I really think so. His career peaked with them and they were a great contribution. According to interviews he fired them because they were contributing too much, but I think it's also because W&L would have become really famous because of him and probably pass him in success.

Maytiana said:

I really think so. His career peaked with them and they were a great contribution. According to interviews he fired them because they were contributing too much, but I think it's also because W&L would have become really famous because of him and probably pass him in success.

1. How much did they actually contribute to the Purple Rain era?

2. Why didn't they "pass him in success"?

I think they all respected and loved each other, as friends and as coworkers or whatever.

Bait?

mynameisnotsusan said:

Bait?

not at all. I want to know what you all think...because it's possible.

armpit said:

I think they all respected and loved each other, as friends and as coworkers or whatever.

but I'm not doubting that....

LMAO! Wendy and Lisa released several albums and came nowhere near the success of Prince. Not bashing W&L, but they weren't even a one hit wonder. Everyone knows what you hear on those albums are almost entirely Prince.

Maytiana, the Master Baiter.

Spinlight said:

Maytiana, the Master Baiter.

*takes a bow*

Maytiana said:

I really think so. His career peaked with them and they were a great contribution. According to interviews he fired them because they were contributing too much, but I think it's also because W&L would have become really famous because of him and probably pass him in success.

Is that why the revolution broke up? I still don't really know

Simply, It was just time for Prince to move onward. I'm sure jealously had nothing to do with it. Wendy & Lisa were Hired musicians there to play what prince wanted them to play. Just so happened they became friends and Through Prince's generosity, gave them the opportunity to add their input on his work. He certainly did not have to do that. Prince goes his way, they go theirs. Life goes on.....

metallicjigolo said:

Simply, It was just time for Prince to move onward. I'm sure jealously had nothing to do with it. Wendy & Lisa were Hired musicians there to play what prince wanted them to play. Just so happened they became friends and Through Prince's generosity, gave them the opportunity to add their input on his work. He certainly did not have to do that. Prince goes his way, they go theirs. Life goes on.....

even sheila e still comes around, though and she was in "the past"

He completely isolated himself from them...I think it's more that just "oh I'm tired of you two"

Of course he was. They had vaginas and he didn't.

Maybe he is not sick of sheila yet.

All i can say bout the latter is Don't hurt yourself honey. Only Prince can answer that one.

Good luck.

[Edited 4/5/11 19:29pm]

metallicjigolo said:

Maybe he is not sick of sheila yet.

All i can say bout the latter is Don't hurt yourself honey. Only Prince can answer that one.

Good luck.

[Edited 4/5/11 19:29pm]

yeah and I'm working on a way to ask him, too.

Maytiana said:

I really think so. His career peaked with them and they were a great contribution. According to interviews he fired them because they were contributing too much, but I think it's also because W&L would have become really famous because of him and probably pass him in success.

i dun think so. Prince has had many friends & associates. just reading

Miles Davis bio which mentions Prince in the highest complimentary way. Prince goes way beyond

Wendy and Lisa bu glad they were a part of his band.

metallicjigolo said:

Wendy & Lisa were Hired musicians there to play what prince wanted them to play. Just so happened they became friends and Through Prince's generosity, gave them the opportunity to add their input on his work. He certainly did not have to do that.

Once Wendy joined the band and Susannah entered the fold they all became too close too quick, leading W&L to believe that they could actually dictate things to Prince.

Pretty common knowledge that the girls were upset about Jerome, Wally, and Brooks joining the band (not to mention Wendy being pissed about Miko being brought in as another guitar player--never understood that one because it wasnt like Miko was there to take away from her, he just freed Prince to dance his ass off!). Hell...Wendy even complained about Susannah joining the band.(paraphrased) "I shared a womb with this person, now I have to share the stage?" They were bothered by Prince moving away from the pop/rock sound and back to his "funk roots".

To me the big one was the Dream Factory. W&L convinced P to do this album where everyone is involved musically and creatively. Everyone getting credit is fine and as awesome as that album would have been, we all know that aint really Prince's style. If I remember correctly it was when he cancelled the album that they tried to quit (just before the European Parade tour, when Bobby had to stop them at the airport) and that was the final straw. No one had ever had that power over Prince. Think about it...they basically tried to cancel his tour! They kissed and made up, Prince got the Parade tour done then immediately sent them packing.

Now of course all of this is based on the numerous books/interviews we've read over the years, so who knows what really happened? But this is the story we've all heard.

I personally think firing them was the biggest mistake Prince ever made (he was never the same after ) but I dont think he was jealous...just fed up.

motherfunka said:

LMAO! Wendy and Lisa released several albums and came nowhere near the success of Prince. Not bashing W&L, but they weren't even a one hit wonder. Everyone knows what you hear on those albums are almost entirely Prince.

LMAO!

Really? Then why exactly is it...that Prince has NEVER...since..."came nowhere near the success of Prince"...when "Wendy & Lisa were Hired musicians there to play what prince wanted them to play"?

OH Please, i like the revolution but wendy and lisas influence is vastly overstatted. They co-wrote 4 good tracks with him, Computer Blue, Mountains, 17 days, and SISIA. Thats it, the rest was all Prince, plain and simple as that Wendy and Lisa may be good writers but they are nowhere near Prince's caliber when it comes to writing a song. Thats why Prince has written 99 percent of his best stuff by himself As far as Prince best stuff being with them, most writers are at their peak in their 20's. That is the age when most songwriters are at their best and it just so happened that Prince was at his best at that age. He had written so many good songs, his decline in songwriting was bound to happen.

[Edited 4/5/11 20:50pm]

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

motherfunka said:

LMAO! Wendy and Lisa released several albums and came nowhere near the success of Prince. Not bashing W&L, but they weren't even a one hit wonder. Everyone knows what you hear on those albums are almost entirely Prince.

LMAO!

Really? Then why exactly is it...that Prince has NEVER...since..."came nowhere near the success of Prince"...when "Wendy & Lisa were Hired musicians there to play what prince wanted them to play"?

O lawd this is going nowhere Fast!!!

hhhhdmt said:

OH Please, i like the revolution but wendy and lisas influence is vastly overstatted. They co-wrote 4 good tracks with him, Computer Blue, Mountains, 17 days, and SISIA. Thats it, the rest was all Prince, plain and simple as that Wendy and Lisa may be good writers but they are nowhere near Prince's caliber when it comes to writing a song. Thats why Prince has written 99 percent of his best stuff by himself As far as Prince best stuff being with them, most writers are at their peak in their 20's. That is the age when most songwriters are at their best and it just so happened that Prince was at his best at that age. He had written so many good songs, his decline in songwriting was bound to happen.

[Edited 4/5/11 20:50pm]

you really think it's that simple of a formula?

Maytiana said:

hhhhdmt said:

OH Please, i like the revolution but wendy and lisas influence is vastly overstatted. They co-wrote 4 good tracks with him, Computer Blue, Mountains, 17 days, and SISIA. Thats it, the rest was all Prince, plain and simple as that Wendy and Lisa may be good writers but they are nowhere near Prince's caliber when it comes to writing a song. Thats why Prince has written 99 percent of his best stuff by himself As far as Prince best stuff being with them, most writers are at their peak in their 20's. That is the age when most songwriters are at their best and it just so happened that Prince was at his best at that age. He had written so many good songs, his decline in songwriting was bound to happen.

[Edited 4/5/11 20:50pm]

you really think it's that simple of a formula?

i really do think its that simple. Most songwriters are at their peak at their age

And apart from the four songs that i did mention, what other notable song did wendy and lisa co write with p? None

hhhhdmt said:

Maytiana said:

you really think it's that simple of a formula?

i really do think its that simple. Most songwriters are at their peak at their age

And apart from the four songs that i did mention, what other notable song did wendy and lisa co write with p? None

it's not how many notable songs he wrote with them...it's that they were good enough musicians to be on his writing level. Maybe he was scared that they could get bigger and better being in his band so he fired them.That's my thought.

hhhhdmt said:

Maytiana said:

you really think it's that simple of a formula?

i really do think its that simple. Most songwriters are at their peak at their age

And apart from the four songs that i did mention, what other notable song did wendy and lisa co write with p? None

They are trying like hell to keep this thread going...

Wendy and Lisa may not have written to many songs with Prince by their fingerprints are all over the 1983-86 era.

They were the first and last female sidekicks that Prince took everywhere that actually have proper musical talent. Before and after Prince just wore his women like a bracelet.

From the Grammys, to the ATWIAD listening premiere through to the Rolling Stone cover, W&L were there.

In the same period, Prince went through his most productive period, and changed styles more times than any other. Much of the earthy funk sound that was developed them was the exact same sound that continued with W&L's solo work.

Without a doubt Prince is the major talent, but I don't think it should be underestimated how improtant W&L were, even if it were simply guidance and inspiration.

I think they would have gone on to really great things together, but when Prince starts boning you sister, it was only going to end in tears.

I don't think he was jealous of them professionally. Personally, probably - that's what IIWYGF is about, the closeness between W,L & Susannah.

Some people just HATE to see them get praised as anything more than hired hands, and some people overstate their input - the truth is somewhere in between. These threads often get ugly, pass the butterscotch

Are you a Wendy and Lisa fan?

hhhhdmt said:

Maytiana said:

you really think it's that simple of a formula?

i really do think its that simple. Most songwriters are at their peak at their age

And apart from the four songs that i did mention, what other notable song did wendy and lisa co write with p? None

Didn't Lisa write "Power Fantastic?" I know she wasn't given credit but I believe there was a fan Q & A and one of the questions was about that song and she said she wrote it.

I don't think it's just about how many songs they co-wrote with him, I think it has more to do with exposing him to different kinds of music and encouraging him to try different things. I do think that their influence is overstated and without them Prince would have been fine but I also think that once they left we lost out on some fantastic music that would have been created.

I wonder would Prince be interested in scoring TV shows? If he was jealous of anything it could be that kind of career.

Wendy & Lisa weren't guaranteed to be famous on their own but they're in a very select group of people who worked with Prince who were able to capitalise on their fame to launch their own careers. It's possible (albeit unlikely!) to have a W&L interview without mentioning Prince, the same cannot be said for most of the other people who worked with him.

[Edited 4/6/11 4:31am]