GoldiLocks said:

Apollonia 1 ( couldn't stand that tricks singing it like hear a cat getting hit by a fucking car)
Morris Day 5
Jerome 4
Wendy 5
Lisa 4
Tamar 2
Twinz 4
Vanity 5

I think I've heard too many people say that you learn so much by working with Prince that you must include alot of his prior band mates. I would say he invested artistically alot in:

Sheila E. 5
Mayte 5 (on and off stage)
Jill Jones 3
Terry and Jimmy 3 (There's an interview, Tavis I think, where they comment on rehearsal where Prince basically makes them play, dance, and sing simultaneously
by asking why aren't you doing this or that...but they appreciated it eventually)
[Edited 10/27/07 19:28pm]

NastradumasKid said:

Boy you sure don't mince words, girl! And you sure don't like Apollonia for real.

I still think you cute, such a little tomboy! But you gotta stop swearing so much!

Eric Leeds; 10
Sheila E; 10
The Time; 10
Jill Jones; 10

And for the rest? Most people just get the Prince-stamp. The "fit-into-Prince's-latest-sexual-fantasy"-thing. It was more fun when they at least mush him musically, like the above people.

Jill Jones is special; she made his material 'hers', what not many people could. Peeps like Vanity or Apollonia were interchangable. I think Brenda was heart of that trio.

The last interesting person that at least got some interesting music out of Prince, but alas no hit was Ingrid Chavez. And maybe Martika. But he just stole her stuff and she was big-hearted about it. He tried to do the same with Sandra St Victor, but she made a noise. I like Sandra. Beautiful song he stole from her, btw.

And Wendy & Lisa invested in Prince, btw. They were just backing musicians that dared to stand up to him and opened his mind to other music he was listening to, therefor opening him up to more influences. Their solo material is so much more aluring than Prince's stuff since 1995.

I wish Chelsea would tie him up and make him listen to Justice, The Handsome Furs and Björk.

HamsterHuey said:

appreciate hearing your point of view.
had forgotten the reality that student/teacher relationships often work both ways.
thank you.

GoldiLocks said:

And often resulting in the best work; people often call W&L's influence on him to be exagerated and maybe it is. But thing is that while playing with them and The Revolution, Prince crafted his most powerful, interesting, diverse music of his entire career, which I think stems from being inspired by and being spurred on by a good team of musicians. Let's not forget Sheila E and her band, who I think propelled him into the general direction of Parade.

Eric Leeds' input has also been an interesting one. Him bing the firstfull time musician playing an instrument Prince does not play himself, adding a very sexy flaour to Prince's music. I loved how they bounce off on eachother musically, resulting in one great Madhouse album, a so-so Madhouse album and the divine Times Squared, on which I think the two full-fledged Prince songs are the weakest.

HamsterHuey said:

excellent album.
it was great to see him play w/Sheila in Vegas this year.
at least a few of his musical relationships have remained over the years.
her interview on 3121 said she planned to continue to make music w/him in the future.
their opening selection of "Love Bizarre" was friggin' surreal in March.