Several forums have discussed "What was/is Prince's best band" but one touring group I never see any love for is his Dirty Mind/Controversy group (if you have access check out Detroit '82 for instance). This was a tight funk/rock combo -- blistering edgy solos from Dez with the tight underrated rhythm section of Bobby & Mark. Fink and Lisa, way cool. The twin chicken grease guitars on "Head" is damned funky. Also this was my favorite group vocally, Dez and Lisa were a nice blend that he hasn't found since...

I know this is the same personnel on the 1999 tour but Prince saddled Bobby with those awful synthetic drums (really, he is a good drummer -- no Sheila E mind you). Also starting with the Purple Rain Tour he started to get a little kitchy if not all out Vegas. Don't get me wrong I totally dug the Sign Tour, Purple Rain, the Parade Shows, the Glam Slam performances, etc. but I wanted to just show a little love for his (albeit not most talented) 1981-1982 band.

Final point this may be the last time that he seemed to be part of a band, lately it feels like Prince fronting a Prince cover band...

OK I'm ready for all the comments calling me an old fart...

alphachannel said:

Several forums have discussed "What was/is Prince's best band" but one touring group I never see any love for is his Dirty Mind/Controversy group (if you have access check out Detroit '82 for instance). This was a tight funk/rock combo -- blistering edgy solos from Dez with the tight underrated rhythm section of Bobby & Mark. Fink and Lisa, way cool. The twin chicken grease guitars on "Head" is damned funky. Also this was my favorite group vocally, Dez and Lisa were a nice blend that he hasn't found since...

I know this is the same personnel on the 1999 tour but Prince saddled Bobby with those awful synthetic drums (really, he is a good drummer -- no Sheila E mind you). Also starting with the Purple Rain Tour he started to get a little kitchy if not all out Vegas. Don't get me wrong I totally dug the Sign Tour, Purple Rain, the Parade Shows, the Glam Slam performances, etc. but I wanted to just show a little love for his (albeit not most talented) 1981-1982 band.

Final point this may be the last time that he seemed to be part of a band, lately it feels like Prince fronting a Prince cover band...

OK I'm ready for all the comments calling me an old fart...

You know, this was a tight and dirty band. Stripped down, raw, and 80's punkish. Very underrated.

I too love that band, the rawness that the exuded, something about that unpolished yet energetic and talented group, I miss Prince jamming with the band like this

aw talent at its best. I'ld love to hear them play together once more.

mzsadii said:

aw talent at its best. I'ld love to hear them play together once more.

Yeah, I'd love to hear almost ANY of his other bands over his current band (does NOT include his late 90's NPG lineups!!!). The one you're talking about, though, had extra edge! Raw, funk, rock, and soul!

I don't think anyone throws shade at the 1999 period.

I had a lot more edge & attitude when i was 20 as well....

That band had great style & attitude, & Prince was just breaking into his own....

But please don't discredit the great musicians he tours with today...

Its interesting that this is being brought up - as people tend to forget Prince's success before Purple Rain. The 1999 album in general is overlooked because of the success of PR, but if it wasn't for PR I think 1999 would be the album fans revere most.

[Edited 5/7/11 2:27am]

DaveG said:

I had a lot more edge & attitude when i was 20 as well....

That band had great style & attitude, & Prince was just breaking into his own....

But please don't discredit the great musicians he tours with today...

No one's "discrediting" them. They can definitely play, but they're sure 'nuff BORING and predictable. There's no edge to Renato breaking out with jazzy keys on a funky track (or any other track to be honest; they do it to almost every song, making them 100% ready for the bright lights of retirement, performing somewhere on the Vegas strip). They just don't have or convey any emotion or power in their performances like the 1980-1986 band, all variations, did. None! All these newbies going gaga for Prince now would involuntarily come all over themselves twice in 10 minutes if they were TRULY exposed to the raw, powerful feel of that band.

He's very much "Prince-Lite" now and probably forever more (shoutout to Enchantment!!!).

alexnvrmnd777 said:

DaveG said:

I had a lot more edge & attitude when i was 20 as well....

That band had great style & attitude, & Prince was just breaking into his own....

But please don't discredit the great musicians he tours with today...

No one's "discrediting" them. They can definitely play, but they're sure 'nuff BORING and predictable. There's no edge to Renato breaking out with jazzy keys on a funky track (or any other track to be honest; they do it to almost every song, making them 100% ready for the bright lights of retirement, performing somewhere on the Vegas strip). They just don't have or convey any emotion or power in their performances like the 1980-1986 band, all variations, did. None! All these newbies going gaga for Prince now would involuntarily come all over themselves twice in 10 minutes if they were TRULY exposed to the raw, powerful feel of that band.

He's very much "Prince-Lite" now and probably forever more (shoutout to Enchantment!!!).

Yeah, I fully agree. They're all talented musicians, but I'm not excaggerating a bit when I say that Prince concerts is now looking more like Elton John concerts. Renato is too "lounge" to me. Super talented, but yes, not the edge that put punk and rock in his music. I prefer Prince own piano playing any day. Classical, jazzy, funky, gentle, hard, dynamic with a hell of alot of punk attitude sprayed all over it.

Personally I think the pre revolution band was the most fun live band stripped down band, whie the revolution band maybe put the most interesting influence to Prince sound. The sott/lovesexy band was maybe my personal favourite when it comes to showmanshinp.

Bringing Mark into the group brought more life into the bass, Andre was a bit full of himself, Mark was young and hungry and it showed on stage. Plus Dez was one of his best players ever and he could match P in the satorial stakes. The music was great and the band was near his best, the only thing missing was Sheila. I love all the music from the 1980 -1982, so no matter what any1 may say, I am still going 2 love it.

TheFreakerFantastic said:

Its interesting that this is being brought up - as people tend to forget Prince's success before Purple Rain. The 1999 album in general is overlooked because of the success of PR, but if it wasn't for PR I think 1999 would be the album fans revere most.

I never thought 1999 was overlooked, on a lot of radio stations. (At work we can only get 1 channel which is a (soft rock type) playing a lot of 1970s 1980s music too) I hear more 1999 music than Purple Rain: 1999 Little Red Corvette, and one of the 'black' radio stations still mostly plays music from 1999. I hear I Would Die 4 U at Lowes all the time

Thanks for the reminder what a badassed-looking band they were! Now if we could only get our hands on rehearsal recordings for the DM & Controversy tours...

The 1981-1982 band was bad-ass for sure.

That was a great group. The LRC & 1999 videos were the first time I heard of Prince.

The replacement of Andre with BrownMark really changed the vibe. Even though I didn't see the group with Andre at the time, when I see the older footage, it strikes me that Andre doesn't quite work in the line-up.

Best period imo..