godswill said:

ernestsewell said:

Bzzt, wrong. You totally dismiss any talent Maxwell has (which is a LOT) because you accuse him of having to look to another singer's style to copy. What a bullshit statement. It's like saying anyone who grows a 5 o'clock shadow couldn't come up with their own facial hair ideas so they're just copying George Michael. It's nonsense.

"Maxwell "is a great performer he has made serveral cd 's that are critically claim.The song" Acension" on the album" Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite". Prince's couldn't say very much but give" James Brown" praise Maxwell is the same he can do nothing but learn more from "Prince". And about 'George Micheal "

5o'clock shadow where did that come from. Oh ernestsewell:

No fucking idea what you said, and it doesn't matter. Maxwell isn't sweatin' Prince, but apparently he's doing something right because all of you MFers are sweatin' him big time. I WISH Lotusflow3r was half as good as BLACKsummer'snight.

Reel said:

millwall said:

maxwell rocks why the competition. prince should take note maxwell last album was better than princes. prince needs 2 wrk with another producer instead of trying 2 do everything himself. his

starting 2 sound jaded.

I understand your point but I don't think his ego will allow this. Funny thing is that I've recently been going back to Musicology and 3121, and I must say, I actually like some of the cuts on those CD's. I think Prince has matured. He will never go back to being the same artist that he was when Purple Rain was the mega hit that it was. I mean even Michael Jackson began to fissle out musically, and he worked with multiple producers. It's just what happens to almost all artists. I can't think of any artist who lived to grow old, and had hits to the grave.

i agree with u.. his voice has got better. he has become a better musician. the songs aint that good.

Bruce springsteen worked with brendan o'brien on his last album & album b4 that. He had a number 1 album sell out tour and to b honest with u one of the best records i herd in a long time. they have both bn around about the same time. one is innovative the other is stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore. sad 2 say.

ernestsewell said:

godswill said:

"Maxwell "is a great performer he has made serveral cd 's that are critically claim.The song" Acension" on the album" Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite". Prince's couldn't say very much but give" James Brown" praise Maxwell is the same he can do nothing but learn more from "Prince". And about 'George Micheal "

5o'clock shadow where did that come from. Oh ernestsewell:

No fucking idea what you said, and it doesn't matter. Maxwell isn't sweatin' Prince, but apparently he's doing something right because all of you MFers are sweatin' him big time. I WISH Lotusflow3r was half as good as BLACKsummer'snight.

Damn.......your opinion of Lotusflow3r is extremely low.

Maxwell is what I listen to when I'm missing some vintage Prince and Marvin.

You know, back when Prince was PRINCE... and not writing some weak football anthems.

ernestsewell said:

godswill said:

"Maxwell "is a great performer he has made serveral cd 's that are critically claim.The song" Acension" on the album" Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite". Prince's couldn't say very much but give" James Brown" praise Maxwell is the same he can do nothing but learn more from "Prince". And about 'George Micheal "

5o'clock shadow where did that come from. Oh ernestsewell:

No fucking idea what you said, and it doesn't matter. Maxwell isn't sweatin' Prince, but apparently he's doing something right because all of you MFers are sweatin' him big time. I WISH Lotusflow3r was half as good as BLACKsummer'snight.

That's as may be......but wouldn't a fairer comparison be to compare the same era, rather than comparing an album from a man in his 50s to a man in his mid-30s? Maxwell was 35/36 when he made Black Summer's night. I already know how you feel about Prince's ouput at that age, Ernest - for you, that was one of his "golden" periods (pardon the pun). Of course, Prince was doing his Come/Gold/Beautiful Experience thing at that age. And the difference in output is worth mentioning. Prince was already on, what, album 15/16 by the time he was 36? For Maxwell, its just his fourth.

I'm not dogging on Maxwell, I love his work. But they are both beyond comparison in many ways. But, of course, the comparisons of who is better are utterly pointless - enjoy them both for what they are and what they give.

millwall said:

Reel said:

I understand your point but I don't think his ego will allow this. Funny thing is that I've recently been going back to Musicology and 3121, and I must say, I actually like some of the cuts on those CD's. I think Prince has matured. He will never go back to being the same artist that he was when Purple Rain was the mega hit that it was. I mean even Michael Jackson began to fissle out musically, and he worked with multiple producers. It's just what happens to almost all artists. I can't think of any artist who lived to grow old, and had hits to the grave.

i agree with u.. his voice has got better. he has become a better musician. the songs aint that good.

Bruce springsteen worked with brendan o'brien on his last album & album b4 that. He had a number 1 album sell out tour and to b honest with u one of the best records i herd in a long time. they have both bn around about the same time. one is innovative the other is stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore. sad 2 say.

Did you miss most of the 90s with respect to Prince's career? And anything since? How is Prince "stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore"? He took himself out of the mainstream himself, deliberately, because of disdain for the industry. There aren't many artists who risk their career and livelihood over artistic merit and ambition, but Prince is one of them and should be applauded for that. What you have said shows that you haven't understood the last 15 years of his career.

Mindflux said:

millwall said:

i agree with u.. his voice has got better. he has become a better musician. the songs aint that good.

Bruce springsteen worked with brendan o'brien on his last album & album b4 that. He had a number 1 album sell out tour and to b honest with u one of the best records i herd in a long time. they have both bn around about the same time. one is innovative the other is stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore. sad 2 say.

Did you miss most of the 90s with respect to Prince's career? And anything since? How is Prince "stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore"? He took himself out of the mainstream himself, deliberately, because of disdain for the industry. There aren't many artists who risk their career and livelihood over artistic merit and ambition, but Prince is one of them and should be applauded for that. What you have said shows that you haven't understood the last 15 years of his career.

Dude the 90's is long ago. u telling me u actually liked lotusflow3r. worst £40 i ever spent.

Mindflux said:

millwall said:

i agree with u.. his voice has got better. he has become a better musician. the songs aint that good.

Bruce springsteen worked with brendan o'brien on his last album & album b4 that. He had a number 1 album sell out tour and to b honest with u one of the best records i herd in a long time. they have both bn around about the same time. one is innovative the other is stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore. sad 2 say.

Did you miss most of the 90s with respect to Prince's career? And anything since? How is Prince "stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore"? He took himself out of the mainstream himself, deliberately, because of disdain for the industry. There aren't many artists who risk their career and livelihood over artistic merit and ambition, but Prince is one of them and should be applauded for that. What you have said shows that you haven't understood the last 15 years of his career.

Dude the 90's is long ago & was one of princes most prolific years. I was talking more recent.. u telling me u actually liked lotusflow3r.

whether u like it or not he is trying 2 b mainstream. theres better music out there at the moment sad to say maxwell, mavado, nas & damien marley, bone thugs n harmony. give them a listen u might b less sensitive or biast.

ernestsewell said:

Jatrig said:

I'd disagree that it's obvious Maxwell is influenced by a "dozen other artists" to the same extent he is influenced by Prince. Prince's music/performance style seems to be much more dominant in Maxwell than that of other artists. I get your point though.

Then you haven't listened to a lot of other artists. There's a lot more to Maxwell than a major Prince-only influence.

Yes indeed! Remember in the beginning Maxwell was also heavily backed by Stuart Matthewman from Sweetback, the main man from Sade's band.

ernestsewell said:

No idea what "conier" is, at all.

It's such old hat, and narrow-minded, that people compare Prince to Maxwell or vice versa. They're 15 years apart in age, which makes them almost a generation apart. Maxwell is obviously influenced by Prince, as he is a dozen other artists. The comparison is just a rerun at this point. Maxwell isn't trying to be Prince, imitate him or mimick him. In fact, Prince could learn a few things from Maxwell these days in how to write a song that makes the girls wet and the boys lick it up.

I agree with all of this post except the last sentence.

You can't teach somebody the same thing that they already taught you.

millwall said:

Mindflux said:

Did you miss most of the 90s with respect to Prince's career? And anything since? How is Prince "stuck wondering why he aint main stream anymore"? He took himself out of the mainstream himself, deliberately, because of disdain for the industry. There aren't many artists who risk their career and livelihood over artistic merit and ambition, but Prince is one of them and should be applauded for that. What you have said shows that you haven't understood the last 15 years of his career.

Dude the 90's is long ago & was one of princes most prolific years. I was talking more recent.. u telling me u actually liked lotusflow3r.

whether u like it or not he is trying 2 b mainstream. theres better music out there at the moment sad to say maxwell, mavado, nas & damien marley, bone thugs n harmony. give them a listen u might b less sensitive or biast.

Oh dear - sorry, you entirely missed my point! Perhaps I need to be more blatant - the reference to the 90s was because that was when he did the whole name-change thing etc etc Its when he took, what most people thought of as career-suicide, the decision to release himself from the industry.

The reason I mentioned it, as I quoted above, was in response to your statement that Prince is wondering why he is not in the mainstream - because, he isn't. He is where he wants to be. Prince, being one of the biggest musical brands there is, dropped his trademark - the name that the world recognised! You think Coca-Cola would do that? (heh - assuming the impossible happened and they suddenly had a conscience about stealing precious resources from poorer countries and renamed themselves to distance themselves from the old reputation - but that's a wholel other story and I don't want to digress! )

That's a big, risky decision, for Prince, or any major brand. He achieved his independence, albeit with a knock to his fanbase - but, actually, isn't that an admirable thing? By that I mean that someone was so steadfast in their belief that something was wrong, that they did something about it, out of principle alone, even though it would hurt them - in Prince's case that was financially and, to some extent, some of the ridicule he received over the way he made someof his points (writing "slave" on his cheek etc). I've had this debate before with others on different threads - most people making money out of something will milk it to death. Some will even be unscrupulous or use abhorrent or unethical methods in order to keep making the coin. Few, especially in the corporate world, will actually make a decision, based on just principle, that will hurt their bottom line. Prince did it, even though it cost him, because the principle was more important than the financial gain.

Sure, he still tries to sell albums (it is how he makes his living, after all), but he's hardly some mad corporate machine that will market any way and do any thing in order to drive the profit. He's an independent musician who manages to sustain himself in a very comfortable lifestyle in a notoriously difficult industry that is dominated my multi-billion dollar media entities. And, more importantly, on his own terms. That, also, is to be applauded and is exactly why I dispute your statement about him "wondering why he is not in the mainstream". He did everything to get out of the mainstream and yet maintain enough of a relationship to ensure he can still make money as an artist.

I know there is other music out there - I won't say "better" because, as I pointed out before, that doesn't really come in to it for me. I don't listen to my record collection and sort out in my mind who is "better" than the other! They are all different and bring something unique to the table and that is why I like them. And I have some alternative and mainstream tastes. Click my links at the bottom of my sig to check out the music I produce to get some idea (and with the dance stuff, you need to sample a few tracks, as I don't stick to one genre, even in the same track at times!).

Mindflux said:

millwall said:

Dude the 90's is long ago & was one of princes most prolific years. I was talking more recent.. u telling me u actually liked lotusflow3r.

whether u like it or not he is trying 2 b mainstream. theres better music out there at the moment sad to say maxwell, mavado, nas & damien marley, bone thugs n harmony. give them a listen u might b less sensitive or biast.

Oh dear - sorry, you entirely missed my point! Perhaps I need to be more blatant - the reference to the 90s was because that was when he did the whole name-change thing etc etc Its when he took, what most people thought of as career-suicide, the decision to release himself from the industry.

The reason I mentioned it, as I quoted above, was in response to your statement that Prince is wondering why he is not in the mainstream - because, he isn't. He is where he wants to be. Prince, being one of the biggest musical brands there is, dropped his trademark - the name that the world recognised! You think Coca-Cola would do that? (heh - assuming the impossible happened and they suddenly had a conscience about stealing precious resources from poorer countries and renamed themselves to distance themselves from the old reputation - but that's a wholel other story and I don't want to digress! )

That's a big, risky decision, for Prince, or any major brand. He achieved his independence, albeit with a knock to his fanbase - but, actually, isn't that an admirable thing? By that I mean that someone was so steadfast in their belief that something was wrong, that they did something about it, out of principle alone, even though it would hurt them - in Prince's case that was financially and, to some extent, some of the ridicule he received over the way he made someof his points (writing "slave" on his cheek etc). I've had this debate before with others on different threads - most people making money out of something will milk it to death. Some will even be unscrupulous or use abhorrent or unethical methods in order to keep making the coin. Few, especially in the corporate world, will actually make a decision, based on just principle, that will hurt their bottom line. Prince did it, even though it cost him, because the principle was more important than the financial gain.

Sure, he still tries to sell albums (it is how he makes his living, after all), but he's hardly some mad corporate machine that will market any way and do any thing in order to drive the profit. He's an independent musician who manages to sustain himself in a very comfortable lifestyle in a notoriously difficult industry that is dominated my multi-billion dollar media entities. And, more importantly, on his own terms. That, also, is to be applauded and is exactly why I dispute your statement about him "wondering why he is not in the mainstream". He did everything to get out of the mainstream and yet maintain enough of a relationship to ensure he can still make money as an artist.

I know there is other music out there - I won't say "better" because, as I pointed out before, that doesn't really come in to it for me. I don't listen to my record collection and sort out in my mind who is "better" than the other! They are all different and bring something unique to the table and that is why I like them. And I have some alternative and mainstream tastes. Click my links at the bottom of my sig to check out the music I produce to get some idea (and with the dance stuff, you need to sample a few tracks, as I don't stick to one genre, even in the same track at times!).

good answer. i get what u r saying. . no matter what he does i will look 4ward 2 it. 4 me no other artist generates as much excitment 4 me as a prince release.

Jatrig said:

Not really a "versus" - - I saw Maxwell perform last night in LA. He's definitely a great performer, but he basically reminded me of a taller, more "manly" Prince, which resulted in a conier performance -- minus much of the talent and versatility. I remember saying to myself often, "I've seen Prince to this so much more convincingly and better 15 years ago." Do others agree or think I'm just delusional and need to be more open minded to other artists?

maxwell is a little bitch how can u say he is more manly than prince id like 2 see maxwel try and do funk i think not he is jus a corny r&b slut just like everyone else. prince is gangster he invented violents & hardcore sex in music he did it in the 1980s and it took hip hop to do it 10 years later look at run dmc soft pussys with there weak beats and weak lyrics people talk about them being forward look at the song bob george shoots a bitch who else did gun shots in 87 no one prince is underground he is hardcore he is controversy, FUCK MAXWELL, keep it funky my brothers please.

[Edited 6/12/10 20:21pm]

I like Maxwell but I get pretty bored with him fast. I'm not saying he sucks b/c he doesn't, in fact he's amazing but he just drags on @ times. I like artists that are a little more versatile but there's no disputing either artists talent.