The fact that I'd even ask this question tells you where I stand, but I want to hear from others who've heard Jesse Johnson's Revue. Which is better, the Revue or ATWIAD? Which did you enjoy listening to more in 1985? What about now? Why?

If you want to rate the following songs, go ahead...

Jesse Johnson's Revue -- Jesse Johnson, 1985
1. Be Your Man
2. I Want My Girl
3. She Won't Let Go
4. Just Too Much
5. Let's Have Some Fun
6. Can You Help Me
7. Special Love
8. She's a Doll
B1.Free World
B2.Fast Girls
R1.Be Your Man (extended remix)
R2.Can You Help Me (extended remix)


Around the World in a Day -- Prince & The Revolution, 1985
1. Around the World in a Day
2. Paisley Park
3. Condition of the Heart
4. Raspberry Beret
5. Tamborine
6. America
7. Pop Life
8. The Ladder
9. Temptation
B1.She's Always In My Hair
B2.Hello
B3.Girl
R1.Raspberry Beret (extended remix)
R2.Pop Life (extended remix)
R3.America (extended remix)
R4.Paisley Park (extended remix) [UK]


(note: i didn't include edits, 12" album versions, or obscure remix versions)



edit: thx, sexton
[Edited 4/27/06 16:16pm]

Erm, as much as I love Jesse's albums, I'll still have to go with ATWIAD, simply because it was Prince trying to do different things.

Jesse's albums are fantastic, but oh so formulaic, alot like Rick James.

I'm a big Jesse fan, but I always felt his first album sounded dated, even back then. I think Free World was the only part of those sessions that pointed to what he could become on a second album.

Shockadelica & Every Shade of love were his masterpieces.

Is this a trick question?

to this thread.

Jesse Johnson's album by far. All Prince's ex-protegees' albums were better than Prince's albums during the late 1980s. They were more "Prince" than Prince was. Prince had become someone else entirely.

Jesse's 1st album sounds like songs P would have done in 82-83,
they are very dated, although good songs.
P was in a totally different place w/ATWIAD. He was way past the style
Jesse was playing.

But Iam a big JJ supporter as he is from my hometown..His song "vibe"
is awesome. I think JJ could have been Lenny Kravitz, before Lenny Kravitz was,had he played his cards right.

'Around The World In Day' is clearly the better album, but I'm not gonna lie--at the time I listened to Jesse's record a lot more because when I was 15-16 years old, I just wanted to hear the funk and Jesse was giving it to me, Prince wasn't. The same with 'Parade' although now that is my favorite Prince record. I was just too young to realize how good it was when it was released.

That's a very intelligent and honest answer. I will also say (speaking for myself) that as long as funk (Minneapolis synth style) was in style and had the potential to be profitable, that I still, to this day, feel cheated out of about four more years of that type of funk from Prince, even though (listening to them now) the actual Prince albums that were released were great. The ex-protegees' albums helped to fill this void at the time.
.
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[Edited 4/27/06 8:34am]

vainandy said:

I hear ya. Jesse's albums and the first Mazarati album got played A LOT in my house during the 80s. After knowing Prince's funk-rock from the first six albums backwards and forwards, listening to his next two records was a real challenge for me. I thought the singles were cool, but some of those album tracks I just couldn't get into at the time like "Condition Of The Heart", "Tambourine", "Temptation", and "Sometimes It Snows In April". The French frou-frou vibe throughout 'Parade' was particularly frustrating--especially "Do U Lie". That song really had me scratching my head when I first heard it. Now I love that album from beginning to end.

Good thread.

Gotta go with ATWIAD. Granted, I wasn't totally on board with ATWIAD. Respected that he took some serious chances on that album, but I only really liked about 3 of the songs (but two of those are all-time Prince classics, so advantage Prince.)

Now Jesse's album was decent, but at the time it just sounded like an ok imitation of Prince. Shame really.

Since I couldn't name a song off of Jesse's album to save my life, I have to say Prince's was better. I can name the songs off that album in my sleep!

Definitely ATWIAD, no disrespect to Jesse, but it's quite simply not even a dilemma about this one .

sorry p but i have to go with jesse on this one, i love both of jesse's first 2 albums.
so that answers the next question before it is asked,
i like shockadelica better than parade.

Snap said:

The 12" version of "Can You Help Me" is longer than the album version with the full guitar solo.

prince

Better? Definately P's album. Jesse is coldblooded as a guitarist, BUT he can't fuck with P as a songwriter and producer. ATWIAD is on a much higher plain than anything Jesse has ever released and I'm not even that crazy about that P album. I played Jesse's album probably just as much if not more, but P was through with the style Jesse was doing in 85 by late 81, early 82.

I gotta admit, there was a time that I was digging Jesse as much (if not more than Prince)...I went 2 they Jesse Johnson concert here in Detroit that year ...

BUT....


ATWIAD is ATWIAD....


Prince wins !!!

The B Sides "She's Always In My Hair" and "Hello" were about as close to the "old Prince" as he got during this era. As for "Parade", today I can listen to most of the album....I can stomach "Do U Lie" and even "Venus De Milo" but I still can't stand "Sometimes It Snows In April". Every time I hear that depressing ass song, it reminds me of a John Denver television special in France.

Between, Jesse and his productions, Andre and Jody Watley, Mazarati, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' productions, the funk was still surviving the late 1980s. The funny thing is that the only strong funk from this era was the Minneapolis style funk these guys were doing as well as a few newcomers such as Ready For The World, The Jets, Madame X, etc.

The few funk groups that were still around such as The Barkays, Midnight Star, and Cameo were doing much weaker material than before trying to crossover. Rick James had fallen off also (this would have been the perfect era for him to kick Prince while he was down ) Then there was Shitney Houston totally fucking things up by being so successful with her weak ass and influencing all the damn balladeers to come out of the woodwork and take over. Oooooh what depressing days those were. Thank God for Jesse and Andre.

Jesse is good but his songs just arn't strong enough.

Good discussion in here. I had more fun with Jesse's album; though, I will say that Prince had the "better" songs. Like vainandy, I was still wanting more of that "mpls sound" -- and at least the others were still supplying it!