Right now i am listening to "making floppy floppy", a delicious slice of new-wave funkpop from the Talking Heads, from their classic live-album "Stop making sense".

I can't helping thinking of Dr. Finks's keyboard solo on Head while listening to this track.

Others tracks on Stop making sense remember me of Princes' material on 1999 especially.

When i think back to some of Princes earlier albums (Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999) and his production work for Appolonia 6 and The Time, i can't help thinking that Prince (and/or his bandmembers) seemed very much influenced and inspired by the new-wave music that was popular around that time.

When you were mine reminds me of early Elvis Costello and the Attractions, the whole 'soundscape' of the Dirty Mind sounds very new-wave influenced by the way. I mean: those combination of straight, funky beats combined with the raw telecaster guitar riffs.

Many songs on the album 1999 remind of the Talking Heads, Devo, Afrika Bambaata and Gary Numan (Automatic echoes Numans 'are friends electric').

On the albums of Appolonia 6 and The Time Prince used certain synthlines and organ-parts that sound very new-wavish also (The B'52's come to mind).

The more i think about is, the more i think The Minneapolis sound is in fact a hybrid of early eighties new-wave pop/rock and seventies soul / funk.

What do you think?

Has new-wave music just a been a side-influence on his music? or is it an essential ingredient of his trademark (Minneapolis) sound, which i tend to think?
[Edited 10/12/07 15:04pm]

I would agree that there are some aspects of "Dirty Mind" and "Controversy"
that carry a "New Wave" "Stone in the pond" which ripples into the Musical
Lake, for example, The Thompson Twins in their way, have several ripples of
a "New Wave" sound.

And, certainly, "New Wave Sound." can be interpreted in many different ways.
Some of New Wave sound, was a trendy, fashion as well. I love the Mohawk look,
with the shiny raincoats and all, but it has it's time and place.

I'm not implying, Prince and the twinz were doing this...because they can't,
They don't have the new wave thing goin' on...As Simon LeBon may, or Nick
Rhodes. I guess Duran Duran, is kinda "Rock New Wave."

I like New Wave Music, however I'm not really into repeating these discs.
I really enjoyed, The Real McCoy's Long Play Single, on the 5 variations of
the song, "Come and get your Love." I've traded cd's for years, with the record store so, it happens to be a cd, I only kept 5 years. And I played that
at least a hundred times. This is by mistake becomming a novel, I will end with
saying that I do not consider the Real McCoy...New wave, however. T

Tame said:

Simon Le Bon .. New Wave.. Christ this site is going downhill fast

Next.....

"The more i think about is, the more i think The Minneapolis sound is in fact a hybrid of early eighties new-wave pop/rock and seventies soul / funk."


yep...listen to "do yourself a favor"...a perfect mix of all those styles.

free DVD give aways in the Sunday observer:

SOTT

Stop Making Sense

I don't think I've heard that particular Gary Numan track before but I definately hear "Cars" when I hear "Automatic".

vainandy said:

You know what! Now that you mention it, I do kinda hear Cars when I hear Automatic!

He does play B-52s Rock Lobster these days so shows he likes them

Riverpoet31 said:

I think you pretty much nailed it! That's one for the ages.