Were you inspired to really start making music by a Prince track/album? And if so, which one?

I've been a musician all my life, but I only got really interested in recording and production when I heard The Black Album - so much going on, but it doesn't sound in the slightest bit cluttered. Every time you listen to it, you pick up something new. I think it's a fascinating piece of production, matched only by SOTT (but I first heard that a few years later).

whilst I was undoubtably forming/constructing ideas by then , "Ballad of Dot Parker"was an incentive.that people could make music that appeared so clear to what I imagined was the original vision.

I seem to remember thinking Mark Brown looked cool c.1999 album.
um.

Interestingly it was actually Wendy Melvion who kicked me in the pants the most.
the Bassline to "Are you my Baby" I thinking if a woman can so this whats wroing with me? I know thats terribly sexist but it was a catalyst to get better.
(and hopefully lose ridiculous bigotry).

I think i had a more hendrexian influence to pick up the guitar around age 10. Both he and Princes music was brought to my atttention through raiding my older brothers record collection when they left the house. I remember listening to tracks like jimi's machine gun and are u experienced at junior school - yes they were lonely times!

However, Prince continues to make me re-pick up any of my instruments on a regular basis. I can see a live performance or listen to a bootleg performance and it just jacks me up. The most recent examples of this happening are 1) segments of the superbowl performance (particularly the foos cover) and the synth solo he plays nearing the end of black sweat on the 3121 bootleg 'holy casino'

peterfalconer said:

It was the black album that inspired Me to Play sax . My dad loves Rock hard in a funky place so he played it very loud. Ona/3121/shh, inspired me to play guitar.

I rarely try to write a song that's directly inspired by a Prince song, but as that's what I listen to the most, many of my songs come out sounding very Prince-ish.

Sometimes I'll record something and think it's awesome, only to listen to it the next day and realise I've totally ripped off a Prince song without even knowing it at the time

DMSR made me want to make music. At a formative age, it basically represented everything that was cool with the world. Prince's image, sound and talent combined to create a change in the DNA of a lot of people, including the skinny blonde teenager I was back then.

One thing I'd like to add about the influence of Prince on many aspiring musicians is that I can't think of anyone who is a better example to follow. He has an incredibly strong work ethic, is not a drug addict, is creative, a shrewd businessman, and I can't think of many other artists who inspires people to learn multiple instruments.

There is a dark side though, and I'm sure this happens with many successful artists. I've met many musicians who are influenced by Prince who end up just trying to mimic the most superficial aspects of his work. These are usually people with a ton of drive and little talent to back it up. These are also the people who would scare the shit out of me and my close musician friends way back when, raising the question "Am I one of them?"

For me it was the "1999" album experience. That album and cover art brings you into Prince's world somewhere in a crowded basement studio near Minneapolis. Every song had it's own sound and even though they sound simple, there's so much going on, you have to listen over and over and always with headphones on. I knew I could never sound like Prince, but maybe I could write a song someday that had my own creativity, but that was as cool a song as one of his.

Don't think I'm even close yet, some 25 years later, but it's fun trying..

DMSR said:

Brilliantly stated.

1999, I had to sneak and buy it Zayre at when I was 9 years old, as I was raised in a religious household. Just to give you an idea, I've never heard my parents swear or never seen either take a drink of alcahol to this day. They ended up finding my Vinyl and I was only allowed to listen while they were home and when I was a good boy, which still doesn't make sense to me. [b]

toejam said:

That has GOT to happen a lot. You hear a riff in your head, you write something for it or play it out; you develop it until it sounds great.

And then you play it for your friends and realize, I've TOTALLY ripped off a song I heard years ago.

Damn.

Yes.

Lovesexy Live

and Small club

inspired me.