optimus said:

That's more or less a tricky situation. It all depends on the general I suppose. I wouldn't mind if he did focus on one genre, but I can't get over the way people are saying what Prince should do to keep their interest and seem to feel like he still owes them another SOTT or Purple Rain (an album that made a major impact and put much of his catalog 2 shame) after the likes of the last three albums... for which the record, I love all of them, especially Planet Earth, which seems 2b taking most of the heat.

I was thinking the other day: it would be nice if Prince saved The Dance & Somewhere here on Earth for a different project with the same type of music that steers AWAY from guitar and focuses on music that could have been popular in the 40's and 50's, like what you see in those really old movies. The two are signifianct gems that are talked about a lot and mostly for being "too good" for the other material they're supposedly "thrown together" with.
I could even wait around for the next album and see if he could do another piano-based ballad that I could burn onto my own little mix.

But in the end, it's not quite the same as him putting out an album since those songs are subjectively on opposite poles.
I was suggesting that because it might be an interesting direction for him to go in. At the same time, though, I'm not going to go cavaliar and say I'd turn my back on him if he didn't do things the way I wanted him.

The music is ultimately him expressing himself the only way he knows how and just as we go through different moods on a 24-hour clock, Prince is the same way and you can't get out different moods in one genre. And like L4OA said, Prince is about funk, not rock. Rock will always be a part of him since he puts his into the album in at least one song where its the main attraction... but funk is where his roots lie.

Being the complex being he is, Prince probably doesn't have the capability of even sticking to one genre without fudging the boundaries just a little bit. Just look at his more homogeneous albums for more proof. Musicology & Come are more or less one genre within the album, but he slips different ones [like with Musicology, he goes from funk to rock to jazz, etc.] into them because that's just who he is.

Prince is more than capable of laying down a rock album, that would knock us off our stools, the most widely spoken about aftershow in yrs was exactly that, P even threw sample of that show on his JOTW feature at 3121.

One thing I could imagine P doing is a mutiple disc album, with each disc focused on a particular gerne that P has mastered. But, I cant see him ever doing that, to P that would be utter boredom. ATWIAD after PR is a testement to that

But that is why we dig him

L4OATheOriginal said:

how in the name of Jaysus did i miss this one

28th, dont forget

Whitnail said:

Yep. Release it. Job done.

SquirrelMeat said:

I am listening to it right now

hey squirrel, great to see you back

Whitnail said:

I've been off having a "Prince break"! It helps me love the stuff even more when I slap it back on!

28th, probably the best version of Empty Room, EVER!!!!!

Whitnail said:

Na! Good, but never as good as the version on the opening night of the London ONA shows!

SquirrelMeat said:

looks like i have to do a search,

Let the hunt begin

now THIS would be worth my $10!! I would LOVE to see such an album!

txladykat said:

hearing it would be better, trust me

Whitnail said:

what else was on the '28th' ?

FlamingRaindrop said:

Thank you for talkin' to me Africa
Anotherloverholeinyohead
All Shook Up
Calhoun Square
I Like It There
Chaos and Disorder
Empty Room
Sexuality (renamed Spirituality)
Johnny B Good
Elephants and Flowers
When Will We B Paid
Alphabet Street
Baby Love
Guitar

compliments from HQ

BTW another great show was 1st of september

Whitnail said:

That's not as cheesy as it should be. I'm running the lyrics through my head and it actually makes sense for the most part...wierd
Tora must do a search now.

Whitnail said:

Awesome, sounds like it'd be a great show to hear, very guitar heavy...
Not on torrent, bugga

Never, because it'd be too well received.

a wise person once said my signature.

muirdo said:

Exactly. Casual listeners are rarely mesmerized by bland R&B he's put out lately like Future Baby Mama & the like. They notice Prince & his talent when he shreds through on guitar like he did at the Super Bowl last year or on Fury when he performed on SNL. If he wants his music to be heard by more people, he should make it interesting to listen to.

viewaskew said:

Wonders will never cease, I actually agree with you on that one

Whitnail said:

i don't have that one yet but i'm in the process of getting it. i don't mind prince on guitar at all. but 2 have that on every track would get boring and the longing 4 a funk jam 2 come on.

Whitnail said:

c now u setting me up 4 a big let down cause 4 me the best ever was done at paisley during the celebration in 2002

muirdo said:

and a wise person said it earlier in this thread, that focusing on one genre is not prince's style and would divide his fan base even more. prince is 1st and 4most a funk artist.

L4OATheOriginal said:

Is that the version where he has the story about finding the hair of his ex in the bathroom?

tricky99 said:

I keep forgetting Prince told us this Ok Prince.....CO s m ic dd aa y . 8cough* ....loove and....*cough* SeX *ACHOO* i wannit...

I think the problem is its not up to us 2 decide what he relases and what hes not 2(and never will thank god) i geniunley love all Princes albums(well the 27 i own and hav heard) its up 2 the artist what he wants 2 release and u always get people saying about great musicians that hav bin around 4 a long"well its now where near as good as there old stuff' i enjoy all of Princes music i even loved Planet Earth,I think the problem with People is they dont like 2 see there fav artists evolve or change musicaly.I know his music has changed since he went into a J.W with lyrics less Dirty etc yadda yadda and 2 be honest i dont think many musicians(even P) can make new sounds or do something new,simply beacause theres so much out there now it seems to be getting harder,also new artists and music 2day(well mostly) is as about as intresting to me as yesterdays shit! Im sure that P could do another album thats Rock orientated like Purple Rain but we forget hes bin there and got the t-shirt.Lastly if all them legends that hav bin around 25 yrs + and P are happy doing the music THEY want to do then frankly so am I .because they hav worked hard for many years and they deserve 2 do what they want 2 do,not what WE want them to do also even if the next was a great album 90% of fans would still moan cause its in are nature to find flaws.especially for an artist who is prolific and bin around as long as P - thank you - peace
[Edited 2/5/08 9:07am]

optimus said:

back in the day when SOTT was released, one of the best reviews described it as "flawed and slightly unfocused", Q magazine, while going on to say it was basically the best album of all time

Whitnail said:

yes but all great work has flaws dont u think? its just people make out as if his later efforts hav 2 many all people do on here is moan about how crap this is or we want an album like this,luckly 4 me tho ive bin a fan 4 only 2 years,so maybe thats y im not as criticall cuz i didnt grow up in the Purple Rain years and cuz i wasnt around when his older stuff was out maybe thats y i dont compare it to his later stuff.altho his older stuff is better i still dont hav anyhing bad 2 say about his new stuff apart from a few songs maybe,but im just a fan not the musician/singer/song-writer genius like P is so i hope he just carrys on doing his own thing
[Edited 2/5/08 9:39am]
[Edited 2/5/08 9:41am]

optimus said:

There is alot of truth in that, I personally enjoy the views of the new fans, for the simple reason is that they appreciate P´s music from a totally different angle and sometimes bring up things that older fans have missed out on

thanks

Whitnail said:

and just the shared xpression on everyone's face when he started singing the 1st line then pure pandemonium

he got a standing O that night 4 just doing that song