Both ATWIAD and Parade have it

I'm kinda new to The Beatles, just starting collecting some of their works all but recently.

So far, I don't see any of their influence on him at all.

People have compared the great "Sgt Pepper" album to ATWIAD... that pretty much ruined that Beatles album for me for the first 3-4 listens I dont know what people are talking about... they sound nothing alike.

I'll have to listen to The Beatles a lot more b4 I can really see if they influenced him at all.

considering the fact that Prince is said to not have been familiar with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and had to listen to a tape of it days before the induction ceremony for George Harrison in order to play with Eric Clapton,
I'd say....no.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

BlackAdder7 said:

I didn't know that.

Also I never heard Prince's take. I'm not into the "ahdio" visual experience...

I think I have seen a show on tv for 6 months or so.
[Edited 3/31/08 17:09pm]

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

I'd say the music of Parade has more in common with Sergeant Pepper than ATWIAD.

I've never looked 4 the similarity...and if it's there, I'm sure it is at a heart level moreso than a technical level.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

I don't get it either! I don't see the psychadelic influence everyone is talking about

For me there is certainly some Beatles influence on ATWIAD. There is also a quote in one of the Rolling Stone articles/interviews with Prince, where the writer talks to some locals in Minneapolis who state that Prince came in to a local record store and bought the Hey Jude/Revolution 45. The article came out around the time the album came out and I was struck by the similar sound of Paisley Park and the fast version of Revolution. So at least on this one track there was some clear and direct influence. Otherwise I agree that the Beatles influence is more likely reflected in Prince's production style of the time than the music itself. That's one of the elements of Prince's (any musicians) genius is to be open to influence but have it inspire their own original art.

I once listened to one of the earlier Beatles albums and Purple Rain back-to-back, and I definitely heard a Beatle-esque vibe in "Take Me With U," but I can't talk about specifics, it was just the vibe of it. If not just the Beatles, there is a definite 60's vibe in some Prince stuff, even up to "Dinner With Delores'...

I think that whole Beatles vibe was brought to him by Wendy and Lisa. They brought him that acoustic psychedelic/pop sound that I haven't heard from him since.

Prince is so random and varied in his style, that you could possibly pick out ANY other artists 'influence'
Is this not true?
I would have said that Wendy and Lisa brought the influence of the Beatles to Prince, through their input.(?)

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Actually, I believe that the The Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' album is the one that is similar in sound and theme to 'ATWIAD' more than 'Sgt. Peppar'. At least thats what some people have said.

BlackAdder7 said:

I hear the Beatles all over some of Prince's work. No question!

I don't believe for one second that he wasn't familiar with the George Harrison song. You're not telling me that a musician like Prince did not know a great song like While My Guitar Gently Weeps? I'm sure he was familiar with the song, just didn't know how to play it.

I don't believe that they had any influence whatsoever, not directly anyway.

I do believe that there are similarities though, and because of this it is natural to believe that he listened to their music.....which I doubt.

There was much more interesting stuff out at the time like Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament, Hendrix, James Brown etc.....compared to quality artist like them, the Beatles are just some soppy 60's version of ABBA!!!!!

I doubt Prince wasted his time on them.

Z E R O

I seriously doubt that ANY funk artist would list the Beatles as in influence.

Around the World in a Day is often cited as being beatlesque, albeit, it's probably coincidental that it was Princes "St. Pepper's" album. And probably due largely to his desire to break away from being trapped into doing a "Purple Rain pt 2".

I would imagine much of the 80's work was peppered with Lisa and Wendy's influence too rather than anything from the Beetles. Though I don't really know.

I've never even read one of those Prince biographies yet.

Wendy & Lisa exposed Prince to a lot of classical, Beatles and Joni Mitchell.

On the Purple Rain tour, Prince it was reported that Prince stopped at a tower records and bought the complete works of the Beatles in one go.

It might not be true, but the next Album was ATWIAD.....

MikeMatronik said:

Prince did not play with Eric Clapton at that induction ceremony. I'd say that you need to check your facts.

MikeMatronik said:

The pop-psychedelia on these two records is undeniable. Since The Beatles essentially created that sound, it's influence on Prince, either directly (in that he used their work as a direct inspiration) or indirectly (in that it came to him filtered through other artists), is clear.

mentalist said:

You're an idiot. Hopefully this absurd claim is not made just because you want to feel that Prince could learn nothing from white musicians?

No...but the same people that influenced P were those that the Beatles jacked

Dance said:

Berry's influence on them is well documented, as it was on The Stones, but The Beatles' sound was well established before Sly & the Family Stone & Jimi.

viewaskew said:

1. Remember how old P is

2. My point is still the same
[Edited 4/1/08 20:30pm]

Yep, those two ladies together weakened his style forever afterwards.

Graycap23 said:

George Clinton did.

Dance said:

The Beatles did not 'jack' anything from anyone. They were INFLUENCED by other artists just like ALL musicans are. How can any music artist not be influenced by artists that came before them? The Beatles then went on to create music that was totally different from the early rock and roll artists that influenced them.

Dance said:

And you are still wrong.

The Beatles learned from what came before them & made something new. Exactly what Prince did. Although before them, The Beatles did not have any examples of the masterful pop songwriting that they themselves would leave as a legacy. That's one of many reasons they'll be remembered long after Prince passes out his last copy of The Watchtower.

viewaskew said:

Ooooh Beatles fan are you?

The Beatles actual talent is shrouded in the hysteria that surrounded their fame!

The only time their music or their individual personalities show any interest were when they were off their faces on drugs - which is actually relavent to alot of stars - its just other stars did it better!

Stones, Who, Bowie, Bolan, Lynott, Iggy Pop were all more enigmatic in personality and a hell of alot more experimental and interesting musically.

Don't get me wrong, I do like alot of the Beatles music for the generic pop that it is - they have some good stuff, but genius it isn't.