This is actually the first bad review I've seen for ONA...Live.

Taken verbatim from Maxim Blender magazine:

Needed: career guidance for pop genius from Minneapolis.

This is the first live record from Prince, a legendary stage showman, and each of the four CDs is horrible: a two-disc set from his recent live tour, another called "The Aftershow" and a final set of solo piano valentines to his musical hero, Joni Mitchell. Prince pointedly distances himself from his mid-'80s stature as the planet's zestiest R&B/funk/new-wave studio creator, he now wants loftier respect as a jazz-influenced, jamming-out-the-door bandleader. But he conducts his seven-piece crew without acute subtlety or structural outrageousness. Versions of oldies "When U Were Mine" and "Take Me With U" muster very brief excitement and the music is well-played---but it's also soft-toned and soft-headed. He even disses "Purple Rain," which is silly and charmless.

They gave it one star out of five.

I don't take much stock in Blender reviews. This is the same magazine that put Eminem at #4 and Prince at #27 in their list of The 50 Mad Geniuses of Rock. Huh?

OK

This dude is an idiot, who the fuck takes Blender mag seriously???



Gee, I didn't know ALL those songs were valentines to Joni...



What is this dude saying exactly?? I think he just likes to hear himself talk...

A review that ends with an interpretation that is so laughably wrongheaded -- yet at the same time so revealing of the writer's blimpish bias -- that it subjugates his previous thoughts to the realm of meaningless pop fluff.

commercial fuck knuckles who r nothing but RS wannabe's. . . .& is that's the example they r trying 2 follow,god help them!

critics have always flames prince why? because prince has done so much in his life time and career..while these pencil pushing laptop typing geeks who are or were frustrated musicians and failed miserably at it..have nothing better to do but project thier own frustrations.

In Blender's first issue, they reviewed every single release from "For you" to "Rave" which was his latest CD at the time, giving each one favorable reviews.

They do give a bad review of One Night Alone Live. The person wanted something that highlighted his whole career and not just the new stuff. Big Deal. It is an opinion.

As for Eminem's placing at number 4, I think it should be switched with Prince's. The main problem though, is that they needed someone besides Kurt Cobain from the last ten years and needed that person to be higher to bring in readers.

What is more appalling is further in the issue is an interview with Elijah Wood. (Him and his brother are long time Prince freaks.)

Elijah lists Prince's "1999" as one of his favorite albums of all time. He then says; "Prince is a musical genius. Well, he used to be a musical genius. He has not released anything good in over a decade. From 80-88 he was untouchable. 1999 has all my favorite classic cuts like Lady Cab Driver, Automatic and D.M.S.R.."

It then shows a picture of Elijah holding up the "rare" 12 single of "Let's Work".

OK,who's gonna start the letter-writing campaign against this magazine?

Finess said:

word. that`s it Finess!
i think these guys are just wretched loosers who get hard ons by writing bad reviews of great work done by a real genius. it is sad.

Yes, that's an excellent idea, DavidEye!

Let's all email them and point out to them that Prince is a genius who cannot fail and cannot be disliked. And that in fact even every fart Prince has produced in his life is a sign of his absolute majestical powers and therefore is actually worth releasing. And is worth a decent, raving review.

So let's all stand up for our hero and saviour Prince and mail this disgusting tasteless magazine about their apparent stupidity!

Excuse me, but I have to stop writing now. I have to say my daily prayers to the Prince actionfigure on my specially designed altar. (actually I do this 5 times a day)

Live4Love, Prince Forever!

Funkaholic

jseven said:

Which is the appalling part? Elijah Wood's opinion (which is probably held by a lot of the general, non fanatical public); or the fact that he owns a "rare" 12 single of "Let's Work"?

Personally I can understand the critics sentiment. Here you have a person who's greatest decade (in all honesty) was the 80s (and early 90s); and when he finally does release a LIVE set he's basically chosen to even avoid playing complete versions of his greatest hits.

So unless you've picked up some live boots (the boot makers doing basically what Prince refused to do till now) over the past 20 years; the official (audio) record of Prince's LIVE work is ONA. Whatever one thinks of ONA (and I think it's good); you got to admit that sucks.

I mean really, if I had to pull out a CD set to put in some time capsule as a representation of Prince LIVE; it would not be ONA but some boot set I own. Period

And that's probably where the critic is coming from.

fanticism aside, this guy is just uninformed and it shows in this review. This is why reviews really dont count more thanthat person's opinion. Just because a notable publication releases it, that doesnt make it gospel

We can have a big laugh, 'cause we are with a doubt the experts !!

There was this review in OOR a dutch magazine, that said he played "When doves cry"

I wrote them a kind note saying, I had not heard that one (and 1000nds with me) and kindly refered them to the Prince.org if they want to know the playlist !!

Haahaa, never had a reply !

BLACKMF said:

Uninformed..probably not (unless he's listening to some weird version of ONA from bizarro world). He jut wishes he could get all those Prince song he loves (complete versions of them) LIVE. And ONA doesn't do it for him. But ONA is the only choice he has.

But yes..reviews are just one person's opinion..always has been. Unless they become gospel at some point and I missed the meeting.
[This message was edited Fri Jan 10 6:01:12 PST 2003 by CmputrBlu]

Finess said:

co-sign.

it's kinda odd--these critix go 2 college 4 however long and get a stoopid degree in journalism/music critique and what-not, and only a good 1/5 of 'em have an actual good ear 4 music.

nonetheless, everyone's entitled 2 an opinion. let 'em eat twinkies.

DavidEye said:

CalhounSq said:

either that, or 2 see his big words & phrases like "structural outrageousness" be put 2 print.

enuff outta me, on 2 another forum...

CalhounSq said:

yeah... that really gives me a whole new perspective on "young and beautiful"... joni ain't been young for a long time now...

"they only want your virginity"... and if she's still a virgin at 60 years old, she might as well give it up already... what the hell is she waiting on..?

Sounds like another second rate critic who wouldn't know good music if I violently shoved it up his ass and set it on fire.

Well, it seems we have another critic who resents Prince's continued brilliancy in a sea of mediocrity that is the current music scene at the moment.
Thankfully, they are in the minority when it comes to ONA Live. I guess growth isn't a good thing to some people.
And the fact that Prince is making this great music as an independent artist probably pisses off those people who think you need a major record label to be creative.

2 people who give "Bad Reviews" of P's Music:

I just don't understand how he can use the word "horrible." It's fine if he's not blown away by the set but to classify it as horrible just seems totally unfair.

Despot said:

Huh? Is an understatement...what the fuck?! is more like it.

I'm really glad I'm not the only one that was shocked to see that crap too. I'm telling you I nearly slung the magazine across the bookstore...

Eminem number fucking 4?!?!?!

These new "hip music journalists" are as twisted and full of shit as those they help falsely rise to the top...enflating their egos and guiding a generation of misdirected and misinformed kids.

I say we start a letter writing campaign. We have a voice. We know was up. We know the Truth.

Looks like the music media has really just decided that they should attack all of the 80's music hereos whenever pssible based on some crazy event or descision. MJ got it recently and so they're throwing Prince in there too just hoping he'll do something crazier than the name change which they understand but ignore and call it wacky.


Oh but don't touch Madonna...she also got higher on the list of "geniuses".

Don't buy that fake corporate music magazine. Period.

I Think there R alot of people N the Record Industry (F not every 1) R trying very hard 2 BlackBall Prince Because he iz doing it on Hiz own...No Record Dealz, No nothing N he iz still pumpin' out the Jamz (OLD N NEW) So they have nothing better 2 do than try 2 turn every 1 else against him 2.

Oh no... that's two bad reviews out of a dozen. We must fight them. Vive la résistance!

You know, TRC had some reviews like this, critics who were totally dismissive and basically asking "where's the real Prince?" They don't accept the direction Prince has taken, simple as that.

Reading this review is SOOO frustrating!!! This just confirms my belief that Prince is very underappreciated in his time. He's a goddamn genius, when will the minstream media pick up on this?! AAAHHH Punks!!

Oooohhh, oh my Lord, call the authorities, someone has an opinion that's different from yours. What is this world coming to? The writer must be assimilated so he may love Prince as much as you do. If he does not join you, he must die!

Does anyone have the critics name? Thanks

Deja, ready for the nude twister 2night love?

Despot said:

Yes, this review is wrong. Clearly Prince is madder than Eminem...

EvilWhiteMale said:

Geez EWM.. YOu are the sarcastic one this week huh.. First reading Joshy Woshy his last rights, now someone else.. A little built up sexual tension there huh!!!.. I heard EWM2 rides a good ass! HE will gladly take you up on it!