hi

first of all, if this post has already been dicussed; don't shoot me.

What do you think of 'the war'? i just listened to it about 4 times in a row. I think it's a masterpiece. Its so awsome. I used to think that prince should stop the preaching, but this is somethin' else. I wonder if all those people who claim prince lost it durin' the nineties have heard this one.
what do y'all think?

greetz
kev1n (nWo 4 life)

I think it's crap.

kev1n said:

I like it...the evolution will be colorized.

I don't think it's crap, but nor do I think it's a masterpiece. Musically it isn't particularly sophisticated. Prince's spoken performance is interesting if you listen to it every once in a while. But he's in danger of sounding like Jim Morrison - some pseudo poet who sounds full of intrigue, but it's all (largely) empty rhetoric and pretence.

I'm sure it would have been very interesting to have been at Paisley on the night it was first recorded, Prince lying under the keyboard reading the stuff out - but, let's be honest, even he decided to edit the thing down to just under half an hour, and originally give it away for free.

"the war" is awesome - definitely a masterpiece in my opinion. It was the first glimmer of hope that Prince had not lost his artistic focus during the late 90's. Without a doubt, the Emancipation/Newpowersoul version of the NPG was Prince's weakest band. But when "the war" came out, it was like "hmmmm... interesting". Plus, the song is deep. And during that period, it wasn't so much that the music was "bad" as in not good, it's just that the music tented to be "shallow". Then along comes "the war", and you get the feeling of Prince being visionary and challenging all over again.

langebleu said:

empty rhetoric and pretense??? That's definitely not how I "hear" 'the war'. And then to suggest that because the song was given away for free is an indication of how Prince himself thought the song was weak, I think is a total misinterpretation of Prince's actions at the time.

kev1n said:

kve1n:

Impressive avatar! Stinger rules! One question: nWo black and white or wolfpack?

P.S.: I like The War a lot. When I first got it, I listened to it a lot. Damn fine tune.

Alas,I must admit to never hearing this song. Wish I could get it.

Incredible piece of work. Prince is keepin up with the social issues, and finding that this to be the WAVE. Look whats happen in Florida. Look at whats happenen, that u do not listen to already. The WORD is being spoken at every moment. Are U willing to LISTEN.....peace musze
[This message was edited Wed Apr 17 13:33:48 PDT 2002 by muszewell]

it's long and it makes my head hurt.....

I like it a lot. I like the dissonant chords, the manifesto and the guitar solo. Very good song
How many of you were there and witnessed this jam??

abucah said:

I hardly think it's 'deep'! I said it's interesting (and I like listening to it) but it fails to provide the level of social or philosophical insight that says anything profoundly new. I know that some will call it deep because they measure it against a 3 minute plastic pop ditty with 'I love you baby' ad libbed to fade, and it wouldn't surprise me if some pseud tries to base a Masters dissertation around it, but if this is regarded as penetrative artistic insight ... !My poor wording. I wasn't trying to infer that. I'm sure Prince thought it was pretty good - so much so that he even decided to charge for it after a while - but seriously, I believe that if he considered it was a masterpiece musically, lyrically etc.. then he would have performed it more than on the very few occasions he has to date.

langebleu said:

wow. never thought i'd hear somebody say that about Jim. I think of Jim as one of the greatest songwriters ever. His Retoric was part of the whole experience, it had a theatrical meaning. Just to say that if prince began to look (or better sound) like Jim i don't think that would be a bad thing.
[This message was edited Thu Apr 18 0:48:22 PDT 2002 by kev1n]

I'll let you know just as soon as it arrives (jimmyrogertodd it is available at NPGMC retail)!

It doesn't make me want to shoot someone. It just makes me sleepy and THEN it makes me wanna shoot someone.

I like it.

Amazing!!!

(C Kev1n, u and I can agree on some things, even if the subject is still "war", so mayb u should stick 2 discussing Prince)

Have to agree there. That's one thing ive noticed. Don't duscuss politics with people you don't wanna risk a serious argument with. I'll stick to prince from now on and leave the politics to cnn.com.

Greetz
kev1n (nWo 4 life!)

It's great, Prince at his best and most spontaneous.

I've never heard it. Where do I get it besides on npgonline? I noticed they have the cassette but I'd like it on cd.

CarrieCee said:

I don't believe it exists on CD. The cassette was supposedly sent 2 ppl who ordered CB over the Internet and didn't get it (I was 1 of them), but the recipient list seems 2 have been partial and fairly random. Cassettes were available cheap at the 1st Celebration, if I remember right.

The War is cool to listen to once in a while. It's very post-apocalyptic and big-brother. Looking back, now it reminds me of The Matrix a little, too. I am grateful to have it, but I honestly haven't played it for a few years. That might be because it's a cassette.

I do like the direction that Prince was going - but it seems like that direction was never fully realized. I'm sure there are more recordings in that tone that will surface. It would've been great as a full CD of just one long jam. Maybe we'll see that too.

The War DID exist on CD, but in VERY limitied amounts. I remember seeing on 1-800-NEW-FUNK. I received 2 copies of the cassette in the mail, and just passed the other one on to another Prince fan I know.

I just received my cassette of The War in the mail today. I am in the UK and it only took one week to arrive using standard shipping.

Other UK fans be aware though, there is a UK customs charge on top of the NPGMC fees (I don't know if the NPGMC are aware of this). It cost me an additional £13.70, about the price of another CD, just to get the Royal Mail to let go of the box containing my Rave In2 CD, War Cassette and T-shirt!

Anyhoo, I have listened to The War and like it a lot. Reminded me a lot (in feel) to the Small Club bootleg 1988. But to be a true anorak I need to know the details of the recording.

Presumably it is recorded at Paisley in front of a live audience? It is 1998 so that would suggest that Rhonda and Mr Hayes were part of the band? Kirk Johnson on drums? What was the exact date? Any details would be much appreciated.

Thanks

I can't say I love it, but neither do I hate it. It's just one of the more obscure trax. U have to be in the mood for it or you'll just turn it off at about 7 minutes.

But the ending is something else. I like that a lot. Very nice touch to finish the song with. Xtremely cool.

The guitar solo is crude though.

Regardless of what anyone thinks of the song, The War is a definite must listen 4 it's amazing guitar solos and message (4 those who can relate and/or understand it's meaning). A 90's Sign O' The Times.

And by the way Kev1n (great topic)..."The War" does have "nWo" references (not WWF's Hall & Nash! LOL), such as "money just got sold" & "it's all about the gold" meaning a cashless society, which is a "supposed goal" of the "nWo", and microchips being invented to inject under the skin to keep track of people (another supposed big brother, NWO goal). Very interesting song lyrics in "The War", no matter if u believe in it's lyrics or not. Alot of people will think he's "lost it" in a different way, if they realize he's mentioning NWO topics in this song, but of course, it fits him perfectly, always one to sing about controversial topics and present times. What's great about this song's lyrics is it makes people say "what the !@#$ is he talking about"?! And those who are intrigued, will "do the work" and find out. When he sings about "The War", I think he means the U.S. government versus the people and all it allows to happen to us. Great topic Kev1n.

Just another brilliant piece of work that not many people know about. I think I have a 26 minute version of the song, and the guitar, damn, the geeetarr is killer.

the war was released on a cd. I t only contained the half hour version of the war. the cd has a cover of a woman giving birth 2 the world. the cd is was very limited and usually sellf 4 $80,- if u find it!

peace