Since Prince seems to like to make music that sounds like it came from places like France or Arabia (places that seem dull to me), he should try his hand at some oriental or asian type stuff that sounds like it came from Tokyo like The Yellow Magic Orchestra did with "Computer Games" or A Taste Of Honey did with "Sukiyaki" or Kraftwerk did with "Numbers". That type of foreign sounding music would be hot.

Maybe! You named songs that I like a whole lot so I can kind of see it but then again we are talking about Prince and this is a suggestion and you know how he feels about suggestions. So...eh!

He might could make some big money. From what I've seen, the Japanese love funk as much as we do. There are old local funk groups that made music in the early 80s, in a studio up the street from my house and I can't even find their music anywhere in town. However, when I go on the internet, these groups have Japanese imports. They used to tour Japan in the early 80s all the time. Japan loves some funk.

vainandy said:

Songs that sound french, the only ones i can think of was in Parade, 21 years ago(PS:He made other albums since), what's wrong with bringing a french or arabian touch to his music?

I personally dig the french 'elements' he used on Parade, and also on Alexa de Paris and Violet Blue (on Jill Jones debutalbum).

He could have done more with the middle-eastern influence, IMO. I think it worked really well on the song Around the world in a day, but on some songs from the nineties those influences sound a bit 'forced'.

BTW, i have been surprised in the past by him using south-african jive-elements on Willing and Able (from Diamonds and Pearls) and by him trying out japanese sounding stuff on the piano on Young and Beautifull (from One night alone).

Music gives you visuals in your head. When I think of those countries, I think of old ancient ruins and "beautiful countrysides" (yawn)....depressing things. When I think of Japan, I think of sleek ultra modern contemporary and futuristic.
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[Edited 10/5/07 8:48am]

Well maybe, he should try some traditional Irish folk next then, Vainandy

Oh lord, I think I would throw up. And where is it that the bagpipes are from? I hate those damn bagpipes.

vainandy said:

Your mind is only open to afro/US music, the rest do not exist then, ...that pretty sad!!!

Uh...excuse me? I did say that he would sound great making some asian type music. Of course, it would have to be funky though.

Musical taste is like taste in interior decorating. I hate antiques, wood, quilts, or anything that looks like it came from a previous century. I'm more into everything glass, lots of unframed mirrors, sharp sleek lines, and unique shapes that look like something from the future. I hate old paintings of countrysides and fat old rosy cheeked people lying around nude with looks on their faces like they are sick and in pain. I'm more into abstracts and different things that look like they come from the future.

Since music is art also, I'm the same way about it. Music places your mind in the place that it sounds like it's from. I would much rather be stranded in Japan on a busy street with millions of people and modern buildings than be stranded in a lonely ass dull depressing countryside looking at an old ancient building that was built in the 1600s.

vainandy said:

What do you mean asian type, that's rather vague since cultures are different from one country to another.
As for your taste in interior decoration, i can't help you, you will have to stay away from old Europe, i suppose

Japanese, Chinese, etc. I would say oriental but I think the term people use now is asian.

vainandy said:

Including Afghanistan, Indonesia, India, ....?

You're being too broad. Maybe I should have specified China or Japan.

No, I wouldn't want music that sounded like what people usually think of when they think of stereotypical Indian type music with the "twang", the flutes, and the snakes coming out of baskets. Although, the Indians do get down to some great house type music these days but I'm tired of house music. Some of the sexiest men on earth, great delicious spicy ass food, but going by what people typically perceive their music to sound like (although it really doesn't sound that way these days)....no, I wouldn't like that kind of music.

Just think of the stereotypical music that you would hear in a Chinese or Japanese restaurant, add some funk to it, and that's what I'm talking about. I gave examples earlier with The Yellow Magic Orchestra, A Taste of Honey, and Kraftwerk. All were groups that used that sound and mixed it with either funk or, in A Taste of Honey's case, slow jams.
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[Edited 10/5/07 10:54am]

I think Prince only does languages and dialects He likes.

kanamit said:

Kraftwerk is German,I guess he only means dull European music
Be4 I reply I listened 2 some samples I understand what he means...
sounds like the Minneapolis sounds mixed with some oriental sounds,imo.

vainandy said:

Pssh. We Indians know how to funk.

Hey vainandy do me a favor and go
here. and listen to the songs. Flutes and snakes? That sho nuff aint what India is about my friend.

Yeah, it does kinda sound like that a little.

Oh, I know Indians can jam. They surprised me years ago when I was around one of their events back in 1999. All I could hear was the drums and bass thumping inside at very fast paces. I walked inside and they were getting off up in there. It was far from the "twang" flute and snake music I expected to hear at an Indian event.

When I was talking about I wouldn't like for Prince to use Indian music, I was talking about the "twang" that people usually stereotype with Indian music when they don't know any better. The Indian music I heard that day sounded just like our funk, disco, and house music except it was sung in Indian rather than English. I was referring to not liking the stereotypical Indian sound but I do like the stereotypical Japanese sound.

vainandy said:

You mean like classical Indian music? Well that's no surprise, I wouldn't like Prince to do that either. I'm sure you would like it about as much as you liked the classical European influences on "Parade", lol.

But modern contemporary Indian music is far from classical. There's as big a gap there as there is with contemporary Western music and classical.

Exactly. I don't like classical anything.

vainandy said:

Prince has already taken some inspiration from Indian Classical music. Just take a close listen to The Cross and you will hear definite sitar sounding chords.

This doesn't surprise me because musicians being what they are will get their inspiration from any period or medium. A prime example is the Around The World In A Day album. Its clearly full of psychedelic hippy trippy sounds. It must be difficult for a true musician not to explore the wider world of music and dip into the pool of sounds, melodies and rhythms to try to come up with something fresh. I think Prince does this all the time otherwise every album would sound the same.

n'est ce pas

I could imagine Prince doing some kind of Bollywood inspired movie and soundtrack...

I like what he did with 'Around the world in a day','Thiefs in the temple'
and the Parade Album. Sounds like it was all inspired by foreign countries.

GiGi319 said:

And as well

VenusBlingBling said:

... and the opening bars of The Beautiful Ones just before he starts singing the first line sound as if they have a hint of Chinese/Oriental vibe going on