Since I like to travel myself and Prince is touring the world, or something like it, I was just thinking: What if Prince wouldn't just do a world tour, but would also travel the world.

Go to South Africa for example and spend some time there, not just enjoying the weather or a safari, but also go to townships and poor neighborhoods. He could play with local musicians there and get inspired with the richnesses of South African music. He could help them out with some things too.

Hop on a plane to Nairobi, Kenia and do the same there. Experience the vast differences between the cultures, music and peoples of South Africa and North East Africa. Visit the slams of Nairobi and see with your own eyes the depths of poverty, but also the greatness of the human soul to still be joyeous even in such depressing circumstances. Live it, experience it, get inspired by it and write about it.

Go to India and China. Learn how different their way of making music is. That they use entirely different scales and ways of thinking about music. Live it, experience it, talk to all the people, learn from them, let them inspire.

Cross the ocean and be enriched with Cuban salsa, Brasilian samba or Argentinian tango. Whatever. South America is so incredibly rich in music and so beautiful. Visit the most beautiful spots and get to know some of the indigenous cultures. Spending some time there can really change the way you look at life.

It's what I would do if I would have his money and talent. I think it could do him a lot of good. Bring him lots of new knowledge about music, lots of new and great experiences and lots of inspiration.

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[Edited 10/19/10 12:51pm]

I also think it would be good for Prince to travel to unusual places at this point and take a couple of years out of writing music altogether. Love the idea of learning about indian music, I think he could do with learning new tricks in music altogether too - different time signatures, some new guitar techniques like sweeping and tapping, maybe learn a new instrument? The guy has been working non-stop for 30 years now, he should take a well deserved 2 year break to travel the world, learn new things & then write an album about his travels using his newly learned techniques and teachings.

Won't happen though LOL

Well, he could keep on writing and recording along the way. Recording is much easier these days and there are studios everywhere in the world.

I think Prince has shown interest in non western musical styles many times in his carreer, but he has never really followed up on it.

Some thing like 6 months of travel could not only lead to great experiences, new inspiration, learning new instruments and new styles of music, but even more....

^^ Like a good tan.

^ or a beautiful woman

It is fascinating to think of Prince doing such a thing but I am not sure his mind is open to such an experience, plus I believe he has travelled the world already. I do agree it would be fascinating to hear him experiment with new sounds, new artists and new instruments but I think it may be in conflict with his spiritual beliefs to interact with some of these people on the level it would take to truly understand them.

^^

Maybe you are right. I was just thinking about this, because something like this could work really inspiring. Coincidentally Prince made a few comments about playing al kinds of musical styles on an auction the other day. There is a thread about it here http://prince.org/msg/7/345701

He apparantly said:

“I listened to all kinds of music when I was young,” he said. “…I always said that one day I would play all kinds of music and not be judged for the color of my skin but the quality of my work, and hopefully I will continue.”

Hopefully he will. However does he really play "all kinds of music" and is he NOT judged by the quality of his work?

I think travelling and most of all playing music with people from entirely different cultures, who certainly will not judge him for the color of his skin, would broaden his horizons and make it possible for him to live that dream of really playing all kinds of music...

What makes you think he doesn't? Did you embed a chocolate microchip in his neck or something?

if you don't have anything meaningful to add, why bother to post

Of course it would do Prince good. In fact it would do a lot of people on this board good.

No better way to open your eyes to the world beyond one's safe little harbour.

Tremolina said:

if you don't have anything meaningful to add, why bother to post

What I said is meaningful. You made a huge leap, inferring that Prince doesn't already do this. I think it's completely fair to ask how you arrive at that.