On Parade tour Prince was more like a
James Brown then Prince,he conducted the band
and played organ solos but almost no guitar solos at all.
Those of you who like Prince's guitar
playing were you confused
by the lack of guitar solos???

On some shows he even almost didn't
touch the guitar at all.
Imagine you brought a friend to a Parade era
concert to see Prince's guitar playing and no guitar at all

Hi banishedone: are you playing a trick on us???

the Parade tour was EXCELLENT, and: I missed the Parade concert in Copenhagen 1986, how could I.... it was the first time Prince payed a visit to Denmark, and I wasn't there.

This show was so incredible funky judging from the Detroit Tv concert, I almost can't forgive myself missing it.

About the lack of Guitar solos, people got something else, a great funk show - and he did play Purple Rain at the end didn't he (incl. a guitar solo)...

thedance said:

[Edited 2/26/10 21:53pm]

This is not an album I keep on heavy rotation. It's a quirky mix of an album to me, but it did grow on me & it's killer & I do enjoy it but in very small doses.

I learned early on getting into Prince that u can't really expect where or what he's going to do next musically. My 1st album was TGE, my 2nd was the album.... woah! Not alike really but I was impressed & couldn't wait to c what was next like today.

First of all, Parade is a great album. I read he was a bit disappointed with it but when you listen to it now it really is impressive.

I have seen a few clips from the Parade shows and James Brown is a major influence in Prince's music and his behaviour on stage is pretty much James Brown-esque. The music they were making at the time wasn't really all about guitar, so I guess they thought why spoil the material with solos just for the sake of it.

Not really touching the topic and I might drift away here a bit.. The guitar on Kiss is funky but it's rhythm guitar rather than solo, even towards the end it's scratch. In my opinion rhythm guitar is where he's really good at, rather than solos. The creepy "I wonder U" also features a funky guitar track, very simple and very effective. The problem is, the whole thing is too short! I could listen to it forever. I wish he would've released this as a single, something similar to "I wish U Heaven" where it turns into this jam, like he did on LoveSexy tour, which by the way has Miles Davis written all over it. Very strange and very wonderful!

Of course, from the same era we have Alexa De Paris which hasn't been played live according to my knowledge. I'm not sure who's on the guitar, whether it's Wendy or Prince.

I hate the fact that in that era I was 10. But my father, who that plays the guitar, would make up the difference. But as for me, that's why the guitar is going to stand out. But you can't help listening to the music in general. "Planet Earth", some songs on Lotusflow3r and even Prince early stuff Bambi , (later on is Fury etc.. Prince had his guitar on blast. I really wish I was there in that era. I had watched Parade on DVD once and it was great. Prince: Prince is great, warwick bass guitars, fender stratocaster. so i like
Guitars. I'mm Guitar Freak. And as Prince him as entertainer,musician,writer of course...
1 Acoustic guitars
2 Electric guitars
3 Electro-acoustic guitars
4 Twelve-string guitars
5 Archtop guitars
6 Steel guitars
7 Resonator guitars
8 Bass guitars
9 Double-neck guitars

Playing guitar aint all about rock solos. Prince is one the greatest rythm guitarists ever. And the parade tour is full of all kinds of great funky guitar.

So I wasn't even born when Parade came out. However, watching clips from that birthday gig, I get wicked amped. Almost as much, if not more, than when I watch SOTT or the Lovesexy concert. It's a whole different side to Prince, though he generally incorporates both sides now. The showmanship, the tightness of the band, it's all very James Brown-ish but in the best way possible. He's the man in control, he's having a great time, and you can really see it during that birthday gig. He looks genuinely happy and that carries over to the performances.

The Parade shows were few and far between compared to other tours. In the US there were less than 10, with no advance notice. I was a huge fan at the time and had no idea what the show was like, until years later when the Detroit show came out on laserdisc. I think Wendy and Lisa's input was softening his bad boy side. There were way to many cooks in the kitchen in the live shows in my opinion. I would love to know the Purple Rain's version of the Revolution's thoughts on that.

JudasLChrist said:

That is true, but PRINCE didn't play it - Wendy did.

I thought it was an incredible leap of faith for Prince to rely solely on his showmanship and nothing else for an entire tour.

He pulled it off, too.

Last year, at the Prince Party in Houston, they were playing the Detroit Parade birthday show on the video, but with no sound. Just watching that performance without being able to hear the music was incredible.

That may be Prince's most dynamic performance ever.

Alexa De Paris studio version is Prince
on lead guitar.
in a live setting Wendy played Guitar on Alexa but it sounds awful because Wendy can't play lead guitar.
it sounded like Kurt Cobain trying to play Alexa De Paris

1st of all I LOVE Parade, I LOVE ATWIAD

yes I missed the rock edge, but that's was cool

I got some on Alexa de Paris
we got a arbic electic guitar style on AnotherLoverHolenYoHead

I got some good rock from Mazarati

RodeoSchro said:

That and his incredibly smok'n hot-shit band. I think Wendy and Miko nailed it on those shows.

Parade was the first show I saw. I was enjoying it so much I didn't notice the lack of guitar until he picked it up for the encore.

Ive seen very few Live gigs during that era..but as far as the ALBUM goes... I think he did a fantastic job at making ggod enough music to make you forget about the fact he wasnt blasting out some guitar.
Love the album!

played rock guitar on Purple Rain & America(sometimes)

during rehearsals Alexis de Paris & Dance Electric

Interesting because the Black cloud guitar was the guitar of the era along with the white & the flowered blue,


















[Edited 2/28/10 13:46pm]

JudasLChrist said:

Yes they did


BrownMark Wendy & Mico

Prince never played guitar on Alexa de Paris live,only in studio.

The Parade album disappointed me when it came out (I was 19). So did Around the World...(but not as much). I have to say, at the time, my tastes were dictated by conventional pop music. I like lots of folks wanted another Purple Rain. ATWIAD as so left field it was frustrating, and Parade was kinda soft. I just didn't get it. But I stuck with them. Over the years I have come to appreciate their qualities. I think it was 1996 when I was finally listening to Parade and thinking...wow this album is so masterful!