I'm sitting here listening to a living legend of funk and soul. A brother who created a musical utopia; blending white and black vibes to create a positive sound. A guy who some would consider strongly influenced Prince. Sly Stone is back....with Plaine Jane...and he is fonky! However, this bass thumping, funk tingling track makes me think....where has P-funk gone?

Prince was known for this striped down dirty fonk similar to James. His sound that was so remarkably distinct. It was erotic, ambitious and imaginative.....it was Prince. However, this hybrid mixture has gone, and all that seems to surface is bubble gum pop that doesn’t deserve credit. After recent single releases (and especially Extraloveable) Prince's sound has become sterile, flat, electronic and lifeless. Sure on stage the guy kills the bass, and plays some funky licks. But when it comes down to the studio (with the exception of a few tracks) the guy doesn't seem to want to test himself. Instead, he tries to simulate an old sound from Minneapolis that really is just, well, embarrassing....Anyways Could P-funk be dead, or has Sly given us hope?

I agree with your assesment of the re-recording of EL, it was bloody awful IMO. I hate that overproduced, plasticy, lifeless sound too, can't understand why he continues to do it (and this is after he was complaining about digital music and how he's going to tape with analogue - yeah right!).

I still think however he can do the funk, you only have to hear him live to know that! The problem is that he's imitating (bad music, such as the other crap in the charts), rather than innovating.

I just think he could do a funk only album next, perhaps following 07's lead....(!)

In the meantime listen to some of his live shows, old and new to get that funk back!

[Edited 12/4/11 4:03am]

"Plain Jane" is THA SHIT I mean, finally some real ass funk, and it's NEW! I couldn't believe my ears!
I usually only listen 2 P's old stuff, cuz I'm not impressed with anything he's come up with these past years. the only songs that cought my attention were Musicology, Dreamer and um.....yeah
and I'm still waiting 4 tha funk ........

what I find funny is that when he does live shows, the music sounds soo amazing, funky and really brings out that organic sound of real instruments, but when he puts out an album, (like 20ten) it all sound so .... digital .... and he b talkin bout how he don't dig that digital stuff....

I mean, does a 50+ year old man need 2 hear from a 17 year old girl (me) that he ain't funky?
eeeeye don't thiiiiiiink'sooooo...

Prince! GET IT 2GETHER MAN!........or don't cuz I don't really give a fuck anymore
I got Sly doin his thaang

Have ya'll heard his latest single?

It's not over the top funky like the original, but it's more head bobbin' funky, funky nonetheless.

Dance 4 Me is another funk masterpiece...

Prince = Funk

Revolution said:

Have ya'll heard his latest single?

It's not over the top funky like the original, but it's more head bobbin' funky, funky nonetheless.

Dance 4 Me is another funk masterpiece...

Prince = Funk

Prince keeps the F.U.N.K. coming where did you hear the latest single?

colorblu said:

Revolution said:

Have ya'll heard his latest single?

It's not over the top funky like the original, but it's more head bobbin' funky, funky nonetheless.

Dance 4 Me is another funk masterpiece...

Prince = Funk

Prince keeps the F.U.N.K. coming where did you hear the latest single?

Extralovable...luvs it!

Revolution said:

colorblu said:

Prince keeps the F.U.N.K. coming where did you hear the latest single?

Extralovable...luvs it!

Extralovable

Extralovable is poppy. It is in no way funky. It's straight up 12 year old girl Justin Beiber cookies and cream gumball rainbow sherbert poppy.

[Edited 12/3/11 18:08pm]

Prince Ain't Funky No More thread v2574.0

bobbyperu said:

Plain Jane is just Sly trying to sound like George Clinton on a very weak composition. And nobody is funkier than George Clinton. What ya'll are forgetting is that Prince's groundbreaking early 80s albums were recorded in his home studio while nowadays he has the state-of-the art Paisley Park complex. It is interesting to note that the complaints about Prince's music being overworked started at the time PP was finished. Lovesexy was the first album recorded there and the first one that was called overproduced. When you have all those studio tricks, of course you start using them! For better or for worse. Maybe that is the reason why Prince is so much better live than on records these days.

No. People keep saying it is the equipment or the production. It has nothing to do with that. Never has.

He sounds passionless lately. Rote. It has nothing to with the lack of "naughty" words either. It has to do with a lack of passion; of just going through the motions. Whether it's funk, punk, soul, classical you name it, one cannot fake when you are just going through the motions or are just not into it.

The new extraloveable is more akin to a William Shatner or Leonord Nimoy version of this song than Barry Manilow version,.. much less a Prince version. Barry Manilow would have gave it his all. This is a Lily Von Schtupp version.

[Edited 12/4/11 10:19am]

Prince is still the funkiest man alive. He's just too versatile to do one type of funk. Plain Jane, as banging as it is, is nothing but a 70's romp in funk, Prince is sounding fresher - whether that's by incorporating bad ingredients from modern mainstream or whether it's Prince correctly updating his sounds, is up for debate, i personally say it's mostly the latter. Tracks like Ol Skool Company, Laydown, Pimp And Circumstance, Life O The Party, Beginning Endlessly among others are what i consider progressive new funk. Then you have him re-doing old tricks ala most of 20ten, Musicology, The Work, F.U.N.K. etc and then you have his poppy ones ala Extraloveable, Chocolate Box, Never B Another etc.

.

Of course i'd like him to dabble more in my preferred new funk of his or would like him to experiment with funk say, What's My Name, but to say he's not funky is quite a bold claim and one i consider to have no merit.

.

Speaking of F.U.N.K, that track is pure proof he could do what he did back in the day off the cuff. He just chooses not to...and i don't think it's because he's looking for new sounds (which probably is a part of it), i think it's because he's in a different place, he's at peace and loving the party - hence the mostly modern party music.

[Edited 12/4/11 7:24am]

I wouldn't call Prince's new version of Extraloveable sterile or flat but it's not as funky or as good as the original. Prince used to be funkier in the first part of his career than he is now, but every once in a while he proves that he's still able, like with Ol' Skool Company. That song is so funky!

peter430044 said:

I wouldn't call Prince's new version of Extraloveable sterile or flat but it's not as funky or as good as the original. Prince used to be funkier in the first part of his career than he is now, but every once in a while he proves that he's still able, like with Ol' Skool Company. That song is so funky!

That's what I was saying....different levels of funk....U can't touch the original version, but it don't mean it ain't funky too! The new version is only a head bobbin funk level...much like "Come On"

I don't care about the production right now, the lyrics on Extralovable are some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard ever.