Prince is great at everything he does!

if u want a raw taste of prince drumming just check out his for u cd where every instrument played was by prince and the drums r live this was in the era right be4 drum machines prince is a good drummer check out dance on from lovesexy and tamborine and a million days

SlamGlam said:[quote]

ufoclub said:

What the engineer meant is that Prince playing in the studio especially with other musicians around, is much more impressive than the songs he actually edits and puts out.

Did you watch the interview with the Albert Magnoli on the Purple Rain dvd? How many songs did he say Prince gave him to choose from for the movie?.. of course he could be lying.

ufoclub said:


so prince puts out inferior songs?

SlamGlam said:

musically and technically, yes. Even his bandmates have said he gets mad if they complicate things too much... "single notes". He usually keeps it pop, because that principal paved him a powerful signature career. And it also sounds better at max'd out loud volumes in live settings.

With a few exceptions here and there, he prefers to project theatrical simplicity. This includes his lyrics which are normally aimed at a specific pop level audience.

kaptainkrunk said:

exactly.

Giovanni777 said:

Someone mentioned that "Lady Cab Driver" was mostly drum machine, with only the snare as a live overdub. This was in response to my quote above. Well it wasn't just the snare, but anyway... check out the flams and the touch on that snare. We know his kit playing, from my other examples above (just a few among many).
[Edited 2/25/07 12:03pm]

Giovanni777 said:

Eggzackly!
Two words,"I'm Yours"

Giovanni777 said:

Yeah,that "someone" was me. And yeah, it WAS just the snare. Not once does the rest of the pattern change once throughout the entire song. Only the snare has a human touch to it. Now crash, no fills, no nothing. Matter of fact, the 1999 album as a whole is primarily using the Linn. Not to take anything away from his drumming (which I think is decent), it's just the example you offered wasn't the best.

ufoclub said:

Just out of curiosity, where are these interviews you're referring to?

jacktheimprovident said:

The micheal koppelman is an audio interview that can be found on his website (his podcasts) (http://www.lolife.com/), the femi jeyi interview was live right in front of me at the Q&A at Paisley Park. In general, the various musician interviews are from the various musician/intrument focused magazines in the last ten years.

Raajput said:

That's Bobby Z? Nice one! I always liked Bobby.

AvramsDad said:

Yes, but I mentioned other examples, such as the 1st two albums, and earlier instrumental demos.

Besides that, I mentioned "Lady Cab Driver", because his touch on the snare (flams, nuances) is impeccable.

SIDENOTE: I forgot to mention "Sexual Suicide"...

I feel like Prince's drumming is a little sloppy--I mean the way it looks... but I like it. I wish there were more videos showing him on drums and bass, too. My ear isn't good enough to pick out what songs he specifically plays those on unless I read the liner notes (except of course For You & Prince, which I know he did everything).

ufoclub said:

2 this, I would say that there is no way anyone can claim that Prince puts out "musically and technically inferior" songs. I understand you are saying that what he records is "inferior" to what can play, but I think it's more like this: Art doesn't have to be technically impressive all of the time, and in fact, is more generally impressive if it varies between minimalism and complexity. Prince has CLEARLY illustrated both of these extremes in his work. It's a big part of what makes his work so diverse.

P is very good on drums. Great pocket. My fave from him on drums is "Lady Cab Driver". The choice for him to NOT use a crash on that song is genius. "Tamborine" is o.k but kinda sloppy. Not nearly as good as "I. Bitch". His drumming on Madhouse is very good.

I'm beating the skins right now.

blackguitaristz said:

AvramsDad said:

Hey player, don't alter my post. "Drums" is the correct wording. Not "snare" as u chose to slip in. Note, I also mentioned his deletion of the crash in that song, pointing towards the production of the song and the use of the drums. And the overall sound. As far as playing, I mentioned other songs like his playing from Madhouse. Two other songs that feature his drumming that I have mentioned on this site more than a few times on various threads in the past are "God", the instrumental version and "Another Lonely Christmas". As far as drumming, those are my faves.

blackguitaristz said:

That's Bobby, isn't it?

blackguitaristz said:

Dig it holmes, I "altered" yer post because he only played ONE DRUM on LCB. What is with ya'll? I don't know if there's an alternate version of it, but his "deletion" of the crash only further points to the minimalist production that comes with using a DRUM MACHINE. I understand you and giovanni777 using other examples of P's drumming and I agree. But if yer using LCB as an example, it just doesn't stand up. That all.

I have to say that the one track that stands out as the drums really comming to the fore is 3121's Lolita. He's beating the crap out of that snare and it's a style hardly heard anymore. Lenny Kravitz drummer played that way on 'Are you gonna go My way". Other than that, Tony Thompson from Power House used to really give the skins an absolute pounding.
An awsome drummer adds so much more than people think.

Amaxx said:

Have a listen to "Rat Tomago" by Frank Zappa - Terry Bozzio is playing so hard I swear you can hear the sticks bending!

I obviously have a terrible ear for music and musical instruments because Lady Cab Driver sounds like real drums to me. I'm usually able to tell between drum machine and real drums, or at least I thought I could.

peterfalconer said:

If U say I gotta then I gotta!
Will do!

In any case, Prince beats the hell out of Kirk Johnson...

Accujack said:

I think LCB is a combination of a programmed pattern with some live snare playing as mentioned by others. so don't feel bad

Lady Cab Driver!!

AvramsDad said:

And see, I've always thought it was 'real" drums on that track. The full kit, minus of course, the crash. Perhaps that's why he has the snare so high up in the mix. He could have easily used a crash and still use the Linn. Perfect example; The title track, 1999, Automatic, Let's Pretend. The snare being so authentic and the drum pattern, overall, totally had me thinking he was in the pocket like a motherfucker. I know he has his little 'clap" doubling on the snare all the way through. The instrumental section of that song which leads up to his little rock guitar flourishes is bangin'. Well, I KNOW that it's a full acoustic drum kit on "International" and "Free". Although that's standard drumming.