Prince has been in the recording industry for over 30 years. In that span of time, he has released enough music to account for five careers by any lesser artist. And this isn't accounting for the horde of unreleased material.

I have for some time gone with the notion that Prince fans are the most spoiled lot of the bunch. Mush has been given... yet many of us 'demand' so much more. I saw a thread where a lot of fans are complaining about his celeb after parties.. yet they seam to forget the literally thousands of after sets he has thrown for his fans during the course of his career... for his fans.

IMO... at 50... has he not earned some time to do things for himself rather than 'always' for the fans? If he wants to party with his peers sometimes... hasn't he earned the right?

My primary question is directed towards those who complain most about this 'neglect' of his fans as well as to those who would suggest that the last decade of musical output fails to satisfy.

Do you think Prince should or should have , for all practical purposes, retired? Since his albums are supposedly, no longer any good... should he simply do as other artist with his tenure in the business and simply stop making them? He has enough 'hits'... he could simply ride off the glory of his past albums during his twilight years... right?

Since he isn't doing anything for his fans... since he isn't making good music... shouldn't he simply just stop?

p.s.
I'm not wanting to get into any issues concerning copyrights and all that jazz as I know many fan's view of him ties into those issues. But that remains a separate discussion all together..

Prince will never retire from inspiration that leads him to create new music...however I can imagine that Prince would get tired.
At some point Prince should be ready to just let go of the non-stop business end of things and smell the roses with someone that loves him.

nah !!!! prince is not ready to retired cos he not finish with u all yet...
tht man got more funk up in his sleeves tht u ever knw...
prince will retired when he is ready but not now ,,,,

he too much of a music person and got tht much love for his music.....
u just got to give tht man time to make or bring something good or better.....
it will come all in his own time.... give tht man a break
he wont retire just yet.....he will when he reali is tired or had enough to keep up.....
look at madonna she didnt retire so why should he.....!!!!!

Tame said:

lm sure he will smell the roses with someone tht truly loves him and adore him ....

..prince proceeds in modes..he life..he can soon find what is his...heaven above knows..prince has a connection that is so powerful so faint that ONLY the keen understand..

..mzsexybaby'sigue feliz(LIVE)HECTOR LAVOE

I don't think he will retire. Music is his first love.

Prince can't retire. Social Security doesn't kick in until he's 65.

yeah tht so true tht prince do have a connection tht is powerful
only the one who knws abt it and understands

I don't think he ever will either.

PRINCE NEVER WILL RETIRE, IMPOSSIBLE! HE LOVES MUSIC

zucris said:

Reading the early responses so far... I think peeps are answering the question of 'will' or 'would' he retire.

I'm more interested in 'should' he

I personally think that Prince would be 98 tapping out a mad beat with his cane before he actually retires.

But should he since he ain't making good music anymore nor is he catering to his fan base.

..how can u just shut-down who u r ..if movement in life is what makes u haapy in a whole then by all means,keep going ..when prince decides 2 remove himself from the industry ..NO ..I am so selfish!..prince shouldn't retired if he wants 2 keep creating the beautiful magical way of time..keep going bigdaddi
..mzsexybaby

Why should he retire? He loves music, loves to create it, loves to perform it.
I think he himself said that if he stops creating music he will die. I think his music has gotten better with age. I for one will always buy his music, I will always support him as an artist.
[Edited 2/12/09 17:20pm]

BigDaddyHQ said:

Shoulda, coulda, woulda?

I don't think so. Prince's last few albums from Musicology on have been some of the best he's ever done. He's on a creative streak, IMO, and I think he should ride it out before he thinks of retiring.

I'll wait to hear the new album before I start reserving judgement on whether Prince should retire. And if he's still got music in him, bring it on!

BigDaddyHQ said:

Fans SHOULD be supporting always their idol against the odds

shipoffools said:

Not really agreing on the fact that his latest albums have been all that great, certainly not PE, but there are always some nice gems in there. I have no expectations about his new material as I did before, but am still curious enough to find those few song that do interest me. Lyrically though, there hasn't been that many songs worth remembering... unfortunately.

So for me, no; let him make music as I can't imagine him not to, and enjoy what you get out of it.

There's still Tom Jones

zobilamouche said:

BigDaddyHQ said:

I feel he has given us plenty but its soo good we always want more and do not appear that grateful when we get it. For me personally I feel that even albums that other think are below par always contain interesting material. An artist can never stay the same they always have to challenge themself and try other things which I think P does all the time and its us that cannot accept changes.

I agree he has the right to party with whom he pleases and when he pleases I am grateful for what he has shared with me.

BigDaddyHQ said:

Just kidding
Love me some Ella though...

luv4u said:

And it will be his last
music of the future
and music of the past
to live without his music
would be impossible to do
'cause in this world of trouble
his music pulls me through
tadadadadad tadadada tadadadadadadadaaaaa

Retire from what? Music = Life

Prince will never retire. The man is not able to live without making music.
For all those people out there who think he should have retired, they don't have to listen to his music!
Prince forever!!!
Case closed!

No not retire but maybe take some time out...

I was glad for him when he mentioned after the 3121 run that he would be taking some time out for reflection and bible study, love, life.. raising chickens whatever... as its unlikely that any human can do the same thing day in and day out for 30+yrs and not get alittle burned out or suffer a creative block (no matter how much you love what they do)

I'd assumed that he would actually take some time to regroup. but it doesnt seem as if he did well not for any reasonable amount of time... It was just a few months after all the web sheriff malarkey that he started appearing on stage or giving parties in New York and soon after started the LA party scene which continues.

I'm looking forward to 2 of the albums scheduled for this year, Maybe he has taken all the time he needed to regroup, we will soon know once the albums drop.

Prince did retire. About 20 years ago around the time of his feud with WB. He issued a public statement that essentially said he was going the amateur route. He said he wouldn't put that max effort in any more. And if you look at his work since that time, it shows.

Prince is an arrogant lazy mofo coasting by on his reputation, who ultimately thinks he's better than the rest of us, but at the end of the day still wants as much of our money as he can get his greedy purple paws on. So he dogs us out on one hand but then tries to watch his words, and plays to our memories when it's get-money-time.

I laughed when I saw Beyonce wearing the Parade t shirt, and Kim Kardashian in the Purple Rain T-shirt. C'mon Prince... you think you are too good to play most of that music or associate with the artists that worked with you on it. But you are ready to pretend you give a damn for the dollars. Just retire.

Totally retarded thread.

So Prince is completly crap and can't do no right.

Answer is (despite albums like Musicology and PE I really don't dig) that Prince has achieved some great stuff for the last 8 years:
- TRC => one of his best work ever. Amazing musicianship and imagination throughout.
- ONA Tour => amazing gigs, amazing band. Just woaw.
- N.E.W.S, Xpectation, One Nite Alone : whether you like these cds or not, that's an artist going forward trying to find new paths. Fresh air.
- Musicology Tour: great success.
- RHOF induction: shall I mention While my Guitar's solo?
- 21 Nights at the O2: for anyone who was there, we have seen some amazing shows and aftershows. i.e the Power Trio will never be forgotten

So obviously there are many things I haven't liked at all like the albums Musicology and PE and all the JW crap but what Prince is capable of right now is still impressive.

Moreover, as a guitar player myself, I really think Prince's gonna reach his golden age soon and will be seen as a great guitar hero. His guitar work right now has never been so good. In fact Prince plays even better now than I would have ever imagined he could.
I'm pretty sure he's gonna blow our heads off with his guitar stuff in the following years (and I would not be surprised if it happened with LotusFlow3r as what I have heard so far is very promising).

BigDaddyHQ said:

no

YES.

i definately think he should've a LONG time ago.
either that, or do what Sade does and release a REALLY GOOD ALBUM like every 8-10 years. he'll always write and create, but the majority of the stuff that comes out of his head these days should stay in the vault.

he wont retire until the money quits coming in ...








and another reason he wont retire ...




because hes a true





.
[Edited 2/13/09 8:28am]
[Edited 2/13/09 8:29am]

Should Prince retire? Absolutely not, well not unless he wanted to. If Prince still feels the need to record music, let alone release it to the general public, then why not? For every person who thinks he should quit, there's another who thinks he should keep on going. He makes music for the one who wants him to go on, not the one who thinks he should quit. Most importantly, he makes music for himself and as long as he stays true to himself and does what he believes is right for himself, then he should continue to stay true to himself and just do him. As long as he keeps on making music, it'll be good for the majority of us in here.