After not really listening to Prince since the 1990s, and now listening to albums I have never heard before, I can say that I think I can differentiate the "Minneapolis" sound that Prince was instrumental in beginning from his other songs influenced by other artists and sounds. My question for all you experts is this: what do you consider is the "Minneapolis" sound? What do you think were the influences for it? I would definitely say James Brown, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, some Hendrix (duh!), and definitely Parliament! What do you music Prince-0-philes think?

For influence, I forgot to mention the jazz element--which is prevalent on many of his songs--The Scandalous Sex Suite that I'm listening to right now, for instance. Besides P's father and Miles Davis, what would be his jazz influences?
[Edited 11/23/09 19:57pm]

I hope to get a response from all of you "Minneapolis" sound experts! Educate me! Even if you've said it a million times before! Isn't that what a teacher does?!

I'm no MPLS sound expert as I don't really known it and don't have that album you mention. When I have listened to something that's apparently MPLS apart from the LF cd, it sounds very electronic to me and doesn't move me as such or maybe I just haven't listened to good examples. I'll be interested to hear what others say. I also don't listen to those who have influenced Prince which i suppose would help me recognise it. Frankly though, I just think Prince on accoustic guitar is the ultimate best in funky music.

the original Minneapolis sound:

listen to Controversy (song), synth instead of horn arrangements.

Or Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Sheila E., The Time.
[Edited 11/24/09 0:39am]

Anything produced by Jamie Starr and Jesse Johnson in the 80's

Also the Mazarati album is a perfect example of the MPLS sound.

I really don't know...I don't where many bands hometowns are.

Loving Prince...I would just say that He runs the show in that state.

"Erotic City"

Even though some of those people you mentioned had influence on Prince
Joni Mitchell too

I don't think they influenced what we call Prince's Minneapolis Sound

Prince was influential in the making of it and the popularity of it
but I wasn't the author of it, the Minneapolis music scene was pretty unique in developing that sound

Even though, certain Prince albums and songs we think of as heavily Minneapolis Sounding, it's very dominate in a lot of other songs and albums

Screams of Passion
Ballad of Dorothy Parker
Le Grind
of course the Time/Vanity 6 albums
the Glamorous Life/Too Sexy
Mazarati's album especially because they are a Minneapolis band with a style prominent on that album
Mia Bocca
Controvery - Purple Rain
Pop Life
America
Space

herb4 said:

I'll just 2nd your choice, I forgot to add to mine,
Erotic City is a defining Prince (MS) style

MPLS sound is Linn drums, the infamous "kuhhh" snare sound, layered synths, synth lines replacing traditional horn sections, FUNK, electro, groooooves, Camille, PURPLE MUSIC.....DanceMusicSexRomance!

IMHO...my definition of the "Minneapolis Sound":

Prince albums, B-sides and outtakes from Dirty Mind through Purple Rain and....

Vanity 6
The Time
What Time is It?
The Glamorous Life -Sheila E.
Romance 1600 - Sheila E.
Mazerati
Jesse Johnsons Revue
Shockadelica - Jesse Johnson
Morris Day - The Colour of Success
Jill Jones
The Family

Listen to all those and that IMHO is the classic Minneapolis Sound.

Militant said:

Thanks for breaking down the instrumentation of the sound!

i agree with the synth line instead of horns and his ole lyn n

Te influeneces of the Minneapolis Sound are found in mostly mid 70s space Funk like Parliament/Funkadelic, Booty's Rubber Band, Slave, some Blackbyrds, Stevie Wonder and countless others.

Militant said:

Yep. I would add to that: Non-traditional backing vocals, "basement" production values (versus "garage" - which would have a live feel), sharp and melodic bass as well as the all important jabbing synth melodies and fills.

Your basic square peg, round hole scenario at the time.

Lin Drum parts, dominant hi hat, synth instead of horns, chicken scratch guitar, sexual lyrics, pretty much everything produced under his banner from dirty mind through 1999. PR was not Mpls. i remember being happy that there was a movie, and that he was being accepted as a major pop star and genuis but i knew something (the mpls sound) was lost.

Yep, agree with most of you. I believe it's just a replacement of horn sections with keyboards/synths. Not a great step you'd think but boy it had an effect.

dreamshaman32 said:

Actually I'd say some of Purple Rain was MPLS sound, just in more of a live context with the guitar at the forefront. 'Computer Blue' has MPLS sound written all over it!!!

uhhm, you could say that, i think it's personal and subjective, maybe it was derivitive.At 17 it was just too far removed from what he'd been doing for me to make that kind of connection. The funny thing is as prince started to mix it up a bit more and experiment everyone else was using the original mpls blueprint because it made them identifiable to the youth market.Within a year every brotha was rockin more make up and ruffles, that was some funny shit.

the "1999" album

Militant said:

I agree, Let's Go Crazy, the Beautiful Ones
Erotic City
Possessed

iloveannie said:

I still love the sythn(horns) over the actual instrument, sometimes it make the music sound a bit sappy or mellow, whereas the sythn wakes you up and is sharp.

I'll say the only sounds I really loved with the sax are from Eric Leads & Eddie M throught:the Glamorous Life, Romance 1600,Around the World in a Day, the Family, Parade, Sheila E. Jill Jones, Sign o the Times, Black album, Lovesexy

A short song that is extended by four minutes for an extended instrumental jam. See "Just As Long As We're Together" on For You (one of my favorite Prince songs). I could be way off, but I notice a lot of Prince songs do this. I am thinking more of song structure than sound.

what about everything that came from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis production-house in 80s?
and Ready for the World?
Andre Cymone albums and some he produced for Jody Watley?
have always considered it minneapolis sound too

It's funny that no one here mentions synthpop/electropop/new wave since this is actually that influence that made the Minneapolis Sound so distinct from traditional funk.

siim said:

While Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had their own sound, it wasn't too far removed from Prince's. I would consider them part of an encompassing "Minneapolis Sound". Especially Janet Jackson's Control album and Alexander O'Neil's "Fake"(which sounds a lot like The Dance Electric).

Ready For The World probably did the best job of borrowing the Minneapolis Sound.

Jesse Johnson's Revue LP was a Prince-take on the Minneapolis Sound.

Sowhat said:

Minneapolis sound.....linn drums...grunting....synthesizer...awesome rhythm..
many people thought this song was by, or written by prince..




as well as this one...

Militant said:

That's how I used to always think of MPLS sound(plus the Linn Drums)..all the times he would yell "horns!" and a synth would play.Once he used real horns,he went into another direction.Songs like Billy Jack Bitch were few and far between by then...Funk+Synth=MPLS