Ok in my view Prince is not an innovator anymore but his influence when you look at it is all over contemporary pop music.

The thing to me is... go and see him live then come back here and complain!! There really is noone who can touch Prince on a good night!

Mr Keen I know you ain't seen him live yet. When you experience that you won't deny the little man his genius. He remains the best performer in music period. And his showing in America last year to me proves that!!

JDINTERACTIVE said:

Ok, I'll bite. Only because I'm listening to "Call My Name" on the radio as I type this.

It always astonishes me, how people that couldn't hope to dream of accomplishing a tenth of the things Prince has, are always the first ones to state that Prince can't do any better than he's already done. I think it's just more that they HOPE he can't!

Prince has done some pretty incredible things musically speaking and all he is trying to do when he, as you put it, "Harps on real music for musicians" is try to inspire the next generation to ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING about music as he did! Maybe he just wants someone else to take us musically to that next level.

Which I see falls on deaf ears because when someone suggests LEARNING, young minds get offended as if LEARNING is a bad thing!
[Edited 2/1/05 19:23pm]

"falls on death ears "




lol

he was the greatest artist between 1980-88. since then 90 % of what he has released has been complete crap.

SexyBeautifulOne said:

williammelvinhicks said:

Hey watch it, I heard spelling and grammar aren't important on a message board.

andykeen said:

I wasn't knocking his opinion with the English remark. I was referring to the fact that he is about as coherent as Charles Manson at a parole hearing.

NouveauDance said:

Haven't you gotten the feeling like Prince is out there again. Like there's something new on the horizon. I don't know what it is, but it's like there's this vibe and I can feel that people are thinking about him again and something big is going to happen. I'm not even talking about all the public appearances and the tour, cause I felt it before all this started happening. I think that was just the beginning. I am definitely a believer that Prince could do it again. It would be against the odds, but I think he has it in him to make some amazing stuff. People have never forgotten what Prince can do and I always get positive responses when I strike up a conversation with your average Joe in public.
[Edited 2/1/05 21:02pm]

[/quote]Prince has done some pretty incredible things musically speaking and all he is trying to do when he, as you put it, "Harps on real music for musicians" is try to inspire the next generation to ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING about music as he did! Maybe he just wants someone else to take us musically to that next level.[/quote]

Great point! Also, I think I should say that we all lose sight when we're talking about Prince's post 1987 years because we're basing musical success on charts. When you're talking about money charts mean everything. Prince has money, he doesn't care about money. When you're talking about music, charts don't mean shit. Every Prince album I've ever listened to has something to offer me. Sure there are usually songs that I never grow to like on many of his albums, but even on those songs I respect the musicianship and the fact that every single aspect of the song is probably birthed creatively by him. That to me is amazing. Prince has been absent from the charts in recent years, but he hasn't been absent from great music. Not at all!
[Edited 2/1/05 21:11pm]

7lovesymbol7 said:

Even so, is it necessary? Remind me never, ever to criticise Prince again.

SexyBeautifulOne said:

Of cause I could never achieve anything like what Prince has musically! Hell, I can't even play an instrument! But does that not mean I can't be critical of his music? Why doesn't Prince ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING about what talented and new, interesting music young artists are making?

JDINTERACTIVE said:

Please realize that I am not trying to be mean. Just joking around some. You are totally entitled to your opinion and, to be sure, some of us on here are a little sensitive about Prince. As a musician myself Prince inspires me in ways that no other artist has, in music and in life. His music, and what it reveals of his personality,is helping me as I develop my own philosophy of life. So, if he is still touching people like he is touching me, with new and old music, can it be said that he is irrelevant? I personally don't think so.
[Edited 2/2/05 19:04pm]

If the 30 or so albums that Prince has made over the past few
decades leaves you feeling unfulfilled, then feel free to listen to
somebody else. He makes music for people who want to hear him, even if
its just himself and Mani.

The mans at the point in his life where he can do whatever he wants.
If anyone doesn't like it, well, its a free country.

I don't feel challenged by Usher, therefore, I dont listen to him
and he doesnt miss me

Snap said:

Well you have to think of it this way sampling is an art form in itself. I'm talking about the obvious beat jackers like Will Smith stealing the beat to FOrget me nots, or Puff Daddy Jacking the beat from Flash's "the message. I'm talking about those people like THe bomb squad, Pete Rock, DJ Priemer, Lord Finesse, Jay Dee (Slum Village), 9th Wonder, and even Kanye West, who find the obscure loops and piece together an entirerly new arrangement. Sampling from so many sourcs that you could never tell where it was from. Alot of these guy play instruments and add it into what ever sample.

all of you prove that you don't listen to new prince music.
west for example features one of the top 5 music moments by prince(especialy after 8th minute)
rainbow children is amazing.its pure briliance.
his fusion work from 2003 and latter is great.
his guitaR PLAying never been better.

I had once the feeling that you have now and that's why I would tell you that: the problem is not in Prince but in ourself. More than this: it is not a problem at all! You said that Prince would never be so innovative as he was. I also feel the same but actually I feel no one is innovative. I grew up and my musical knowledge is stronger than 17 years ago when I first heard a Prince record. Of course, back then it was easier to surprise me so I felt Prince and many other were innovaive. Now that I am a full grown boy I am always running for new music but I never get enough innovation/surprise. It's like a drug addicted guy always wanting more! You know what ? We just got older man, and I don't think it is any bad if you look at it carefully. Enjoy it.

Prince has alot of electro-funk followers.. Soft Pink Truth, Felix Da Housecat, Basement Jaxx, Andre 3000, Timbaland, who all cite Prince as a major influence.

As a listener, this is my favorite stuff (ie. Noon Rendezvous intro), and I think he has sparked the creativity of anyone who has heard his Linn Drum... a legacy and audience he seems to be forgetting.

Princes influence upon musical progression today is simple - He set the bar. So, even if his more recent offerings are regarded as tame in comparison to his 80's heyday, his level is yet to be supassed.

Consequently, 'progression' within contemporary music should be aiming to offer the next level of musician - like Prince did to stevie, James Brown and Hendrix. He brought popular music to a new level not in spite of these guys but because of them.

I am yet to witness a contemporary artist, who, 'all round', is even half as good as what Prince has given the world of music.

His relevance in terms of what his is currently doing musically is arguably low but his legacy is still unmatched by modern musical acts. Also, progression in terms of how music is distributed and controlled brings prince to the forefront of music progression today.

CinisterCee said:

I'm going to suck up my pride a be the ignorant one here. Is this the cool ass drum sound that he used in the 80's? If so, thank you for educating me because it's one of the coolest aspects of Prince's early music. I definitely don't care as much for his more recent synthetic drum sounds (I think starting with Rave). I think the old sound would still be cool if he used it. I used to hate synthesised sounds and drum machines in music until I began to really get into Prince. He has changed my whole view of music.

7lovesymbol7 said:

Yes, that's the name of the drum machine that Prince primarily used on his music 1982-1990. He mastered it, and I think is part of his signature 80s sound.

CinisterCee said:

Are those things expensive/hard to find?