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So "he's not what he used 2 b" & olskool haters vs nu-skool lovers debate, etc. Is Prince as innovative as he was in the 80's when he was paving the way 4 the whole world of pop-music? Of course not.
So what? Does it mean that Prince releases absolute crap? Certainly not. So WHY exactly is there a debate here? What happens here is what happened 2 just EVERY musician who lived over 40 years. Is David Bowie as innovative as he was in the 70's? Was Frank Zappa as relevant in the late 80's as he was in the 70's? What was James Brown offering that was really innovative after the early 80's? And Stevie Wonder? And George Clinton after 1990? Even Miles Davis who reinvented himself until the end: who can claim that "Amandla" paved the way 4 any new music the way "Bitches Brew" did? And look at the 90's greatest innovator? What are Tricky, Aphex Twin and Björk doing right now? Great music, sure, but is it revolutionnary as it used 2? Certainly not! Even Bill Laswell, despite always being trying new things and stuff, kinda xplored everything he could xplore by now. All these artists kept releasing very decent music all over the years, but they were not the new, experimental, thing anymore. So yeah, sometimes a musician is struck by a late carreer glimpse of sheer genius and fresh innovation (often by a younger producer, too): that's what happened with Bowie's "Earthling" or Miles Davis' "Doo Bop", and that might happen with Prince next year or in 5 years. So what? Should we trash every musician after they get 40 just because they lost an edge and don't pave the way 4 others anymore? Should we blame them because they developped a personnal style that they now want 2 xplore deeper and deeper, trying 2 explore every possible aspect of it? So no, Prince hasn't released something that was as shocking as "1999" since perhaps "Lovesexy". Still, we're all still here and there's a reason 4 that: he's never turned in2 a soulless-empty-hits-maker like Paul Mc.Cartney or Elton John or Sting or Carlos Santana have at some moments in their careers. Prince does HIS thing. Sometimes it's still wonderful, sometimes it's just cool, very xceptionnally it can b really bad. But it's still much better than most of the top-40 shit u can hear every day on the radio. The thing is that Prince is not a messiah so please quit (nu-skool kids) saying he's still what he used 2 and (old-skool veterans) please quit saying that he's ridiculous 4 not being so. He was not sent 2 earth 2 revolution music until the day he dies. Neither were the Beatles, Bowie nor Björk. And besides he owes us nothing. Nor does any artist in the world owe anything 2 anywone. Artists do their thing the way they do it because it sounds like a good idea at the time they're doing it. People grow old, develop their own thing and sometimes like 2 break their mold just 2 make sure they can if they want 2 (that's what Prince did with "N.E.W.S." in 2003, which didn't sound like a Prince album at all), but eventually they come back 2 it. Prince has found his "sound", it evolves much more slowly that it did b4 but it keeps evolving, and someday he'll record "something with flutes" and possibly that'll b too cool. Or not. Peace. [Edited 4/16/09 19:52pm] | |
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Lotus Flow3r/MPLS is his Time Out Of Mind. His Some Girls. His Heathen. His Brando/Godfather return. | |
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xlr8r said: Lotus Flow3r/MPLS is his Time Out Of Mind. His Some Girls. His Heathen. His Brando/Godfather return.
That's a very personnal point of view. And i actually LOVE the 3 new albums, they're full of great things. But they don't really add anything new 2 Prince's musical vocabulary. & SO WHAT? | |
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i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. | |
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I personally think its sad and typical for people to fear change. You would think for some of the "old schoolers" that were rocking to Prince rebelliously before I was even born, they would continue to hold it down for him today. I mean, Prince wasnt the flavor that everyone loved back in the day but he paid his dues and people who loved him from the start, road the rollercoaster of awesomeness with P when he was at a high in his career and some even decided to stick around when he was at a low during some of the nineties. Why question his musical diversity? Why be disgruntled of his freedom of expression and choice? Why declare since he isnt the meteoric mega commercial pop star he was during the 80's, he's washed up? Are you aware you are now the nagging lame who aint funky enough to understand and appreciate him for who he is as an artist, a man, a human being with emotions and ridiculously undeniable talent?
Why hate on fans like myself who dont give a damn if you dont agree with me and my thoughts about his music, performances and actions? I've noticed it boils the blood of some on here when God forbid, a person decides to disagree with their negative POV about anything regarding P. Get over it!  There are some of us who still like him regardless of what you may think about it! If we can deal with you hating everything he does with ease, you gonna have to find a way too!  I can honestly say I never get involved in the heated discussions here because it is fruitless, and besides, it aint making me erase any Prince music off my playlist! I recognize he is a person who is entitled to say or do amazing or foolish things and carry on as he pleases in life and musically, so it appalls me when I read and sense the true bashing of an artist I've come to admire and expect for others before me to have even more so!
If you think about it, he is exactly how "he used to be" because, who he is as an artist will either make a fan completely addicted or reject him altogether.  &  | |
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Anxiety said:
i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned.
I really like what you've said here. It's exactly what I think, but am never able to put into words. his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "Lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is.
I agree that "lotusflow3r" is not in the same league as "SOTT" or "Purple Rain", and could never be as endearing to me as those two. But imagine the three CD set being released, as is, by a new unknown artist, or someone that you would never expect it from. Would you not be very impressed, at least by the diverse musical palette of the three albums? I know I would. If someone let me listen to the new Justin Timberlake album, "Lotusflow3r", complete with Dreamer (Justin on guitar), 77 Beverly Park, and Dance 4 Me all on the same set, I would instantly become a fan. He is exactly who we thought he was | |
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Accujack said: Anxiety said:
i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned.
I really like what you've said here. It's exactly what I think, but am never able to put into words. his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "Lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is.
I agree that "lotusflow3r" is not in the same league as "SOTT" or "Purple Rain", and could never be as endearing to me as those two. But imagine the three CD set being released, as is, by a new unknown artist, or someone that you would never expect it from. Would you not be very impressed, at least by the diverse musical palette of the three albums? I know I would. If someone let me listen to the new Justin Timberlake album, "Lotusflow3r", complete with Dreamer (Justin on guitar), 77 Beverly Park, and Dance 4 Me all on the same set, I would instantly become a fan. God and so would i. I think u made a HUGE point here  | |
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Anxiety said: i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. very well put Anxiety.  | |
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madcapxtc said: God and so would i. I think u made a HUGE point here
Thanks, but no I didn't. Someone like stanleylieber will come along and pick it apart like a vulture.  He is exactly who we thought he was | |
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Accujack said: But imagine the three CD set being released, as is, by a new unknown artist, or someone that you would never expect it from. Would you not be very impressed, at least by the diverse musical palette of the three albums? I know I would. If someone let me listen to the new Justin Timberlake album, "Lotusflow3r", complete with Dreamer (Justin on guitar), 77 Beverly Park, and Dance 4 Me all on the same set, I would instantly become a fan. i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. | |
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Anxiety said: Accujack said: But imagine the three CD set being released, as is, by a new unknown artist, or someone that you would never expect it from. Would you not be very impressed, at least by the diverse musical palette of the three albums? I know I would. If someone let me listen to the new Justin Timberlake album, "Lotusflow3r", complete with Dreamer (Justin on guitar), 77 Beverly Park, and Dance 4 Me all on the same set, I would instantly become a fan. i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. This is a great comment because it showcases the fact that Prince inspires one to listen to his music based on familiarity. It's like you'd have to have already known his musical stylings to appreciate what he has to give nowadays. Even if it isnt a "masterpiece"...which personally I believe he has a handful of now...severely underrated because maybe some dont agree with lyrics? & | |
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Anxiety said: Accujack said: But imagine the three CD set being released, as is, by a new unknown artist, or someone that you would never expect it from. Would you not be very impressed, at least by the diverse musical palette of the three albums? I know I would. If someone let me listen to the new Justin Timberlake album, "Lotusflow3r", complete with Dreamer (Justin on guitar), 77 Beverly Park, and Dance 4 Me all on the same set, I would instantly become a fan. i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. Yeah that thing about the "next chapter" is true, i feel the same way. Now i gotta admit that i just LOVE artists who've emulated Prince's MPLS Sound with a contemporary touch (Nam:Live, Chromeo, Dirty Sanchez, Snax...) but most of these artists actually are neither r&b/hip-hop neither mainstream. So that's probably y i'd b really impressed if some rookie had released the 3 new albums. | |
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Anxiety said: i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. I likes me some gravey | |
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madcapxtc said: Anxiety said: i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. Yeah that thing about the "next chapter" is true, i feel the same way. Now i gotta admit that i just LOVE artists who've emulated Prince's MPLS Sound with a contemporary touch (Nam:Live, Chromeo, Dirty Sanchez, Snax...) but most of these artists actually are neither r&b/hip-hop neither mainstream. So that's probably y i'd b really impressed if some rookie had released the 3 new albums. Chromeo is IT!!!!!  Um, what do you think about GaGa? She credits P for influence...
"No matter what I came here to do...no matter what you came here to say...we really aint got no where to goooo. cuz your my TENDERONI!"  Love it![Edited 4/16/09 20:57pm] & | |
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CherrieMoonKisses said: Anxiety said: i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. This is a great comment because it showcases the fact that Prince inspires one to listen to his music based on familiarity. It's like you'd have to have already known his musical stylings to appreciate what he has to give nowadays. Even if it isnt a "masterpiece"...which personally I believe he has a handful of now...severely underrated because maybe some dont agree with lyrics? Anxiety's book chapter analogy and Woody Allen comparison are fantastic, and great examples of what makes it so easy for me to enjoy each new Prince album with no disappointments. I've had people say about certain songs; "You wouldn't like that if it wasn't Prince." Well, duh. There is a familiarity to Prince music that is always there, and is always viewed by me as another chapter of a book that I fell in love with years ago. He is exactly who we thought he was | |
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Mauve said: Anxiety said: i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. I likes me some gravey nothing wrong with some gravy. give me a biscuit, then gravy is my best friend. | |
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CherrieMoonKisses said: Anxiety said: i dunno. i think i have a different palette of expectations or i listen with a different ear when i play a prince album. if i bought, say, a beck album, and it had a song like 77 beverly park on it, i'd be like "WTF is this??!?" and i'd be reaching for the skip button. but for me, listening to something like "lotusflow3r", it's like reading a new chapter of a book, or reading the new harry potter or something. if you've been reading from the start, you can appreciate the new installment in a certain context. THAT i appreciate. i guess because it's familiar, or i guess because nobody can create exactly the same swirls of sound that prince does. meanwhile, if i picked up book six of the harry potter series without knowing anything about the stories, i'd be like "eh? this makes no sense. i don't care. this isn't for me." or maybe i'd be a little entertained, but not as much as someone who was a fan and had been waiting for that sixth book whenever it first came out. i feel the same way about prince albums these days as i do about woody allen movies. even if woody's movies aren't what they used to be when he was full of fire and crazy wit and passion, there's still something familiar to his movies that makes me at least want to check the latest one out...because i like the "brand" of a woody allen movie. if someone else tried to make a great woody allen movie as an homage or whatever, i'm sure i wouldn't give a damn. i'm not sure what my point is here. i guess it's just that i have a hard time putting prince's music on a track with other artists, or taking it outside of the context of what it is. it's very difficult for me to do. This is a great comment because it showcases the fact that Prince inspires one to listen to his music based on familiarity. It's like you'd have to have already known his musical stylings to appreciate what he has to give nowadays. Even if it isnt a "masterpiece"...which personally I believe he has a handful of now...severely underrated because maybe some dont agree with lyrics?   | |
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"RAGE!! You've got me in a state of RAAAGE...I be acting kinda STRAAANGE...I dont know how else to BEHAAAAVE....RAAAAGE!!"
I. love. CHROMEO.  & | |
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I posted the following just before in another thread. I would paraphrase, but cut/paste is tantalisingly too easy:
"Some people seem to hold up everything P did up to 1988 as 'Classic' material. Well, if fact he did record occasional crap back then, just like he did in the 90s, ....just like he does now. Now we could argue all day about how much and what kind of crap. That's fine; that's taste. But I get the distinct impression that as time rolls on, some orgers have less perspective on the 80's and can no longer make a rational judgements about comparing tracks from certain decades. It seems that if a track was recorded during the 'Classic' period, it already has a head start on anything that proceeds it. Not by virtue of it's quality, but simply because it was recorded before, or @ 1988; So it MUST be good." | |
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madcapxtc said: Now i gotta admit that i just LOVE artists who've emulated Prince's MPLS Sound with a contemporary touch (Nam:Live, Chromeo, Dirty Sanchez, Snax...) but most of these artists actually are neither r&b/hip-hop neither mainstream. So that's probably y i'd b really impressed if some rookie had released the 3 new albums. i think why a lot of non-mainstream dance acts have been able to embrace prince as an influence is because they're able to tap into the energy and rebellion of what makes/made him so great. sure it's derivative, but it's always cool when a band like chromeo "gets it" and it translates well to an audience. i don't know that lotusflow3r has the same fire in its belly as the classic prince albums these bands seem to emulate. if someone new created lotusflow3r, i'd be impressed, but i don't know if it would make me a convert to their music. | |
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Anxiety said: Mauve said: I likes me some gravey nothing wrong with some gravy. give me a biscuit, then gravy is my best friend. he's gots some butter for your muffin too | |
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Anxiety said: madcapxtc said: Now i gotta admit that i just LOVE artists who've emulated Prince's MPLS Sound with a contemporary touch (Nam:Live, Chromeo, Dirty Sanchez, Snax...) but most of these artists actually are neither r&b/hip-hop neither mainstream. So that's probably y i'd b really impressed if some rookie had released the 3 new albums. i think why a lot of non-mainstream dance acts have been able to embrace prince as an influence is because they're able to tap into the energy and rebellion of what makes/made him so great. sure it's derivative, but it's always cool when a band like chromeo "gets it" and it translates well to an audience. i don't know that lotusflow3r has the same fire in its belly as the classic prince albums these bands seem to emulate. if someone new created lotusflow3r, i'd be impressed, but i don't know if it would make me a convert to their music. "Ur my woman ffriiiiieennnnnd...baby your my woman friiiieeend....gonna take my tiiiiimmeeee" Such good stuff! & | |
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lemme see if I can put this right, first off I am not much the writer, more a lurker now. Back 10 years ago I was hot and heavy in the thick of things. From 1999 to 2004 I was so much a hugh fan and still am ..... but now... 10 years later I am not the same person, R U? I dont have the need to defend Prince, never had. BUT I do so enjoy his music. Is it the same 10 years ago I gotta say yeah it is but I have grown up and have different responsiblities. In a sense I can say Ive grown up,grown up with Prince. But so has Prince, and that's not a bad thing. As people grow so do their tastes. I cas honestly say I still appriciate every new Prince CD, just like a new Harry Potter Novel. But can I say I do as I did in 1984 when I was sooooo much younger and music may have meant a little more to me then. Who can say. Whos to JUDGE? [Edited 4/16/09 21:44pm] | |
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Anxiety said: i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. This couldn't be put better....well said Anxiety! There was a time in "history" where Prince literally defined music! It was an amazing time musically, but I cannot be the least bit unhappy that he still puts out new music....new music that I often enjoy today! People need to chill, and enjoy! Wake up!......Wake up! | |
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Wow. What a great and thoughtful thread. I think with all the music Prince has created we tend to lose perspective on the process. Prince is on a journey both musical and personal. We as fans have been able to track his growth, ups and downs, and thoughts thru the music he has produced.
Unlike most musical artists Prince has constantly given us a soundtrack to his life, our lives, and the very times we live in. That the constant output is for the most part very good is a plus. For almost every year of my life for the last 30 years I have had a sort of musical companion. I know this companion has flaws just as any man. Just as I do. But with all the pleasure he has given me (and continues too) I have no reason to be mad. Its all the anger and disrespect aimed at Prince that boggles my mind. If I felt the way some seem to about Prince I would simply disengage from him. Surely that would be the adult mature response. Some people seem to be in a dysfunctional relationship with Prince that they refuse to abandon. They rather defame him. Even brilliance gets old. A lot of fans and critics are so used to Prince’s gifts that they take them for granted, but there will be a time when all that will be left will be the music and the images. At that point people will have a better understanding on who and what Prince was. There is simply not another human being making music today who could do what Prince has done. I can’t even think of anyone who could do this latest 3 cd project. Like I always say Prince’s talent will always rub up against the musical limitations of his audience. | |
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Anxiety said: i'm not trying to compare or base expectations of prince's music now to what bowie or zappa or dylan or whoever did. i know we can draw similarities, but other artists have developed creatively in different ways than prince has developed, and there are things that i'm sure other artists would do to evolve that prince never will, and maybe even vice versa.
with prince's music nowadays, i'm happy to pick out moments from his songs that i can appreciate. what i keep hoping for is the same sense of genuineness, the same ability of music to transport me somewhere special, the same commitment to what he's singing, that drew me to his music in the first place. now, i don't expect that to ever happen again, but i'm not going to downplay what i think was truly great music just for the sake of "staying current". his new album is a speck of lint in the bellybutton of a giant like "purple rain" or "SOTT". that doesn't make "lotusflow3r" a horrible album. it just is what it is. i often wonder how many "masterpieces" an artist has in them. i don't think it's many. yet we expect every prince album to be a masterpiece. he's done his bit of genius. what he's doing now is just some gravy to sop up, as far as i'm concerned. I'm with you on that Anx. I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that | |
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Accujack said: madcapxtc said: God and so would i. I think u made a HUGE point here
Thanks, but no I didn't. Someone like stanleylieber will come along and pick it apart like a vulture.  I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that | |
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Seems there's more threads about this kind of stuff than the actual music. | |
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NouveauDance said: Seems there's more threads about this kind of stuff than the actual music.
well, if you look where the thread went, it kind of IS about the actual music. | |
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tricky99 said: Wow. What a great and thoughtful thread. I think with all the music Prince has created we tend to lose perspective on the process. Prince is on a journey both musical and personal. We as fans have been able to track his growth, ups and downs, and thoughts thru the music he has produced.
Unlike most musical artists Prince has constantly given us a soundtrack to his life, our lives, and the very times we live in. That the constant output is for the most part very good is a plus. For almost every year of my life for the last 30 years I have had a sort of musical companion. I know this companion has flaws just as any man. Just as I do. But with all the pleasure he has given me (and continues too) I have no reason to be mad. Its all the anger and disrespect aimed at Prince that boggles my mind. If I felt the way some seem to about Prince I would simply disengage from him. Surely that would be the adult mature response. Some people seem to be in a dysfunctional relationship with Prince that they refuse to abandon. They rather defame him. Even brilliance gets old. A lot of fans and critics are so used to Prince’s gifts that they take them for granted, but there will be a time when all that will be left will be the music and the images. At that point people will have a better understanding on who and what Prince was. There is simply not another human being making music today who could do what Prince has done. I can’t even think of anyone who could do this latest 3 cd project. Like I always say Prince’s talent will always rub up against the musical limitations of his audience. I agree big time. | |
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