Im always getting into arguments with friends about what a great guitarist prince is they just dont believe me when I say he is definitely one of if not the best guitarist in the world. Then I always get a list of names back about who they think is the best guitarist in the world some Ive heard of some I havent. How do you think prince rates against these guitarists.

Joe Satriani, alex laiho , George Benson, Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Gary Moore.

Just as a side note has prince ever done a cover of Beat it I wonder if he can play the solo because Ive never seen him doing any fret tapping I dont think hes bothered mastering that particular technique.

i sincerely hope he has never done a cover of Beat It

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[Edited 5/6/08 8:25am]

It never ceases to amaze me why Prince as a guitarist is such an issue. Prince has to be the only guitarist who is well known that is constantly challenged on how good he is or isn't. U NEVER hear other known guitarists constantly questioned or challenged about their ability. And it's not just "other people" who aren't fans either. It's constantly questioned on this site. P has been featuring rock guitar since his debut in 1978. That's 30 years. P is the only rock guitarist to actually showcase his rock guitar playing in a motion picture since 1984. At least on that grand of a scale anyways. There is NO reason for people to STILL be wondering or questioning or challenging Prince's skills on the guitar. If ANYONE still to this day doesn't know that P can blaze on guitar by now, then he ihas either been living under a seriously huge stone or he is in major denial. Even folks who don't like Prince's music knows he can play. People who are always wondering about where P rates among other guitarists usually has a jealousy issue concerning Prince. It bothers people that P is such a dynamic performer and an excellent musician on other instruments. AND he's such a great vocalist AND he's such a great songwriter. AND he's been so popular. Prince has made a SERIOUS impression on this culture. In some ways that no other artist has. There are artists that people love...but there aren't many living artists that straight out "impresses" people because of their talent. P has been one of those artists. He is known for that as much as he is anything else. So the jealousy factor comes up and it's always targeted towards what impresses people the most, or what bothers people the most about Prince; Is that he can seriously rock on his axe. If people were at peace with it, it simple would not be discussed as much as it is. U don't ever see people questioning P's piano playing. How come there are never discussions about him and Elton, Billy Joel, etc and who's better? He's great on the bass. Never is it questioned where P ranks against Bootsy, Graham, etc. And the reason for that is because it doesn't bother people that P is a good bassist or a good pianist. They are simply not jealous of that so it's not brought up. But over and over and over about P's guitar playing....it's not about how good P is and where he ranks against others. because it's always a matter of opinion and taste. Just like it was long before P ever picked up a guitar.

Some great points there blackguitarist. I think there is definitely a snobbishness from the rock world to prince because he isnt an out and out rock artist but a mixture of styles. With regards to his piano playing he is good but is he really great I dont know because he really doesnt play it much I mean apart from the lovesexy tour what else is there to go on? just a few bits here and there. I think there are far more better pianists than prince compared to guitarists so thats why its never been an issue.
[Edited 5/5/08 10:54am]
[Edited 5/5/08 10:58am]

rolling said:

Well, P showcased his great piano playing on some of the 1999 tour and definately on the Purple Rain tour as well. I don't think there are simply many people who were actually around on this site back when P was at his most popular. And even as early as P's second album in 79, the Hendrix comparison in the media was there. That followed P all through his live shows. And well it should have. Point being, I don't believe there was any snobbishness from the rock world regarding P as a guitarists. Certainly not from it's musicians. Many rock artists from the 80's respected P as a guitarist and thought it was cool that P featured rock in his funk/pop sound. During 84 and 85 when P ruled the world with Purple Rain, he was featured often in Creem magazine. A leading rock publication at that time. Many rockers in the 80's could relate to P's imagery because P was already on the "glam" tip even then. It wasn't about P being compared to Van Halen or Randy Rhoads. That was a non issue. P was doing his own thing and cats knew it. Many respected P because he was able to take his rock to the big screen and made a killin' off of it. Something that Ratt, Quiet Riot and Van Halen simply had not done. To think the music world, especially the rock world, didn't go see the film and the Purple Rain tour....man, everybody had their eye on Prince. Michael had the rock world's eye in 82, 83 because of Van Halen's solo on Beat It. Which was a given of massive airplay on rock stations. That's why Michael did it. Rock stations and MTV couldn't play it enough. Same case with Prince but with an even deeper impact cuz P actually played his own rock guitar solos. On albums, in the film and live on stage. MTV wore Prince out. There was no question about P's guitar skills in the 80's. Tha's why for people to still be on this "Is Prince Any Good?"....that's about something else.

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[Edited 5/6/08 8:26am]

CosmicDancer said:

Thanx....

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[Edited 5/6/08 8:26am]

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Tame said:

Well, that's TWO things that u like that is part of my name. Hmmm....

Some people are non-believers when it comes down to P's guitar skills. It used to bother me when I looked in guitar mags (back in the 80's) and never saw any writeups or interviews w/ P, Dez, Jesse..(or Ernie Isley, or the P-Funk guys..but that's for another thread). He really didn't get props until the mid 90's and after in those mags.

A lot of my guitar playing metalhead peers put P's image before his guitar skills and quickly wrote him off w/out hearing a note. And these were the same cats that were into Yngwie..(a man who also wore eyeliner, platform boots, leopard skin coats, ruffled shirts and spandex)...go figure. That all changed after "P.R." came out.

I remember reading that Steve Vai jammed with him at Paisley in the late 80's but Steve never got a copy of the tape. I would love to hear that.

rolling said:

I take it you haven't heard the One Nite Alone solo piano album then (not to be confused the live box set)...some excellent, excellent piano playing on that...particularly the first two tracks

As for guitar...i've heard both Vai and Satriani mention how they like Prince in interviews over the years. Satriani's 'guitar Secrets' book mentions him a few times. And at a Vai gig i went in Nottingham Vai said 'I just want to be Prince!' ...i'm serious!

off to see satch next week in Brum! can't wait

cloudguitar said:

Yep,...it's no secret that Vai and Satriani digs P's playing. So does Clapton, David Gilmour, Santana, Brian May, Stevie Stevens, Slash, Paul Stanley & Neal Schon. Just to name a few. All of those players are from different styles and different periods. Which just goes to show the versatility P has as a guitarist.

I don't feel qualified to say anything because I'm no musician but,
watching him play the guitar solo on "Creep", I was awed watching
him play so skillfully and passionately, all the while thinking about how
someone mentioned that he makes it look so easy.
He plays from his soul!

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[Edited 5/5/08 17:52pm]

Prince is the best living guitarist. Period. Everyone is so goddamn technical. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Alexi Laiho, are all so technical. The only people who could even be in the same realm with P (form that list) is Eddie Van Halen up until Van Halen 1984, and Jimmy Page in his early days upto Physical Graffiti

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[Edited 5/6/08 8:27am]