{{{The following is from the Minneapolis StarTribune...Prince referance in the first, second and last graf...

Like Prince, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were funk-rock innovators in the 1980s. Unlike Prince, the Peppers have figured out how to mature gracefully and stay on the radio in the new millennium with fresh hits that have attracted a new, young audience that can fill an arena, as the Peppers did Thursday at sold-out Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.}}}

Unlike Prince, however, the Peppers aren't as dazzling and daring as they used to be. Perhaps in pursuit of radio hits, Peppers singer/lyricist Anthony Kiedis, 40, has gone soft musically. A buff tattooed dynamo who used to perform in the nude save for a tube sock on his privates, he has become a balladeer. That has led to a string of hits, including "Scar Tissue" and "The Zephyr Song," and two consecutive bestselling albums, 1999's "Californication" and 2002's "By the Way."

Songs from those two albums filled much of Thursday's 95-minute concert, the first on the veteran Los Angeles band's U.S. tour. As a frontman, Kiedis was an exciting, hyperkinetic dervish -- spinning, Pogoing and even locking and popping old-school style. The dude with the classic Jeff Beck hairdo could have used more old school. The 1991 MTV classic electrified the 15,687 fans with Kiedis' staccato vocals and the band's unstoppable funk-rock and John Frusciante's adventurous guitar work. (He is clearly this band's MVP, defining and redefining every song.)

While Frusciante and bassist Michael Balzary (Flea) mine masterfully melodic music for the new material, Kiedis' singing in concert doesn't cut it. His pitch wavered on quiet choruses but connected on louder verses. It was especially painful to listen to his pitch-challenged voice the night after Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas showcased his sterling made-for-radio voice in the same arena.

Kiedis was most effective on "Under the Bridge," his first hit ballad (from '92), a poignant, almost desperate reflection on his heroin addiction that became a giant singalong encore.

The once wild and crazy Peppers have become so mature that twice Frusciante politely told the exuberant young audience to stop body surfing. "You're having so much fun," he told them, "but you're kicking people in the head who are watching the show."

But it was Flea who stuck his foot in his mouth at the end of the night. He said he saw the "KG for MVP" signs, referring to Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett, and he held up a Kobe Bryant jersey and declared "KB for MVP." His exit was not a triumphant one.

This was the second consecutive time the Peppers opened their U.S. concert tour in the Twin Cities. As was the case in 2000 at Target Center in Minneapolis, the band was upstaged by its opening act. Last time, it was the mighty Foo Fighters, and last night it was the Queens of the Stone Age, the hard-rock band of the moment.

Part Black Sabbath, part Black Flag and part Beatles, these guys were fierce and ferocious but not maniacal, because they have some melodic pop sensibilities underneath the surging rumble. The Queens left no doubt who were the royal rockers in Prince's hometown on Thursday.

This article is quite contradictory in it's references to the similarities and differences between the Chili Peppers and Prince. To suggest that the Chili Peppers have aged more gracefull than Prince is laughable. Did this reporter see the ONA tour? Also, there is an insinuation that the Chili Peppers found massive popularity at around the same time with similar impact. Prince hit it big about 10 years prior to the Chili Peppers and has had much more influence on music today. He also has more range.

ps. I was at Prince's shows at the Excel energy center for the 2nd Celebration and he sold out two nights and there were a lot of "young" 20 something people , myself included, there.

skywalker said:

He did not sell out the second night and he couldn't even sell out the lower bowl as they tried to. They didn't even try to sell the upper level the second night.

Also, last year Prince was unable to sell out the theater shows in Minneapolis and they moved the shows back to Paisley.

Still,it's sad 4 me 2 c a favourite group of mine 2 mellow and become comercial.
Much like my mellowed and religous favourite artist.
I don't think theres anyone who I find exciting anymore.

skywalker said:

Read a little closer - the writer is saying the Chili Peppers have maintained radio hits - something Prince has not done. The writer also says the Chili Peppers "unlike Prince...aren't dazzling & daring". In other words the writer is saying Prince is dazzling & daring. Its more a negative Chili Peppers story.

Unlike Prince, the Peppers have figured out how to mature gracefully and stay on the radio in the new millennium with fresh hits that have attracted a new, young audience that can fill an arena
too bad P didn't come to play with The Red Hot, in his D & P tour book there was a citation of Anthony Kiedis about his music

skywalker said:

Stop reading in what you want to read in. He said they were funk-rock innovators in the 80's, not that they were popular at the same time.

It could easily be argued that the RHCP had as huge an impact and influence on music today as Prince, or even more. Ask the Beastie Boys, Limp Bizkit, 311, P.O.D., Korn, Lincoln Park and even No Doubt who was the bigger music influence on them...

Comparing artists is silly… it’s impossible to compare one persons taste to another… maybe someone should compare this writers articles, with Dr. Ruth’s journals?

4you said:

I'll take the Chilli Peppers last two albums over anything Prince has put out in the past several years. By The Way is a fantastic album from start to finish. The Chilli Peppers are making great music these days, not whittling their fanbase down to a few fanatics then dropping hastily made CDs on them for a quick buck. They dont spend their days and nights bitching about their record company and blaming all their problems on the industry.

Songs like Venice Queen are both spiritual and welcoming. Dare I say it the stuff they've done on their last two albums is way more playful and fresh than NewPowerSoul, ONA, Rave, or anything released through NPGMC year 1
[This message was edited Sun May 4 6:34:55 PDT 2003 by Tom]

the peppers were done after "BSSM"...they lost that funk and went in2 this music 4 waiting at the dentist..nah!

ONA tour is the most prince boring tour hes ever done...u FAMS r all getting very "old" and boring 2

piflacoco said:

then what tha duc r u doin on this Prince site, youngster

Tom said:

ROADHOUSEGARDEN said:

shite...i 4got i wasnt allowed...kid!

Another thread that's turned into a high school exhibition.

Supernova said:

another kid that wants 2 feel important writting stuff in here...

piflacoco said:

Nice effort. I see I hit a newbie nerve without trying.

Prince and The Red Hot Chili Peppers r not in the same musical league.

2 compare them is silly.

Supernova said:

yeah, a kid that wrote over 8.400 posts hit my deepest nerve...do u do anything else besides writing shite in here??

ne cede malis, seal contra audentior ito


novus homo...kid!

ConsciousContact said:

What a stupid ass reference to Prince.

piflacoco said:

From now on I'll try to live down to your standards.


Oooh. Some presumptuous newbie is trying to get a pissing contest going by calling me names. It's not going to happen, you're unarmed. Apparently your defensive, guilty conscience assumed my first post was about you. It wasn't. But since you thought the shoe fit and now you want a flame war, I'll leave you to your masturbatory flailing away about it by yourself.

Adios, pichacorta .

Supernova said:

hahaha , i didnt call u names u ignorant kid...thats was funny hahaha...

Tom wrote:

I'll take the Chilli Peppers last two albums over anything Prince has put out in the past several years. By The Way is a fantastic album from start to finish. The Chilli Peppers are making great music these days, not whittling their fanbase down to a few fanatics then dropping hastily made CDs on them for a quick buck. They dont spend their days and nights bitching about their record company and blaming all their problems on the industry.

Songs like Venice Queen are both spiritual and welcoming. Dare I say it the stuff they've done on their last two albums is way more playful and fresh than NewPowerSoul, ONA, Rave, or anything released through NPGMC year 1

You are right on the money my friend. The Peppers are still selling the records and still getting tons of airplay. All Prince is doing is taking advice from Larry and producing lame and uninteresting music.

And though they've toned it down a bit, the music is still cool (even though I think the singles that are played are the weekest trax on the new album) and they know how to keep up with the times without totally fucking up the formula.

If the Chili Peppers were beginning their careers now with their current music, they'd still be popular. If Prince started out now, the response would be, "Prince who?" Prince hasn't been worth shit in years and if he keeps this up, he'll be nothing more than a fond memory.

I'd LOVE to see the Peppers & Prince do something together!!

John & Prince are the same guy.. listen to them talk, they have the same vibe.. John is just more cali/surfer.. but they almost always talk sorta the same ,just different looks/vibes

I'd love to see NPG & Peppers do anything together!! Tour, Perform,ect..

these are my 2 favorite musicans/bands!

I saw twice RHCP live, 13 times PRINCE --> I get bored
at both RHCP concert, never for PRINCE show.

However I agree if they could product something together,
it could be great, I agree that RHCP sounds good right now
even if I think that their last album BY THE WAY sounds very commercial, not as PRINCE last products.

Supernova said:

this ignorant thinks i called him names so he starts insulting me...ridicolous!



will he apologise?

dont think so...

http://www.ofoto.com/Phot...205&page=1 more on Red hot Chili death

The Peppers know what their doing still even in their 40's!! I think NO one thinks of them as an old band..

Californication sold 13 million.. more then Blood Sugar.

if you put Prince's sales all through the 1990's he isn't even closed to that..

Peppers have no limit to their sales and funk! there is no signs of them slowing down or feeling like a old band