We've had a good amount of musical work from our Minneapolis Genius. I feel that Prince has never created a bad album. Perhaps a few tracks here and there that may not be our favorites but over all I'd say P has had some great albums.

Keeping with that tone, do you believe Prince has it in him to make another great album not just in the so called "purple circle" but, could be recognized as great by his peers and the musical community?

Or have we seen the best he has to offer?

He needs to go back to the funk. Lotus Flower and Planet earth disapointed me. 3121 and musicology were nice so if he went back to that id be more happy. Release another black ablum please!!!! Listening to Erotic city and DMSR such great songs.
[Edited 2/2/10 15:42pm]

No, you've seen the best he has to offer.

Hope so. Doubt it.

Unknowable.

We'll see

god, i hope so.

We saw it about 15 years ago.

PurpleLove7 said:

His "peers" and musical community are not a microcosm outside of mainstrean society. They are subject to the same popularity contest that determines wht is called "great" and what is even heard. Since the world changes so rapidly and Prince's career has spanned 4 decades now, it is impossible to ascertain any credible measure from social acceptance based on commerical appeal and corporate distribution.

Factors that have nothing to do with music are more relevant in what passes for music today. How you look and your style are infintely more important. If you need proof, turn on your TV and watch American Idol or any number of the ridiculous "talent" competition shows. Unfortunately, these have become the barometers of popular music. It is true that real music out of style now. Artists over 35 are put out to pasture in the music business now (even American Idol has an age limit).

Prince has made great albums. He has surpassed those that people remeber as being his great albums. Most serious Prince fans know that Purple Rain is not his greatest work but I will guarantee you that a poll of the entire civilized population would state otherwise. That is because that is the image that is perpetuated by popular culture - which is dictated by the media. Purple Rain is still on the radio. It is still rerun on TV. It will alawys be THAT Prince that everyone associates with the single greatest musical artist in the world.

Like his hero and fellow genius, Miles Davis, Prince has always fearlessly pushed the expectations and preconceived notions about who he was as an artist and dared to drastically explore new worlds - like some funky Capt Kirk. Miles reinvented himself each time he reached those uncharted universes and then courageously blasted off again to pioneer yet another: changing styles, changing bands, changing colors. If frustrated jazz purists who where there when he became a legend with his early work in the bebop era. Miles didnt care. He couldn't.

I see the same in Prince. Paisley Park Records, NPG Records, 1800New Funk, NPG Music Club - all vehicles to take him where he needs to go freely. By design, those starships couldnt hold everyone. Somepeople just couldn hack it - some just didnt care. It showed who was there and for what reason. The purple bandwagon stopped - as all bandwagons do - and alot of people got off with the wrongheaded assumption that it was the end of the line. The ride has continued.

As a result we have seen great albums - like , Diamonds and Pearls, the Gold Experience, The Rainbow Children, and even Emancipation - that have equalled or surpassed Purple Rain and Sign O The Times. Talk of his demise in the 90s is discredited with the closer inventory of the catalog. More recently, Musicology and 3121 showed that Prince can still make the commercial hit like no one else and topped the charts - as if they actually matter now.

So I say all that to say as long as Prince is of sound mind and body, he will continue to make great albums.

Will we see another Gold Experience or SOTT? Probably not.but I can certainly see him making another quality album like a 3121(which I have no problem with myself).

GraffitiKid said:

Totally agree.

I doubt we will ever see another funk-pop-rock masterpiece again - the last was Gold Experience looong time ago, 3121 and Planet Earth were poor albums imo. LF/MPLS were a little better.

I guess we all hope "Purple & Gold" is not an indication on what to expect in the future...

thedance said:

Let me kill myself now then lol

I was pretty happy w/ Lotus & MPLS.

It would be nice if the masses respected his new album as one of his greats though, that would be sweet!

Even though he beats to his own drum, I think it depends on where music goes.... BUT I think the Pure, uncut Funk is resting in the vault, don't get me wrong, he still has some funk in him.... but it's a little diluted now... We could easily look back and say "there will be nothing better than Purple Rain"... but then there was the Greatness of Lovesexy and SOTT... and then some.... So I personally hope for more great stuff.... and we wait.... unfortuntely, it seems most "Fans" now days go straight to negative than going to positive. Even if he puts out total crap the rest of his years.... We have a great amount of wonderful stuff to listen to over and over....

PurpleLove7 said:

Only if he can find a new group of talented musicians who will let him pinch their ideas and claim it as his own.

theyre already there they just havent been released. its calld boots.

Simple answer: Yes.

I honestly feel that Lotusflow3r WAS a great album. Maybe just that one disc out of the 3 (MPLS was fun and very enjoyable, but not, i feel, as artistically "great" as LF), but there is some amazing stuff there. Some of his TV performances lately have been off the hook, too. There's still a definite spark, and lets hope he busts out some surprises on the next album. A totally unexpected turn that we'll probably all hate on day one, then one week ater we'll swear up and down it's the best thing since Lovesexy.

I'm hoping for something as eclectic and groovy as Rainbow Children, lets just hope he lays off the plotline.

Sadly, since Prince thought the Watchtower Pamphlet "fight" song Purple And Gold was actually good enough to release as a gridiron anthem... I don't think so.

I seriously doubt it. You can't go as long as he has without even coming close to writing a classic album and then suddenly write one imo.

And if we needed any further proof: Prince thought that "Purple And Gold" was fit for release. Its maybe the worse song I've ever heard.

PurpleLove7 said:

I'm not going to be a nay-sayer because I think Prince has at least one more great album under his belt... I am reminded of the 70s when the Rolling Stones were called "has-beens" and they came out with a great album that renewed their careers, featuring "Miss You," "Beast of Burden," "Imagination," and other hits... Don't give up on P yet--like he sings--he is "old school" and he just might surprise you yet!

Yeah, all the vault stuff we'll get once he croaks it. That's if he hasn't burnt all the tapes to exorcise the evil from them first.

i think yes! He only needs time and good inspirations

Brofie said:

Great post. i am in total agreement with everything u said in your post. The triple release last year is a "great" work. It ism miles above what most so called artists produced last year. Prince will never exceed the highs he has already conquered. That is not possible for a variety of reasons, but great music will continue to be created.

Prince's sleeves do not empty.

Prince could write a beautiful song that we never hear. I believe Prince will make several more albums in this lifetime.

he will have another mainstream comeback again in his carear

TwiliteKid said:

Ditto.

There'll never be another SotT, PR, Lovesexy or 1999. We'll definately get more Lotus, 3121 and that sort of thing though. Maybe another Rainbow Children or something similar.

As for the Vault. Well I think we've heard it all pretty much. Nobody would keep absolute classic tracks unreleased unless he/she were slightly doo-lally. Prince ain't mad. Spoilt and egotistical perhaps (a common occurrence in those that need the attention of fame it would seem) but not nuts.

yes, I really think there is, but he should take his time before releasing anything new, imo.

No