Many of my friends like Prince quite a bit, but are not nearly as passionate about him and his music as I am. They are not "in the know" about all things Prince. It has been my observation that, on some level, they enjoy Prince more than I do because they are not concerned with some of the (dare I say) trivial stuff that I am.

Also, it seems to me that MOST things that people complain about around here are things that only hardcore fans would be bothered by or care about. Follow me on this:

-Only hardcore Prince fans have memorized set lists from his career and are, therefore, inclined to piss and moan at what (or how) he plays.

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

-Only hardcore Prince fans buy/find bootlegs and compare/complain about the choice Prince makes with them.

-Only hardcore Prince fans have intimate knowledge of his back catalog and when he is living up to, or repeating, or ignoring his own legacy.

-Lastly, in my personal experience, it is only hardcore Prince fans that claim there is a huge shift in the Prince persona when it comes to his religion, etc.

So my question is this: Would you appreciate/dig being a Prince fan more if you weren't so knowlegable or rabid about all things purple?

Well sure. A bird will only shit in your eye if you're looking up as it flies by.

skywalker said:

Many of my friends like Prince quite a bit, but are not nearly as passionate about him and his music as I am. They are not "in the know" about all things Prince. It has been my observation that, on some level, they enjoy Prince more than I do because they are not concerned with some of the (dare I say) trivial stuff that I am.

Also, it seems to me that MOST things that people complain about around here are things that only hardcore fans would be bothered by or care about. Follow me on this:

-Only hardcore Prince fans have memorized set lists from his career and are, therefore, inclined to piss and moan at what (or how) he plays.

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

-Only hardcore Prince fans buy/find bootlegs and compare/complain about the choice Prince makes with them.

-Only hardcore Prince fans have intimate knowledge of his back catalog and when he is living up to, or repeating, or ignoring his own legacy.

-Lastly, in my personal experience, it is only hardcore Prince fans that claim there is a huge shift in the Prince persona when it comes to his religion, etc.

So my question is this: Would you appreciate/dig being a Prince fan more if you weren't so knowlegable or rabid about all things purple?

Probably not because if I weren't so knowlegable or rabid about all things purple I'd have been shocked when I saw him turn up on the Grammy's back in '04 because like most non-hardcore fans DID at that time...I'd have thought he died, sometime after he released Emancipation.

skywalker said:

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

That's not true, for sure. Well, at least not all of us hardcare fans plunked down the money.

I think casual Top-40 listeners appreciate Prince as much as anyone else. And it's not that hardcore fans don't appreciate him. But we know the bar he's set. We know what he's capable of, and have our own on whether he's bringing it or not. However, even the casual fan who only hears him on the news or on the radio can fairly state "this isn't nearly as good as __________".

When I read comment sections on news sites or Oh No They Didn't or other places, it is very humbling to see how little of Prince the general public really knows. It's both good and bad. They haven't been burned by his calamitous business adventures and there's still sooooo much music for them to experience.

ernestsewell said:

skywalker said:

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

That's not true, for sure. Well, at least not all of us hardcare fans plunked down the money.

I think casual Top-40 listeners appreciate Prince as much as anyone else. And it's not that hardcore fans don't appreciate him. But we know the bar he's set. We know what he's capable of, and have our own on whether he's bringing it or not. However, even the casual fan who only hears him on the news or on the radio can fairly state "this isn't nearly as good as __________".

Damn right!

Spinlight said:

When I read comment sections on news sites or Oh No They Didn't or other places, it is very humbling to see how little of Prince the general public really knows. It's both good and bad. They haven't been burned by his calamitous business adventures and there's still sooooo much music for them to experience.

That I would agree to if Prince weren't such a dick about his past work! New audiences can only experience the vast amounts of music that truly make Prince as great as he is, if and only IF they are introduced to it by a hardcore fan, in some capacity!

If I were a new fan and I never had the benefit of knowing anything at all about '80's or '90's Prince, I wouldn't be impressed by him, in the least and that shows in his sales. Take the hardcore fans from the equation and his sales of everything he's done over the last 10 years are pretty damn dismal!

I don't think it would make a difference-I like good music so I know I would still like Prince even if I wasn't a hardcore as you say

ernestsewell said:

skywalker said:

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

That's not true, for sure. Well, at least not all of us hardcare fans plunked down the money.

I think casual Top-40 listeners appreciate Prince as much as anyone else. And it's not that hardcore fans don't appreciate him. But we know the bar he's set. We know what he's capable of, and have our own on whether he's bringing it or not. However, even the casual fan who only hears him on the news or on the radio can fairly state "this isn't nearly as good as __________".

I know, but I was thinking that, out of those that did pay $77, they were mostly the hardcore fans.

Secondly, people I know that aren't uber Prince fans aren't nearly as discriminating in several ways.

Example: If Prince plays "let's go crazy" again on this tour the same way he played it last year, many hardcore fans around here will piss and moan about it. Still, for the fan who has only seen Prince a few times....it might be no big deal.

NouveauDance said:

Well sure. A bird will only shit in your eye if you're looking up as it flies by.

Ha ha ha @ that quote. Never heard it before.

I think the OP has a point. People are much more critical of people that they "think" they know. Many hardcore fans speak of Prince as if they know him personally. Sometimes, it's just better to stand at "arms distance" from an artist and just "enjoy what you hear" without getting into all of the other stuff.

I admit, since I joined this forum, I've learned things about Prince that I was not aware of, which some actually "rubs me the wrong way". But I try to keep my focus on the music. In addition, there are other artists that I Love waaaay more than Prince. So it keeps me sober, and keeps things in perspective.

i'm not a hard core fan, but i've always appreciated his music.

doubtful. I over-appreciate him as it is, even through my own criticism. people who aren't hardcore fans don't really give a fuck about him and don't think he's even that great.

[Edited 7/6/10 19:24pm]

Yes. The more I "know" about Prince, the less I like him.

Reel said:

I think the OP has a point. People are much more critical of people that they "think" they know.

and also people who sue them

skywalker said:

-Only hardcore Prince fans have memorized set lists from his career and are, therefore, inclined to piss and moan at what (or how) he plays.

-Only hardcore Prince fans plunked down $77 bucks for lotusflow3r.com

-Only hardcore Prince fans buy/find bootlegs and compare/complain about the choice Prince makes with them.

-Only hardcore Prince fans have intimate knowledge of his back catalog and when he is living up to, or repeating, or ignoring his own legacy.

-Lastly, in my personal experience, it is only hardcore Prince fans that claim there is a huge shift in the Prince persona when it comes to his religion, etc.

I've loved the music of Prince ever since I purchased "For You", the same week it was originally released. Have been a fan of Prince ever since seeing him in concert the first time, when he was the opening act for Rick James in 1979. And I have enjoyed every album he's released since then, some more than others.

Nevertheless, by the definition given above, I would not be considered a "Hardcore Fan". And it's true: I appreciate Prince very much, and have somehow managed to avoid ever having been disappointed by him artistically.

Well I think you are really arguing the "you can only hate someone if you truly love". Indifference is quite liberating-you take the best of what comes along. Love is riddled with expectation and disappointment.However that is the trade off for true joy and elation!

I've been hardcore since 1996 and there is no other way I can be. When I get involved with something, I come 100%, especially with my music. I've been like that since being into the Golden Age of Hip Hop.

If I weren't a hardcore fan, then I'd be one of thoz cats callin' P a fag, yet admiring his choice of women.

LoL ...

skywalker said:

-Only hardcore Prince fans have memorized set lists from his career and are, therefore, inclined to piss and moan at what (or how) he plays.

i don't think that is entirely true. i'm sure that most of the people at roskilde (who admittedly

had a real good time) would have had an even better time if he'd performed 6 more of his own

well known songs, instead of those eternal cover versions.

they might be considered standards or hits in their own right but they are not prince's songs,

and i doubt that most people know them already. casual prince fans or young people may not

have heard those songs before and even think they are prince tunes, i guess.

but the point being, he should do less covers. i'd be more disgruntled if i came back from one

of his shows, having had to sit through shelby or other backing singers perform covers for 20

minutes and prince throwing another cover or two on top of that, than i would be if he chose

to dust off "when doves cry", "cream", "something in the water", "dinner with delores" and a

few others.

and yes, perhaps it is considered a 'hardcore fam statement', but i'm sick and fucking tired of

him playing "1999". geez, it's 2010. he retired that song 11 years ago and every other year

since then and still he opens up his shows with it or plays it as the second song. BOOOORING.

skywalker said:

ernestsewell said:

That's not true, for sure. Well, at least not all of us hardcare fans plunked down the money.

I think casual Top-40 listeners appreciate Prince as much as anyone else. And it's not that hardcore fans don't appreciate him. But we know the bar he's set. We know what he's capable of, and have our own on whether he's bringing it or not. However, even the casual fan who only hears him on the news or on the radio can fairly state "this isn't nearly as good as __________".

I know, but I was thinking that, out of those that did pay $77, they were mostly the hardcore fans.

Secondly, people I know that aren't uber Prince fans aren't nearly as discriminating in several ways.

Example: If Prince plays "let's go crazy" again on this tour the same way he played it last year, many hardcore fans around here will piss and moan about it. Still, for the fan who has only seen Prince a few times....it might be no big deal.

I didn't pay, I always wait around to see how it turns up before I put money down on something like that. And I'm a hardcore fan

Actually even hardcore fans aren't going to all those shows, but if they read about a set list like the recent one in Paris they still piss and moan.

Vendetta1 said:

Yes. The more I "know" about Prince, the less I like him.

Same here. He was much better when he was mysterious.

No. I cut him a lot of slack for his 80's work and his live work. If i wasnt a hardcore fan i think i would dismiss him like most non fans do today.

OldFriends4Sale said:

skywalker said:

I know, but I was thinking that, out of those that did pay $77, they were mostly the hardcore fans.

Secondly, people I know that aren't uber Prince fans aren't nearly as discriminating in several ways.

Example: If Prince plays "let's go crazy" again on this tour the same way he played it last year, many hardcore fans around here will piss and moan about it. Still, for the fan who has only seen Prince a few times....it might be no big deal.

I didn't pay, I always wait around to see how it turns up before I put money down on something like that. And I'm a hardcore fan

Actually even hardcore fans aren't going to all those shows, but if they read about a set list like the recent one in Paris they still piss and moan.

Just to clarify I meant: All who payed $77 are hardcore fans. Not, all hardcore fans payed $77. Make sense?

NouveauDance said:

Well sure. A bird will only shit in your eye if you're looking up as it flies by.