theC said:

This reply cracks me UP.They cant keep up.How About he got older and out of touch,look at james brown,the stones,bob dylan,michael jackson,madonna,and technically the one who really started the prince punk funk sound rick james.it happens over and over again,yeah he's got ton more talent than most out there but music is raw and unpredictable at it's best.he's not hungry anymore and probably 2 mature 4 the masses.THAT'S MY 2.....

S3V3N said:

I agree with your, the bad ideas made me shutter, Graffiti Bridge THE MOVIE was not a good way to start the 90's, enjoyable at moments but bewildering. But, anyone who admits they are an XMen fan are themsleves contenders for fandom-like Trekkie-ish lifestyles. Now, I don't hang posters like that. I put them away and show them off, but not on ceilings.

Anyway, the statement you made about how you were suppose to justify Prince naked on a flower to your friends, YOU DON'T, you see someone BRAVE enough to do their own thing and you learn and maybe grow from that and learn something about INDIVIDUALITY and screw what anyone thinks...!

My friends at the time were into Heavy Metal, Rap, etc. I didn't care what they said. I trip on people who tripped or still trip on Lovesexy. It's like when you see or have an encounter with a freaky bug/insect, it's so small yet so powerful becuase it can and always will freak you out! Lovesexy is still awesome becuase JOCKS can't look at for more than a few seconds and not feal freaked, insecure about their views and feelings of masculinity. That's the first thing, then the spirituality, other worldy feelings flow once you play the spirit funk.

As for why I think Prince is not popular to the masses...what I just ranted about, that is why. The thug life and it's appeal through "Hip Hop"
and how most kids want to co-op the fake toughness is why Prince fell off the popularity. Ithink he even felt it. He had to rap, and place hip hop elements (as much as I cringed, mind U) into his stuff. But once he caught the attention of kids, they iether freaked looking at this freaky (TRUE) Funkateer or stayed and discovered the Prince we all love.

I happened to like Prince naked on the flower. I remember my best friend and I being quite excited about it (but thats another story). What I didn't like was most of the music on the tape. I feel that the masses, including myself tend to like more pop type music. Prince used to have a way of making brilliant music that was radio friendly and had a message at the same time. Now, I don't think he knows how to do that or he just doesn't give a shit. He either makes in my opinion musical fluff or albums like TRC which I frankly have no interest in. TRC in my opinion is more like some cultish religious sermon than anything I'd listen to and groove on. As a matter of fact,I'd rather not listen to it period. Prince is turning into a religious narc and I don't have the patience for that and I'm sure alot of people share my feelings on that topic.

this may sound shallow.. but its alot nicer him being 'unpopular.'

it allows him to do the things he is doing without HUGE controversy.

oh well.. i like him, and thats really all that matters to me.

Someone may already have said this or something similar, but anyway... I tend to subscribe to the conspiracy theory, according to which P. deliberately sabotaged his own popularity. This is a guy who, with a little common sense could easily have been a billionaire, but he just didn't want it. The list of his so-called "mistakes" is just too long for it to be anything other than totally deliberate. Post Purple Rain, when even a hint of mass success was threatening to intrude he would make another 'unfortunate career move'. No one did this to him. He's not the victim of the industry or the whims of popular taste. He deliberately put out bad records and the public went away, like he knew they would. Oops, better hold that one back, that's too good to go on the album...

Its simple.

He lost his Black fan base, and all of a sudden he has been trying to latch on 2 his blackness since the 90's.

white people don't like that and the record companies and radio stations they own don't like that, they liked him when he was colorless, and most whites still think he aint Black

he has had some very pro black lyrics since the 90's

the current npg would destroy the revolution all across the board, they were a joke then and still are

forgot the name change
he became unpopular to the masses becasue most music consumers are STUPID.

but, is he really unpopular though?

and if you are judgeing this by album sales, that shows how stupid the consumers are

Ciao,
I'm sorry if I answer in this way, but I didn't read all the messages.

My english teacher is from England and he told me: I really like Sign o the times (by the way I don't like write SOTT or TMBGITW). Anyway he asked to me what he made after Sign o the times. Very long time ago... The teacher lost something. And he lost the changing of the name.

More than that I think the problem was that he stopped to be a caffelatte artist and he wanted to be a black musician from A to Z.

I want to add that this is not a problem for me, I mean, I know very good his music and I don't care if he prefers to go to Kid Rock show instead of the Dave Latterman, but this is, according to myself, the reason.

Anyway I think we should ask to him... why are you so upopular, I'm sure he has the answer.

Simone
Europe, Italy

www.palatium-italy.it

NatTurner said:

Prince's fall from grace all boils down to one devastating problem: his ATTITUDE. That should say it all. His attitude towards the record labels which eventually lead to him being BLACK-LISTED; his attitude towards the people around him who helped his career (they where exchanged for ass rubbing yes-men who sooth his fragile ego); his attitude towards his audience (they'll take whatever I give to 'em and like it!)--the list goes on, and on, and on!

Let's face it, Prince has been a very pampered man most of his life and it's his way or the highway! This is a person would does'nt take honest feedback very well, choosing to blame all of his faults and failures on others--therefore he cannot see the forest from the trees half the time. Then people Prince has surrounded himself with for years have done nothing more but contributed to the man's demise, but Prince won't wake up and rid himself of these people because THEY TELL HIM WHAT HE WANTS TO HEAR! NOT WHAT HE REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW.

It is weird how many peoples dislike Prince!!! I don't but at the same time can understand why they don't like him!! I mean the name change, his public dispute with his record company, the slave word on his cheek. His albums in the 90's weren't (let's b honest) not all that great. New Power Soul 4 instance. Prince is the kind a guy who does what he wants 2 do. Unfortunately it's not always a good idea. Prince is a great artist, but few people really understand him, heck sometimes I don't understand him and I've been a fan 4 almost 20 years now!!!!
So just let him B who he wants 2 B and those who R truly fam will follow him wherever he goes.
In the meantime let us have,
love4another
Marco from Belgium

What an absolutely pathetic statement someone made up above that white people still don't think Prince is black. Are you for real?? I'm a white person and I've always known Prince was black and I've always like him for his music, not the colour of his skin. The world is becoming more racist because of statements like that. Give me a break.

I thought it was he that removed himself.

(being in the public eye and popularity and all)

Prince became "less popular" once Warner Bros stopped investing so much into his promotion. Had nothing to do with music, but the lack of support from his record company. As long as Warner Bros exects had something to get out of the deal, Prince could have FARTED into the mic and it would have been a top 10 hit.

Peace,
P-Dogz

For one, I think the "unpopularity" with Prince has to do with the Hip-Hop/Rap scene, which has blown away most of the mainstay chart-toppers of the late 80's and 90's. Most of the younger generation weren't even around during the height of Prince's career, so they don't know his music or his message. Another aspect which has hurt Prince was the battle with Warner Bros. and the string of okey-dokey records that came from that. To be honest, he lost a lot of die hard fans who had been with him from day one. The name change was the icing on the cake! A lot of people started seeing him as a nut case rather than a man who wanted to voice his frustrations with Warner and didn't want to be associated with his slave name who Warner had taken and made millions off of and didn't give Prince his fair share.

You also have to consider that Prince is older now, and he can't continue doing the things he did 20 years ago, musically as well as mentally. Change is good! Don't knock a man who's trying to make life better for himself. He's an artist who wants to express himself the way he wants, not the way we want him to be.

Prince should have never stopped making videos for MTV and VH1. And when he did, he should not have done slow ballads.

Furthermore, the venues he plays should be larger and his NPG Mucis Club should be advertised in all magazines and publications.

"Banner ads don't work."

I got ideas 2 make him billions if his people will just give me a call.

Hans and Femi met me in 1999. I also gave Prince's wife my business cards at ONE NITE in Florida.....

Still no call.

www.Gamillah.com can be Prince's if someone from his organization just contacts me.

It's hard to disagree with most of the postings here... mostly everyone has a valid point.

To me Sign O' The Times signaled the begining of the end of the Prince golden era. Up until then, he could do no wrong, even the "strange" albums (ATWIAD & Parade) sold well and got decent airplay.

Then he releases a bonafide masterpiece, and completely mishandles the promotion & releases of the singles. Why release "If I Was Your Girlfriend" (destined to not get any airplay) instead of "Housequake" which was already being played on the radio? The video for SOTT was a disaster. I remember hearing "Hot Thing" on the radio maybe once or twice (where was the PR machine???).

The fact that U2's Joshua Tree beat Sign O' The Times for Album of the Year at the Grammy's that year was a sad precursor of things to come.

The Black album may have been able to get him back on track, but instead we got Lovesexy, (which is my personal favorite Prince album), but sealed the nail in the coffin as far as his popularity w/ the general masses. After that, everyone thought he was just "weird" and went on to buy Milli Vanilli and C&C Music Factory albums.

Strange But True.

I know NO 1 is reading now but I think he has lost popularity for very simple reasons

1 He changed his name
2 He boycotted the major labels
3 released crapy singles (2 many N a row)
Lettigo-the one-dinner with delores ect.
4 made cheap looking videos 2 save money when he needed 2 spend some 2 make more
5 traded performer 4 preacher
6 traded artist 4 activist
7 4got the meaning of D.M.S.R.
8 I love Prince but I miss the dance and the sex and old time playful fun.
9 Takes advantage of his fans that love him most like releasing Crystal Ball 4 29.99 when alot of fans paid like $50. ... all this just equals bad buisiness

i would say by no means that prince has lost since his D.M.S.R. era but he has changed hasn't he? The musics there i love it but i can see why its lost its appeal to some people... personally though i think the main reason was after the name change cos no one understood why he did it or at least they don't remember. if you see anything with him on they all take the piss of the name change (poor lil' guy!)

I didn't mean 2 sound like a NAY SAYER up there I realy like the things Prince has done latley. I just miss that ol' fasioned sexy stuff. Maybe it's just cause he is gettin older. Whatever I still find a great song on the worst album and thats why I still buy his stuff...

Too much lecturing and preaching on his part!

I also think everyone has a valid point except for one thing. I don't believe the name change had a thing to do with his loosing appeal to the masses because most people (that I know) still referred to him as Prince. If anything, people may have thought the whole thing was silly. I just don't buy the whole idea and attitude of "Prince changed his name so I don't like his music anymore". If Prince did the Hit and Run tour as 0+), the concerts would have STILL sold out.

I think the reason is because of a number of factors, but like I stated in my other post, the beginning of the end was Around the World in a Day and Parade. Couple that with a dramtic change in music in the late 80's, Prince not releasing the Black Album (although I love Lovesexy), his alienation of the United States, and his refusal to play by the music industry's rules can spell loss of appeal to the masses. I believe there are other things also but I won't go into them.

Many of you may salute Prince for these things, but like everyone else, Prince has bills. Prince can think what he wants but the masses pays the bills. There are too few Fams to completely sustain the type of lifestyle I'm sure he is used to.

vespertine said:

my opinion is:
Prince is uncategorizable. Very hard to market. His music. His dress. His looks. Everything. Unpredictable. Too unpredictable for the masses to follow, accept and appreciate. Cannot be consensed to a soundbyte. 'Weird' is a word often used to describe people more complex than Britney.

The public at large also doesn't understand how you can curse, sex, and talk about god in the same breath. Still doesn't. And they're fed the image that cursing is bad, unconditionally bad. The public is also fed images about what's male and macho, and what's not. We are conditioned like that from birth. How can these people relate to Prince?

Prince is simply too hard to follow. He's going down a different road now which I firmly believe is his darkest hour, but whatever.

Those are the reasons, I reckon.

I think he became too nice. It was after the intial name change controversy when he started giving interviews etc on Oprah. Obviously we all loved it but I think it kind of turned the 'general public' away.

He seemed to seperate himself from the music - not like in the 80's when Prince was Prince and everything was one big package. I think he's going back that way again but there was a long time when you had Prince the musician and Prince the person who wanted to go on TV and tell the world how much he was in love with Mayte. Quite right too - why shouldn't he have a normal life?

My point is this though. The public have a somewhat jaded perception of Prince already, but it's very much a love/hate relationship. He's this arrogant, inacessable, sex-crazed guy who makes great music. Then he 're-invents' himself and suddenly, to an outsider, he's not interesting any more.

Personally, I think the internet has changed EVERYONES perception of Prince - fans included. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing but I do think that sometimes you can get a little too much information. I almost long for the 'good old days' when you had to wait 3 months for the next issue of 'Controversy' just to find out what was going on. I think it was all much more exciting back then.

Hmmm... I feel a new thread coming on along those very lines.

Spoken like a true non-artist We don't complain that Picasso painted too many pictures, many of which are undeniably horrid. All artists must sort through the bad to get to the good. When we're young and inspiration is strong we simply don't have time to develop all of the ideas and naturally the best ideas come to life first. Only later as the inspiration well slows down do we start to see ideas that were perhaps of lesser quality or that lose some of their original heart with time. I for one am glad he puts it all out there regardless. Each work of art has its own special appeal and if it touches just one person (even just the artist himself/herself) then it is well worth it.
As for popularity, like all else, what goes up must come down. Sure he could have helped his own cause a bit more. If it's the persona you're a fan of Prince will wear on you fast. I for one can do without the ass-less pants, the make-up, the name changes, etc. but I don't let that distract me from the important thing: the music. If anything I just laugh at it and accept the ribbing I get from those that know I'm a fan of Prince's music.
Bjork and Radiohead are not to be compared to Prince because, let's face it, they are in totally different leagues. They've never had the same popularity and never will. However, I do agree with the idea that Prince stopped pushing himself and growing as a musician. To grow as a person he probably had to do that and ultimately he will be a better musician for it.

SkletonKee said:

This is easy 2 answer..lol

Prince decidedly went with self-expression,,and not "Pop Life"

At his age and with his money, career success.. one can.

His creativity is exceptionally great.. think he could write top 10 if he wanted.

Yes he had past bad business deals but now days he is doing what he wants and not about pleasing the masses.

and fans all wishen' 4 another Love Sexy..

MilesIsAlive said:

Does a musician have to write unhearable RAP to be popular amongst black fans?
I don't think so.

First I have to say that I have all his records. But I really think that what made him unpopular was the fact
-that he did and does what he wants: I am persuaded that he could still write hits but he is not interested in it
-that his music was and is not so good anymore (allthough that we here still like it) as it is very personal

Now he made the choice not to come to Europe: how popular do you think that makes him over here. Most of the notsocrazypeoplelikewe even think P. doesn't make music anymore: he can't be popular, if people think that he doesn't make music anymore.

peace
Frank

I just read what I wrote and it doesn't really express what I wanted to say, but it is very easy: Prince is an artist and all real artists do what THEY want to do.
That's why today the music on the radio isn't interesting. These people aren't artist, they are people which are produced to sell records, t.shirts, cops, movies, records, t-shirts, cops, aso

Love
Frank

Well look on the bright side.. when you're as internationally unpopular and underground as Prince's music is right now.. the only place left 2 go is up, up, up.

Hey,look at how "popular" this thread is!! Almost 4000 views!
[This message was edited Tue May 14 3:44:37 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]