For the past year or so, I've been trying to figure out what was missing from Prince's current band/choice of musicians and couldn't put my finger on it. I knew the band was tight but there was something....not necessarily bad but...something. After seeing Prince around 20x since '88 and catching a few Musicology shows (still going to a few more) I finally put my finger on it. The major difference now is the lack of material ownership of this band. This is the most clear distinction made on this tour compared to others. John Blackwell is arguably the tightest and most technical P drummer ever but after 4 years, he doesn't have his own Housequake, Dance On or Shhh to stamp as his own. He's a bad man, be he ain't touching what Mike and Sheila did to the same songs in their eras.

It seems as though Prince is cool with employing highly skilled cover musicians who can tread water rather than ones whose contributions help to define his output as well as the performances of that time. I say "cover" musicians because Prince bands, at least up to 1996, were mostly defined by the strength of the material they played. They didn't just do what the band before them did. Ex: The Revolution, Lovesexy Band and The NPG up to 95 and mid 96, were all known not only for their musical dexterity but for creating what would be definitive versions and arrangements for what was then new material. "New" material now consists of Musicology, the occasional Call My Name & Life O The Party for a nearly 3 hour show. Not saying that their musicianship is not of the same caliber, you'd just never know by the umpteen versions of Purple Rain songs being played. The ONA tour started with the hope of new and unreleased material being pushed to the fore. By the beginning of the European tour, The Rainbow Children was sometimes the only "new" song played. In retrospect, I kinda chuckle when I hear Prince say "If you've come to get your Purple Rain on, hit the door now." It eventually turned into "If you've come to get your Purple Rain on, don't worry.....you know its coming!" LOL.

This particular band has been relegated to highly trunctuated and unimaginative "covers" of more inspired versions cranked out by their predecessors. This particluar lineup, while at times kickass, does not have a stamp of ownership the way the Revolution had over PR, ATWIAD or Parade live material. The same applies for the Lovesexy Band & the 95 NPG (I mention only 3 as they played more new material than any other lineups and were the best at playing music from their respective eras.) This, of course, goes back to Prince. His affinity for his old material is obvious and it should be. He's earned it! However, it seems the vaudeville musical arrrangements he takes a liking to these days, bastardizes his own music. Of course, he can...its his music. But dayum!!!!! What really took this home for me was what he's done, in particular, to When Doves Cry (which IMO was only done "right" on the Nude Tour) and Baby I'm A Star. What was once a stupid ("stupid is my own "funky") 10-20 minute electrofunk extravaganza has been reduced to a 3 minute oversynthesized post disco romp more at home as an opening for Sportscenter.

The Prince that understood balance, space and the golden rule of "less is sometimes more" seems to have taken a musical sabbatical. Just in the past 3 tours, the extremes are evident. The songs are either overplayed and overarranged or so nondescript you can't tell what it is until the lyrics are sang. One double timed "jam" leads into another with only lyrics distinguishing one from the last. Can 4 horns *really* do what just one solo from Eric used to?
[This message was edited Thu Jul 15 19:46:21 2004 by soulive]

At the end of the day doesn't it come down to Prince and how he wants his music arranged and played by the live band?

Maybe his arrangements on this tour (while still great) are less imaginative than in the past.

I personally think the arrangments in the Lovesexy Band were the best and that was the zenith of everything he had done for the first ten years.

From what I've read Prince in the past kind of soaked up different things from his band members. The rock stuff from Dez, the funky basslines from Andre, the great drumming from Sheila, the different classical influences from W and L.

Prince could do these things on his own easily but I think there was that unconscious competitive aspect and all of that went into his music.

Now, he is pretty far ahead of his musicians and it's probably a straghtforward employer/employee relationship so he is probably more in a vacuum.

Or maybe he is giving the world the "Six Flags" version of Prince to sell records.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 15 6:27:23 2004 by cranshaw62]

I just spoiled because any Prince band on any given era has been head and shoulder's above most everyone else's touring band.

I think the original post is very well reasoned and accurate. I do think Prince does better allowing the band to steer as well. I liked the Lovesexy band, but my all time favorite is the SotT band- big, bawdy and "horny"(full of horns.)

brianr54 said:

Matey the Lovesexy band is the same as the SOTT band??? Same amount of horns Eric and Atlanta only difference being the departure of Brooks and Safford but they were not musicians.

I think some of you are obsessed w/ The Revolution - let it end, people...

I always got the feeling with the ATWIAD/Parade era Revolution and the TGE/Exodus era NPG that they and Prince were a band..all working together and contributing to each other. The current NPG seems more like a backing band for Prince..without as much artistic input. I will say, however, that Rhonda, John and Renato's influences are apparent in the N.E.W.S and Xenophobia projects and in the general "jazz experimentation" faze Prince went through a few years ago. I don't think he would went in that direction without them in the band.

Like several others have stated, this current line-up really doesn't have a personality of it's own. I'd like to see him change the name of the band and give them their own identity. The name "NPG" seems tired and outdated to me. I still think of the Symbol era band or TGE band when I hear that moniker. With his seemingly renewed friendship with Wendy and Lisa, does anyone else think it's inevitable that another Revolution project is on the horizon?

Everlasting, I would love to see them perform again together, even if just live with some new songs. But what I would really like to see and here is Prince, Rhonda and john B in the studio doing an album. Just a nice raw rock album.

The Revolution was definitely the most important band he's ever had. It was the only band that had a real "family" vibe. I think the Purple Rain movie had a lot to do with it because we all got to know them very well. The Lovesexy band was awesome too cuz they were like a work of art. They also had character like the NPG never did. After the mid 90's it seemed Prince just hired various session players to play his shit with him.

CalhounSq said:

Why??? Here's your back.

EverlastingNow said:

You're clever

Two Words:

Renato Neto


Best keys he ever had. Ads tremendous new depths and flavour to P's music and has a
style so much his own that it actually made P's music sound different.

Especially during the ONA tour on the jams they played, Renato sometimes floored me
with performances that seemed unreal.

Shame Prince didn't give him a bigger role on any of the albums up until now. He could
do some great kick ass solo stuff and background noizes.

CalhounSq said:

Yes and you're "let it end" regarding the Revolution was a stroke of genius.

EverlastingNow said:

I'm gonna resort to violence now, just for the hell of it

EverlastingNow said:

I'm gonna resort to violence now, just for the hell of it

CalhounSq said:

Dont bother...his head is so far up Wendy & Lisa's collective a$$ ,that his hair is brown...