goldtele said:

blackguitaristz said:

I so agree. They are both fantastic. They are both different. Although I studied music and played in high school. I am not that intelligent about guitar technichalities. I do know however when someone can play and when they can't, I know the different styles and I darn sure know when somebody hits the wrong note or is in the wrong key. So can we all just get along They both are brilliant and different. I luv them BOTH.

It would be cool to see Jesse, Ernie Isley, Dez Dickerson do their own version of G3, the pretty successful tour that features Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and a 3rd guitarist of some reknown. It would be something to see them share the stage for the group jam

Here's a semi-retarded question, but was it Jesse who played guitar on 'Shortberry Strawcake'? That song is so cool (those first 2 Sheila recaws are excellent)

sexxydancer said:

You gonna judge somebody's musical prowess on how much fame they can hold on to?
Not good.

I haven't heard much of Jesse's solo music so I can't say who's better. But when he was playing with The Time, I ain't sense that he was any worse than Prince.

sexxydancer said:

1) lack of a sellable image
2) had to deal with prince's bs
3) doesnt look "european" like p

sosgemini said:

Huh?

calldapplwondery83 said:

prince has very european features vs. jesse...fairskin and euro nose. stuff like that.

sosgemini said:

i'm confused too? How did that stop jesse again? I ask because there are other musicians (like Maceo and John B.) who do not look European but they've done well for themselves.

wonder505 said:

i guess i was thinking more along the lines of becoming a superstar like prince during the 80's. during he 80's it was all about the image...and prince was lucky enough to be the right man at the right time...but that doesnt negate jesse's talents.

Best topic on this board in forever. Jesse is not to be fucked w/ on guitar. Woogie and Sogemini are on point. Jesse had the same issue that alotta cats from their generation have - which was seeing that there was only so far that a clearly identifiable black man could go in the game. That was the 80s. Thats why MJ looks so crazy now. Its socialization - my brother is 48 and I know their mindset. Jimmy and Terry had the same experiance. I only wish that these black men had said fuck these european aesthetics and standards and just all out jammed. Prince is the only cat from their click who never lost that desire. He also worked the mulatto/euro angle. Cant knock his hustle, Its just too bad his friends didnt keep pushing their material. Jimmy and Terry have probably got enough material to change music again and they only produce industry acts for big money. If theyre ghost writing, theres no danger of their secret getting out cuz the radio will make your ears bleed. Janet Jackson said the song The Body That Loves You came about during some studio down time when they were just talking and Jimmy was tinkering w/ the keyboard. Alan Leeds has said similar things about hanging w/ Prince when hes chilling. If we ever dance our way out of our constrictions, all bets are off.
[Edited 8/27/06 11:47am]

How did this thread go from comapring these two guitarists to dissing Europeans?

calldapplwondery83 said:

now you know i aint dissing europeans.

sosgemini said:

Please explain #3

dseann said:

Prince looks White/Spanish/Italian.
There is no question to Jesse's race.He's Black !

muleFunk said:

Prince looks like a light-skinned brotha with some White/Spanish/Italian sprinkled in somewhere down the line
Anyway isn't this thread supposed to be about Jesse & Prince?

speciallove said:

it is...i was just using that as a point as to why, during the eighties, it was harder to sell a jessie type act. thats all.

not only that but jesse never attempted to make crossover pop music...and then didnt he have a drug problem? so those are all non-talent reasons why james never blew up. tis all.

They couldn't sell Jesse in the 80's cos he tried to look too much like Prince. Everything from the hair to the moustache to the clothes. Whether he meant it or not, I do not know. Just check out the tv appearances he did in the 80's, he looks like an impersonator. That couldn't have done him any good.

I like Jesse and he plays a mean guitar, no doubt.

Prince fans always get all stupid when you start comparing him to others...let's put it into perspective...Prince has never ever done an album that was so fully rock as Jesse's Bare My Naked Soul. Don't get upset people...we know he can as he does it at each aftershow.....however, he hasn't. He seems paranoid taht he'll be pidgeon holed. Now, I understood that thinking 20 years ago when he was coming up...but now? He should just let it loose...do what jesse did and go into overdrive with that guitar!

I'd like order an album full of 'Fury' like he did on SNL. I would promise you taht it would be our favourite album...

BUT there lies the problem - Prince won't do what everybody wants. he's just a difficult guy! So we'll continue to patch together CDs of his rock stuff...

More than anything - we need him to lay it down like Jesse did...just bare bones...no synths at all.

2freaky4church1 said:

There are live cd's and footage available.

bkw said:

Don't forget he sounded alot like Prince as well.
I'll never forgive "Jet" magazine for placing a Jesse Johnson picture for Prince when Kiss was #1 on their charts.

Frequently I see, Jimi and Jesse Johnson compared to Prince and I think all of these guys rank as far as guitarmanship and it's a matter of who I'm in the mood for. Anybody who has Bare My Naked Soul by Jesse Johnson will know the man is IMO just as good as Prince when it comes down to playing an axe. I'm married to a guitar god meself and he even agrees with me that Jesse is just as good as Prince. I think Prince holds back too much as far as guitar goes because he would only give you enough so he could cross over.

As far as showmanship, star quality, songwriting skills, Prince is the master there. There is no one I can think of who can compare with what Prince has contributed to music. I may not have liked all the music he's done, but I give credit that he dares to be unique in his songwriting, even when it was his weakest or his most outlandish. I would rather that than what these peons are pushing out these days on CDs and that is the "one song broken down into 13 to fill up a CD".

IMO I would have rather Jesse just screw all the 80s stuff he did and do the rock thing, but I have to admit that isn't realistic because you have to give him credit that while he did copy Prince a lot back then, he managed to pull off what a number of Prince Riders tried to achieve back then and that was a couple of hit albums whereas most of the Prince Riders were only able to score at best one hit and that was it. So even in his copying days, people could see there was something unique about Jesse even then.

So there it is, my couple of pennies.

LQ

LQ

LadyQ said:

adorable2 said:

If you haven't figured it out yet, Sexxydancer just likes to troll these boards and anytime an associated artist or his/her work is even mentioned, just re-iterates the "prince is the greatest" fanbot stuff.

best to ignore it!

I love them both!!!!!

...Prince has some solos that make me shake my head in awe. ...On one of the Prince bootleg aftershows he absolutely goes nutso on Just My Imagination, and at the end of Down Home Blues / Kansas City. ...I still get chills on the Purple Rain solo from the Prince & The Revolution Live vhs. : ))

...Jesse's I'm Just Wanting You is a masterpiece to my ears.

Anybody hip to Mike Stern?

bobsteezy said:

I am glad some one else feels about 'I'm Just Wanting You' the way I do. That song is absolutely genius I love them both too

GaryMF said:

Yep, figured it out

Jessie can throw down but his material is very LIMITED.

Graycap23 said:

I think he showed a whole new scope of his talents with "Bare My Naked Soul". It contained material that is more "true", if you will, of where his heart really lies. He got away from the whole "Minneapolis Sound" label and established his own sound. I don't think the material on that album was limited at all - it hinted at a lot of stylistic possibilities for JJ. However, he's taken over ten years to follow up on them...

JesseDezz said:

That cd put me 2 sleep. I really wanted 2 like it but.....