I was thinking, you know how you see TONS of people collabing on songs nowaday's? rappers & singers, rappers & musicians, R&B & Rock or pop artists on songs together. It happens a lot nowaday's, how would you feel if Prince ever did this? or what if he did back in the 90's & 80's? did more duets and such.

Discuss

It would've been nice if he had and not just by mail. I mean imagine if he and Miles Davis actually camped out together at the studio over a weekend? What if he wasn't so much a control freak and dictatorial and willing to let certain artists run the show, and he be just a glorified session musician or advisor or whatever. For that matter, how about he reached out and volunteered himself?

I can tell you that many a many musician and pop stars would be hardpressed to turn down such an opportunity. OK some might, but would you? I can't said I would.

Drake sometime back said he wants Prince to do guitar work for him. That would be a fine opportunity.

It'd depend on how good the collaborations were.

Although obviously, if you think about it, he DID collaborate - a lot of his back catalog, isn't *just* Prince and Prince alone.

BobGeorge909 said:

I also say he need to let the pop-chicks cover his old ambiguous tunes and give them a new spin/take. Lady Gaga doing a cover of head or sister.... or even bambi.

BobGeorge909 said:

Step outta his comfort zone too....dueling bases with flea...thumbing out some licks at a RHCP show.

Now that's something I would kill to see

I'm very nervous about Prince collaborating with other artists

50% of the time I don't think Prince fully respects his work or legacy, or the 'sound' that he created and the sounds that he made popular.

His need to showcase 'classic' music that isn't his to me goes too far. It seems like he's presenting himself as someone that hasn't been there since 1976 making music.

His back catalogue of music is so vast that he should never have to do a cover. There are exceptions like A Case of U, A Whole Lot of Love, Just My Imagination.

Right now, I believe he needs to honor his life work and probably moreso his earlier periods from the demo periods to 1993 but especially the 1978-1989/90 years. These were the years that preceeded the internet, the periods were capturing events music performance wasn't as easy. Which is why we still go crazy when someone presents a boot or pictures from the Dirty Mind era or earlier.

His most defined sounds that were "PRINCE" were mostly the 1978-1988 years 1982-1987 even more particular. This was the time when his proteges were the best and mirrored the different avenues of 'Purple Music' the Time Vanity 6 Sheila E the Family Madhouse Jill Jones

Those proteges overall are still people who are out there making music and who respect Prince and what he did then. Still showing respect to that sound.

Those in his band then and the proteges are the ones, I would love to see him collaborate with. Because I believe they will be the one that can bring a freshness and excitement to Prince music. Larry Graham is going to bring Sly & the Family... Chaka Khan is going to bring Chaka.

I would love to see him have the Time, FDelux/the Family, Sheila E open for him

I would love for him to call up Gayle Chapman(keyboardist from 1978-1980) Lisa Coleman Wendy Melvoin Sheila E Jill Jones Rhonda and go into the studio and he can even bring Andy (because he will) and tell her to watch Wendy lol

I would love for him to go to a Time rehearsal and jam session and just jam 777-9311 the Walk Ice Cream Castles and even some of their new music and just let the honor they are actually showing to him affect him

Get together that whole crew, from Gayle Andre Dez the Revolution the Time the Family Eric Eddie M Sheila E and that Romance 1600 band Jill Jones and create a go round of interaction and collaboration. Sheila E jamming the drums with the Time, Prince playing guitar back-up for the Family the Revolution backing Prince & Jill Jones on "Jill Jones music"

And watch people start exploring more that historic period of Prince and those boots flowing and albums even coming back into circulation again.

And I think only thru that would we see a release of music from the vault that will be respected as well.

Gunsnhalen said:

I was thinking, you know how you see TONS of people collabing on songs nowaday's? rappers & singers, rappers & musicians, R&B & Rock or pop artists on songs together. It happens a lot nowaday's, how would you feel if Prince ever did this? or what if he did back in the 90's & 80's? did more duets and such.

Discuss

It's just a marketing thing now...no artistry involved in those decisions at all.

I'm glad Prince didn't do that too much.

He's done a few like this: Madonna, No Doubt, Angie Stone, Doug E. Fresh... It's just none have been big singles!

Just litening to Come On (Doug E Fresh Mix). Sounds like it could be a hit today!

(Do a google search)

BobGeorge909 said:

I think its something he needs to embrace at this point.

nah..it'd be better if he collabed with folks back in the day when he and the others to collab with were in their prime or at least relevant

Know.

rdhull said:

Collaborations really don't interest me. I think most are just a marketing ploy. In fact, I'm sick of all the collaborations, so I'm glad Prince has not done that many. I hope he doesn't do them in the near future either. Perhaps when he's really old, but I have no interest in seeing him collaborate now.

BobGeorge909 said:

rdhull said:

nah..it'd be better if he collabed with folks back in the day when he and the others to collab with were in their prime or at least relevant

I.don't agree...he still writes some great pop ditties, but his image has some baggage that holds them back....50+ and all....lots of history....kids don't like history class.....stay behind the scenes and contribute. It would also help with his tendency to think he's the be all and end all. Confidence is key but egos can hold you back. He still writes great music and has fresh sounds...its just all attached to an overbearing image and history. And its not just something he's able to throw out the window...purple rain is purple rain...nasty girl is nasty girl...then the whole 0(+> phase. Which ironically attemps to do what I'm speaking to but utterly failed cuz u are what u've done...not necessarily what u want to be. [Edited 4/24/12 9:33am]

Aint nobody lweft to collabh with who have not lost their juice. Hell most artists (Bowie, Reznor, Jam/Lewis, etc etc) are all zzzzzz now doing the same shit over and over or just lost of fire. Prince still writes nice ditties yes but is it anything to herald/ debateable because Lotus Flower was A material inho but he didnt stay on that route. He went backwards with back to pop ditties imo even though 2010 was experimental imo.

Unless it was with Bruce Springsteen, and only for one or two songs, I'm happy with the way things are now.

I can't think of a single collaboration that's especially noteworthy. However, I do consider "Take Me With U" as one of Prince's best songs ever, but that's not a collaboration.

That's a bone he threw Appolonia.

Prince passed up on some chances to collab with real greats, but he passed them by because of, I don't know - take your pick: ego, fear, narcissism, shyness, all of the above? Even with those he has collaborated with, it's often been disappointing for the same reasons.

I think if he had been more open to working with people, rather than keeping them at arms length, who knows what the end result could've been - in many cases, it certainly couldn't be worse than the often underwhelming results that did occur.

Roll up your sleeves and get in the studio to know these people rather than just swapping tapes.

NouveauDance said:

Prince passed up on some chances to collab with real greats, but he passed them by because of, I don't know - take your pick: ego, fear, narcissism, shyness, all of the above? Even with those he has collaborated with, it's often been disappointing for the same reasons.

I think if he had been more open to working with people, rather than keeping them at arms length, who knows what the end result could've been - in many cases, it certainly couldn't be worse than the often underwhelming results that did occur.

Roll up your sleeves and get in the studio to know these people rather than just swapping tapes.

Prince passed them up.....because he could. Prince has his own ART that he wants 2 present 2 the world.

Graycap23 said:

Prince passed them up.....because he could.

Stellar reasoning.

NouveauDance said:

Graycap23 said:

Prince passed them up.....because he could.

Stellar reasoning.

It's like having Enzo Ferrari making a car along side of Honda. Just a bad idea.

Graycap23 said:

It's like having Enzo Ferrari making a car along side of Honda. Just a bad idea.

Hmmm, well if that's your analogy for Prince and other artists like Miles Davis etc, there's no reasoning with you, stellar or otherwise.

I'm glad he rarely did and hope he never does it again. There were a lot of great artists in the 1980s and very few of them, except for Michael Jackson, had guest artists all over their albums. You didn't see members of Con Funk Shun all over The Barkays' albums and vice versa. After Michael Jackson exploded, then there were collaborations all over the place and it helped to weaken music because everyone had a sound of their own back then which meant someone had to sacrifice their sound to work with someone else. It's very easy for the artists of today to work together because they all sound the same. And what do they sound like? Shit is what they sound like.

As for working with artists of today, HELL naw! If I want to hear other artists' music, I'll buy their albums. I buy Prince's music to escape their music, not to hear them in Prince's music. That's not escaping their music, that's hearing more of it. There's a whole radio full of boring dead ass music for people that like it. Don't weaken Prince's music with their music.

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[Edited 4/25/12 12:48pm]

NouveauDance said:

Graycap23 said:

It's like having Enzo Ferrari making a car along side of Honda. Just a bad idea.

Hmmm, well if that's your analogy for Prince and other artists like Miles Davis etc, there's no reasoning with you, stellar or otherwise.

......Prince's catalogue speaks 4 itself.

vainandy said:

I'm glad he rarely did and hope he never does it again. There were a lot of great artists in the 1980s and very few of them, except for Michael Jackson, had guest artists all over their albums. You didn't see members of Con Funk Shun all over The Barkays' albums and vice versa. After Michael Jackson exploded, then there were collaborations all over the place and it helped to weaken music because everyone had a sound of their own back then which meant someone had to sacrifice their sound to work with someone else. It's very easy for the artists of today to work together because they all sound the same. And what do they sound like? Shit is what they sound like.

As for working with artists of today, HELL naw! If I want to hear other artists' music, I'll buy their albums. I buy Prince's music to escape their music, not to hear them in Prince's music. That's not escaping their music, that's hearing more of it. There's a whole radio full of boring dead ass music for people that like it. Don't weaken Prince's music with their music.

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[Edited 4/25/12 12:48pm]

Totally agree!

vainandy said:

I'm glad he rarely did and hope he never does it again. There were a lot of great artists in the 1980s and very few of them, except for Michael Jackson, had guest artists all over their albums. You didn't see members of Con Funk Shun all over The Barkays' albums and vice versa. After Michael Jackson exploded, then there were collaborations all over the place and it helped to weaken music because everyone had a sound of their own back then which meant someone had to sacrifice their sound to work with someone else. It's very easy for the artists of today to work together because they all sound the same. And what do they sound like? Shit is what they sound like.

As for working with artists of today, HELL naw! If I want to hear other artists' music, I'll buy their albums. I buy Prince's music to escape their music, not to hear them in Prince's music. That's not escaping their music, that's hearing more of it. There's a whole radio full of boring dead ass music for people that like it. Don't weaken Prince's music with their music.

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[Edited 4/25/12 12:48pm]

Exactly Andy!

Would LOVE to have seen it with some great jazz and rock guys that are great at what they do. The problem is I don't think he's real good at give and take musically. I think he needs to call who gets what, when and where. Unless they are his childhood musical heroes. Then he steps back and still doesn't truly collaborate. Just having another artist on a track or writing a song for someone is not collaborating. There are GREAT musicians most people have never heard of that would be great for him to collaborate with if he wanted to.

Empress said:

Collaborations really don't interest me. I think most are just a marketing ploy. In fact, I'm sick of all the collaborations, so I'm glad Prince has not done that many. I hope he doesn't do them in the near future either. Perhaps when he's really old, but I have no interest in seeing him collaborate now.

Mya said:

BobGeorge909 said:

Step outta his comfort zone too....dueling bases with flea...thumbing out some licks at a RHCP show.

Now that's something I would kill to see

what about RHCP, Prince and George Clinton together?

Prince was one of those guys that never really sounded great with others. All "collaborations" were Prince songs that others were trying to sing. Never really had the right vibe. But then again, who did Prince really work with of note, on what high profile project? It had to be his way, which was going to be a Prince production, which never seemed to work for anyone but Prince. Computationally, Prince has a narrow musical scope, one that is hard to fit into, and in fact, seems he is the only one that can. It would have been great to see what he could have done with some songwriters of the 80's and 90's as opposed to music producers of today.

Dren5 said:

It'd depend on how good the collaborations were.

Although obviously, if you think about it, he DID collaborate - a lot of his back catalog, isn't *just* Prince and Prince alone.

Agreed! it's all about the quality of the collaborations. For example, Rave was a cynical move on Clive Davis' part to 'do a Santana' as it were, putting Prince together with some high profile collaborators in an attempt to boost record sales.

I'm guessing Prince wasn't too in to the idea - he wrote weak material for Gwen, Ani, etc, and the production was lazy.

I would also imagine that Prince's idea of 'collaboration' is more of a dictation/producer thing. He wrote the material and allowed guest artists to play/sing along. Damn, if I'd produced When Doves Cry I'd probably struggle to let go of control too...

And dare I say that the Rave collaboration choices were slightly wack?

If Prince could put his ego aside and work in a true collaborative nature (from the songwriting through to production) with the ?uestloves and Beyonces of this world, I reckon he could come up with something really special that the public might take an interest in.

So Far So Pleased just ain't gonna cut it!

chelsearodgerslovesya said:

fishwillbite said: