I think Prince should give John Blackwell more time off. He needs time to grieve and to be with his wife in this time of pain and sorrow.Prince should replace him on tour with Sheila E. or Michael B. John is a great drummer and i like him. I personally don't think he will be in the right state of mind to continue this tour with Prince.

How do you know how much time he has been given off?

I think the tour is offline until July 12 or thereabouts.

I would hate to see Mr. Blackwell off the tour, but he needs to handle his business in a way that's best for him and his family. Maybe throwing himself back into the music and letting himself feel the fans' love and support will be something he finds helpful in the long run, who knows.

Purple charm he may need to get back to doing his thing, but his wife may need him more right now thats what iam saying.

DaARTIST said:

that is a good point.

John Blackwell is a man of strong faith, and I'm sure he knows that while his child is no longer physically on this earth, her spirit will remain alive. When a family member of mine passed away, it gave me comfort to think of her as an angel that God called home to heaven.

Jia Blackwell is now a little angel, called home by God for a special reason.

DaARTIST said:

I asked that question because you implied that Prince didn't give him that much time off and should give him more, as if you had some inside information as to when P wanted him to hit the drums again.

DaARTIST said:

I agree. Shelia needs to replace him for a while.

okaypimpn said:

If a replacement is needed, I'd prefer Michael B. Sheila's style of drumming is great but the raw power is not there. With the kind of heavy duty funk music Prince is doing now, he needs somebody who can really pound those skins...

Purplecharm i never said inmy comment, i just hemay need more time eve though he has a break until july 12 tll he gets here in NYC. I am saying he should et off more time if even if Prin ce has say yes.if he is in in state of mind, his wife may not be. S o the fans and Prince should understand if he takes more time off. With John being away for a few months, his wife may need him. i am not syaing this like i know personally, this is just my opinion.

RavedIn2 said:

Prince's music isn't playing his music as "raw" as he used to anyway. John is a supurb drummer, but remember that he's just really flashy when it comes to his drumming. Sheila can definitely hold her own!

okaypimpn said:

yeah but for me the Musicology tour wouldn't be the same without John. I was really excited about seeing him and i'll wait for him as long as it takes.

Maybe his wife will join him on tour when he goes back.

ThreadCula said:

I just got an email about John and the service on Saturday for his daughter in CA. It also stated that one of John's understudies will possibly be taking over for a while. This is a good move for John as i know he will be needed for emotional support as well as getting support from his family.

I'm sure P and John will have it covered to the best of their abilities no doubt..

I will be praying for John and his family during this time of crisis. I really and truly feel bad and wish there was something I could do to help John. I really like him as a person and had the pleasure of meeting him @ the NAMM show and he was just one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet and hang out with. God bless you and your family JB

Bran

Everyone grieves in different ways, for different amounts of time, and heal in different ways. I'm sure that whatever decision that is made as to how and when the tour resumes and who is on drums when will be the right decision. Based on the needs of John Blackwell, his wife and family, Prince, the rest of the band.

Some people heal by working. Some by denying, some use humor, etc.....so what might be right for you, may not be right for the next person. None of us know what has been discussed and decided by the Prince and John, nor do we know what is best for Mr. Blackwell and his family so any criticism of any decisions, in my opinion, is a bunch of crap.

Let Mr. Blackwell and Prince decide what is right and what is best. The rest will take care of itself.