There's been a lot of love in the org for the Isleys.
Comparing P's guitar playing to Ernie's...
But I can't remember Prince ever playing an Isley song, mentioning them, or any of P's musicians saying they were a direct influence.

Does anybody know anything about this?
Do we know that P listened to the Isleys, or how he regarded them?

Hmm...

There are many artists that P doesn't list as influences. But there is no way P wasn't hip to The Isleys. They were TOO huge in the 70's and Ernie Isley, along with Eddie Hazel, was the premire black guitarist of the 70's. The Isleys got major airplay (much more than Funkadelic did overall) and Ernie's Hendrix drenched guitar solos were very prominent in the Isley's sound. No way P didn't pick up on that. They were doing what P himself would go on to do, incorporating rock into funk grooves. Yeah, P was influenced by the Isley Brothers.

I agree he had to listen to them, and must have been influenced.
But it's just odd that his band has never mentioned this in an interview, he's never played their music, and never appeared (or is known to have jammed) with any of them.
Or am I wrong???...

twistee said:

I don't know of any jamming with the Isleys or if he's mentioned them either. But again, like I said earlier, there are several people who influenced P and he has never mentioned them. I don't find it odd though. Many times when P mentions an artist, it's because either he is working with that artist or the person giving the interview ask P about an artist. Otherwise, it's not going to find it's way into the conversation to even come up.

The Isleys had a BIG impact on P. "Go For Your Guns" and "3 + 3" I'm sure were discs that P played heavily in his youth. P's flanged lead solos definetly have the Ernie stamp all over them ("Pink Cashmere").

Have you ever heard "Summer Breeze"? I'd LOVE to hear Prince hit that guitar.

Oh yes. P would do justice to "Summer Breeze'.

I tend to assume that Prince has met a lot of musicians...I would be surprised if there is anyone Prince hasn't met...even though he may not have worked with them.

If there was no Jimi hendrix, There would be no Ernest Isley. Jimi taught Ernie everything.

whos that lady, can you imagine if he ever did this at an aftershow even.

Come to think of it imagine any act doing this song - true to the original

IAintTheOne said:

There's no denying Jimi's huge influence on Ernie as a guitarist. It's doubtful that he actually taught him anything. By Ernie's own account he didn't start teaching himself to play until a few years after Hendrix tenure as a sideman with the Isley's ended. Ernie has cited Jose Feliciano as an initial inspiration to play the guitar.