I'm going to try not to go on a full on rant here, because I've been a pretty devoted fan for a long time, and because I have more fun enjoying Prince than I do when I'm criticizing him, and most importantly - it's late and I have to work early in the morning, and I shouldn't even be awake right now.

BUT.

I'm scratching my head over the whole AI thing right now. I didn't see it tonight, because I was out with some dear friends, and if I were home, I wouldn't have seen it anyway because I don't watch AI and I didn't hear the rumors about Prince's appearance.

Let me say that regardless of how I feel about his decision to be on AI, I am FIENDING to see a clip! I'm not gonna fake otherwise, because you all know me better than that.

I can't help but feel like David Byrne in that old Talking Heads song: This is not my beautiful Prince! This is not my beautiful badass!

Of course, another lyric to that song is "same as it ever was, same as it ever was..."

But I digress.

Las Vegas? American Idol? Big splashy celebrity parties?

Well, okay. Good for him, I guess. But I feel like Prince has decided to take on the role of schmaltzy megacelebrity while at the same time wanting the rebellious cred of a righteous artist fighting for what is due him.

And I also feel like he's completely separated himself from the anally principled artist who challenged everyone from the industry to his own fans about how they thought about life, politics, fame, the music biz, God, and all the other subjects he's touched upon.

The Prince who spat out that beautiful rant in the middle of "Sexuality" and the spitfire who gave us "The Rainbow Children" and the One Nite Alone tour is all Howard Hughes pre-OCD breakdown with his parties and his entourage of nubile women dancers and his facade of a lifestyle.

It's like 1992 all over again, only not as cool.

Prince is always going to be a bad MF when you put a guitar in his hands. I can never refute that. But I miss the man who could both kick my ass with his musicianship and leave me walking away trying to process what the hell he was talking about, whether I agreed with it or not.

Of course, in his own famously roundabout way, this could be exactly what he's doing right now.

"...same as it ever was...same as it ever was..."

Anyway. Bedtime. I'll read the slings and arrows in the morning.

Dewrede said:

^^ the short version of what I was going to post initially ^^

nah, he just keeps using the industry like they used to use him
i think it's kinda funny actually

skywalker said:

More than most artists, Prince has put his artistic integrity and what he wants to do ahead of doing good business. However, calling performing on "American Idol" selling out is too much. Prince "selling out"? If that's what you wanna call it, it's nothing new. Past examples of Prince "selling out" :

-Purposely making his 2nd album more radio friendly and chart. Performing on American Bandstand, etc.

-Performing "partyup" on the popular late night TV show "Saturday Night Live."

-Making music videos like "little red corvette" for MTV.Again, performing songs on various TV shows like "Solid Gold".

-The biggest sell out of all, Purple rain. The whole project. The movie, the tie ins,the tv appearances, the videos, the more easily digestable music for the masses.

True, but those were the early years and Prince making a mark for himself. Prince is a music veteran now, he doesn't need to make a mark for himself anymore. So maybe he's trying to make a mark with today's audiences? That's what it looks like but my answer is "fuck them, they are the reason music is so fucked up today so don't help them grow".

In Prince's early years, there were tons of artists making great music so he had better make an appearance or two to get his name out there because there was plenty of other artists to choose from if he didn't. Those days are over though. Today, no one makes good music any more except Prince. If he gains today's crowd's acceptance, he may water his music down to appeal to their boring tastes. He's done it on certain songs already. I hope he never gets their acceptance. This ain't the early days anymore. Prince has an audience already. If newcomers (that like his type of music) want to join his fanbase, fine...but don't go looking to recruit newcomers that weren't interested in the first place because they will start influencing him to change for the worst.

True, but those were the early years and Prince making a mark for himself. Prince is a music veteran now, he doesn't need to make a mark for himself anymore. So maybe he's trying to make a mark with today's audiences? That's what it looks like but my answer is "fuck them, they are the reason music is so fucked up today so don't help them grow".

In Prince's early years, there were tons of artists making great music so he had better make an appearance or two to get his name out there because there was plenty of other artists to choose from if he didn't. Those days are over though. Today, no one makes good music any more except Prince. If he gains today's crowd's acceptance, he may water his music down to appeal to their boring tastes. He's done it on certain songs already. I hope he never gets their acceptance. This ain't the early days anymore. Prince has an audience already. If newcomers (that like his type of music) want to join his fanbase, fine...but don't go looking to recruit newcomers that weren't interested in the first place because they will start influencing him to change for the worst.

Sugarcoat it all you like, but at the end of the day it boils down to one thing and one thing only: desperate actions that reek of a shark-jumping sell-out.

minneapolisgenius said:

But didn't you hear? 50 Cent was named songwriter of the year this week.

Performing on a dead ass show like "American Idol" was definately a sellout move. However, at least he didn't perform with any of the little overdramatic brats from the show which is more than I can say for him in 2004 when he actually performed with a shit hop bitch like Beyonce. I lost much respect for him after that so the performance last night didn't surprise me at all. I was only surprised that he didn't perform his sellout song "Incense and Candles". Then, it could have been a total sellout moment.

vainandy said:

[Flame Snip - luv4u]

Anx said:

American Idol? Is this not the man that is against record companies and how they handle artists??? The man who wrote "slave" on his face when he was the highest paid artist in history? the man who changed his name to a symbol so the record companies could not exploit his new works????

and he turns around and goes on the 1# show that makes kids sign up in these types contracts, contracts he's been fighting and warning people for over 15 years?

am I lost here? or did I miss something?????

i get your point, romera, and i think you worded it beautifully as always.

i'm trying to be very careful to avoid the word "sell-out", because i don't view it that way. if prince "sold out", it was back in 1978 when he signed his first contract with WB. or, more appropriately, when he renewed his contract with WB. prince has already done "selling out" into the ground, for better or for worse. i'm not even concerned about that.

my thing is, i just can't get with what prince's public persona is right now. i'm not into the whole vegas asthetic. i'm not into american idol. i'm not into the cult of celebrity. these are things that define prince in the here and now, and i'm not interested. it's not what i signed on for when i heard "let's go crazy" for the first time and got my mind blown. up till now, it's been a little bit more challenging than vegas and ryan seacrest, even if prince HAS had his "wow, that's dumb" moments over the years.

i'm all for prince taking risks and making big changes and seeing where his journey takes him next...but if i don't like a certain part of the journey, i reserve the right to get off the bus and meet you all later.

[...]i'm all for prince taking risks and making big changes and seeing where his journey takes him next...but if i don't like a certain part of the journey, i reserve the right to get off the bus and meet you all later.

As for buses, I'd like to get on your bus.

Imago said:

dammit imago, everybody's bus is full, okay?!

So let me get this straight, If Prince does very little to market 3121, he doesn't know what he is doing? If he shows up on AI and kicks some ass, he is a sell out?

You people are CLUELESS and that's why Prince does shit HIS way.

i get your point, romera, and i think you worded it beautifully as always.

i'm trying to be very careful to avoid the word "sell-out", because i don't view it that way. if prince "sold out", it was back in 1978 when he signed his first contract with WB. or, more appropriately, when he renewed his contract with WB. prince has already done "selling out" into the ground, for better or for worse. i'm not even concerned about that.

my thing is, i just can't get with what prince's public persona is right now. i'm not into the whole vegas asthetic. i'm not into american idol. i'm not into the cult of celebrity. these are things that define prince in the here and now, and i'm not interested. it's not what i signed on for when i heard "let's go crazy" for the first time and got my mind blown. up till now, it's been a little bit more challenging than vegas and ryan seacrest, even if prince HAS had his "wow, that's dumb" moments over the years.

i'm all for prince taking risks and making big changes and seeing where his journey takes him next...but if i don't like a certain part of the journey, i reserve the right to get off the bus and meet you all later.

Anx said:

And this is what I dig about you most. You've had your say, you said it respectfully and you are not acting as if Prince fucked you and didn't call you the next day.

We'll be waiting for you in the'later'.