirk being part of the band played into that. Prince is certainly influenced by his band members, so Kirk was just part of that. Rhonda had a smooth bass technique, and once Renato got in there, it was goddamn near a smooth jazz band.

When I saw one of the Musicology shows on TV, and "Baby I'm A Star" was this jazzy improv bullshit, I was over it.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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