We lived the dream, when Prince was innovative, #1 everwhere, respected, and truly a great, interesting artist in the studio.

'Interesting' is the operative word right here. He no longer is as interesting as he was, simple as. His albums are now boring after a short time, and worst still, derivative of himself, a pale shadow of what he was. Honestly 25% of his new material is great. Is this good enough really?

The only thing he is good for right now is hitting the stage, then he is the best in the World, no doubt about that. I don't understand why, so in keeping with the thread title, 'School' me on why you consider he is great 'now' as opposed to back 'then'.

I like the premise of your title better than the content

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Well i tried!

You get the gist though!

Please elaborate and expand, maybe i'll get some decent responses then!

...maybe not!

Well as a fan for 30 years, being told by some chihuahua flexing its paws in the dirt, that I'm clueless need to leave and have no reason to bitch:

:squish:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Wait!

I've just realised my thread was fabulously written, short and to the point.

WTF!?

Marrk said:

Your thread is about N00bs not respecting old schoolers and then your thread asks Prince is great now as opposed to back then. The discussion is no longer about ME!

Marrk said:

Perhaps if you enjoyed the 'golden age' of Prince so much, you could respect and others to equally enjoy what could well be theirs?

3121 said:

This is possible. We can do this. People can't accept any criticism of their God. That's the problem.

I suspect some young people may find it difficult to truly understand an older generation because they simply didn't live those old school eras.

The lack of respect probably goes both ways; "How can they possibly think Musicology is funkier than A U T omatic?!" "Why on earth do they still rate Controversy when Dance 4 Me is bangin?"

But on a side note, don't we all become old school someday?

3121 said:

Not disrespecting anyone, but the love and automatic swallowing of his current albums is outta line with what happened in the 'golden age' (who he was up against etc). I guess y'all had to be there to appreciate.

I await his live performances with anticipation, the next studio albums? no, don't give a monkey's!

But they will be great live! no doubt, this is his problem, has been awhile. That's why bootlegs are the order of the day, He's by far a greater act live than in the studio.

There's a note of truth in what you say. I've always thought, and said, that if you take songs from Musicology, 3121, and Planet Earth, that'd you'd have ONE good CD. Prince didn't used to have a lot of filler. Every song, whether single worthy or not, was a good song, and people remembered it. I can't tell you the track list to any album Emancipation, from memory.

I think "now" opposed to "then" is perspective. In a recent thread of how long everyone has been a Prince fan, I was surprised to see the majority of folks being 10 years or less (perhaps that's because most are younger than myself, because I remember him from 1979). So their view of "Prince music" is the dryer, sometimes-more over produced and lifeless stuff like you'd find within Emancipation, New Power Soul, The Rainbow Children, Musicology, 3121, and Planet Earth.

BUt those of us that remember songs recorded in the Warehouse, with track leakage, a built in reverb, and a Linn detuned through guitar pedals see the difference. We can even see the different between 80's and 90's Prince.

Marrk said:

You oughta be slapped for this! Your posting above is the very reason the so-called (by you) "new-schoolers" don't respect you. I would even be hard-pressed to find "old-schoolers" that would respect your opinion. You have not bothered to give the new school fans a response that is based on anything but rhetoric, and you have not backed up what you have said with even one example. To share your view in a way that means anything to anyone (and is not just more internet detritis), you have to be critical in your analysis. I suggest you look at my posting in the org artist community forum about how to review critically.

ernestsewell said:

The Progression that makes most sense:

Rainbow Children
3121
LotusFlower


Musicology and Planet Earth are largeley unnecessary and the spacing between albums might have resulted in more visionary and cohesive projects.

eaglebear4839 said:

Well said Eaglebear

purplecam said:

Marrk is asking for people to explain why they think he's great now as opposed to the past. He's inviting participation and discussion. Why does that deserve a slap?

ernestsewell said:

Exactly.

Too much filler, 'Future Baby Mama',' Cinammon Girl', 'Life O' The Party' etc. Plenty more, lots of skippable, dull songs.

1999, parade etc (compared to what was about at the time) are interesting all the way through.

purplecam said:

Co-sign

Marrk said:

Maybe you get respect when you show it yourself.

Didn't think i needed to provide examples of 'Classic' Prince to avoid a slap, thought it was common knowledge. 78-88 is the general agreed period for the old-schoolers.

That's why Per wrote the book!

rwn said:

Being an old-schooler, I am just happy that Prince is still getting some new-schoolers.

Later

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

No he's not. He's coming on here sounding self-righteous talking about how he was around to see that so-called "golden period" and anyone who became a fan years after that decade known as the 80's and thinks that Dance 4 Me is the bomb and is as good or better than Controversy is nuts. If it's how they view it, so what? I was a fan in the 80's so it doesn't apply to me cause I've found something to like from all eras but it does to others and if you want respect, you show it first. Fans have the right to like whatever period of Prince they want but honestly, this makes Marrk look like a asshole, and I'm not sure if he is one or not but this is not a good look and that's why he's being called on it.

liltalkm said:

At what cost?

Marrk said:

the past is the past. for any fan who is stuck in the past is only going to find themselves dissppointed. I had to think about it, and suprisingly I find myself playing his newer stuff than his older stuff, because i've already lived out that phase. As you mentioned he is an excellent live performer, and I continue to enjoy a few masterpieces, from his later albums, especially this latest one.

wonder505 said:

There are a LOT of disappointed people in here because they won't let go of the past. That's not Prince's fault, it's theirs and theirs alone.

rwn said:

I did. He's the best live act in the world, i already said that, has been for years. And you highlighted that.

But that isn't the issue. His recent albums are really. JUST. NOT. AS. GOOD. AS. HE. ONCE. WAS.!

purplecam said:

I will not spare the rod on you

First of all he didn't mention Dance 4 Me, which arguably is probably the best cut off that whole set and does evoke echoes of the past. This old schooler will admit that.

However, line up a thousand music critics, producers people who are professionals in the music business and have them deconstruct the brilliance or lack thereof between When Doves Cry and Another Like Me. Just because both use the Linn Drum doesn't mean that Another Like Me is anything like the genius of When Doves Cry. It's not even arguable.

If you like Another like me and want to get off to it, that's your personal preference but those of us who were there to see Prince unleashing the most amazing creativity on the music world have the complete right and duty to voice our view that Prince shouldn't be trying to pass off lazy ass songs as Classic Prince.
[Edited 4/15/09 13:40pm]

Marrk said:

I'm old skool... but I'm not stuck there. I still enjoy much of the music he makes now... as much as I did then. I don't hold Prince to some lofty and very unrealistic expectation some do. 30+ years is a long..long time. I take every album as it comes and don't stress myself worrying about if it will be as good as Sign o' the Times or Lovesexy. Heck of the latest releases... I feel that MPLSound is one of his best albums ever. In My Opinion... it rates right behind SOTT, Lovesexy and the Gold Experience in a group of albums which include 1999, Purple Rain, the Black Album and IMO...3121. Lotusflow3r rates middle of the pack...but favorably so in the midst of The Symbol Album, Batman, Musicology and Parade. And just on GP... the albums I don't like on the whole are Graffit Bridge, Rainbow Children, NEWS and New Power Soul. Everything else falls somewhere in between.

but....hey... those are just my opinons and only matters to anyone else in the context of having some 'good' discussion about what we like and don't like about the albums.

The very content of your post answers your own question. You are not giving respect to those who like the current output.... yet you feel that they should respect your opinons. What you're doing is talking down on the current content. Most people are or are in part defined by the music they listen to. So it you insult that music... it is taken as if you insult them as well. And many people do insult people who like the current music directly in the context of stating their opinions... but claim innocence as if they are oblivious to what they are actually doing.

No one should have to explain to you or justify their opinion about their music. You have a right to your opinion as well. But the problem you state your opinion as if it was fact. People who do this seem dead set on convincing others that their 'negative' opinion is the correct one and is indeed fact... which it clearly isn't.

And your opinion...valid or not... as stated is certainly a 'negative' opinion. Negative opinions are seldom met with positive responses. Negativity begots negativity.

Some people have the ability to state their opinions..even negative ones and not be critiqued for it because they don't try to force their opinion down the throats of others as any thing more than just that... an opinion. Mutual respect is key... but when you speak negativity and you talk down on others in the content of that negativity.... you are not showing any respect for other people's opinons. So if you don't give respect... why expect respect?



.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Nobody said that you wasn't there and shouldn't be able to voice what you experienced. Shit I was there too and I talk about my experiences from 20 + years ago as a kid who was a big Prince fan at that time but to come off as disregarding what others say just because they weren't there when we were is wrong and that's my point.
[Edited 4/15/09 13:44pm]

purplecam said:

Disregarding like telling those of us who have been on this ride from the beginning to leave the site?!