I can't say and don' know about his "money minding", though it's clear that some of his past bands' members seem to be there as "furnitures", he could have recorded himself playing other instruments than guitar and then playback while he's playing his instrument..

He should play with Rhonda always or try MeShell Ndegeocello ...

Concerning Shelby, she definetely IMO, has a powerful voice, but she seems a kind of aggressive person as a "big bodyguard" ready to bite when one gets close to Prince, made me laugh at "la Société" in Paris last Year ... Grrrr Grrrr

[Edited 9/8/12 7:25am]

2elijah said:

motherfunka said:

I'll agree he was unpredictable many, many years ago. He's been pretty predicatable for a long time now. Bashing the record companies, doing concerts here and there, giving away his new material in newspapers because he knows no one would buy it otherwise, and praising certain new artists (and who really cares about that?). Prince was preaching about real music, real musicians in the 90s all while having Tommy play samples of all kinds of stuff, and later Morris.

He still is unpredictable. He has changed band members over the years, so I can't say he's predictable in that sense. And what artist/musician don't complain about record labels? It's not like there's no snakes in that business, that prey/take advantage and have cheated many artists/musicians out of money and their creative material. As far as real musicians and real music, I hope he always preaches that. The state of the music industry and what some of the labels call talent and music today, is a joke, and if half these new artists, don't stay on top of their game long enough to have classics, 10 plus year music catalogue, then they'll be kicked to the curve with a quickness, and will join the "Where are they now" list.

For example, Amerie, Ciarra, just to name a few, and I would name more, but who remembers their names or songs?

If you truly knew what new music was out there you wouldn't be saying what you said above, period.

Henry Rollins said it best:

I am lucky to be someone who is easily contented. For me, listening to music is the best thing. I don't need company or even a very high-end system. Just to be able to spend some time listening to music and not have to jump and do anything for a little while, this is as good as it gets for me. Truly, this is the best thing I know.

Listening to music at night: If there is anything that is perfect, it is this. Sitting alone, with music filling the air, I disappear completely into the night, into the sound. I am no longer weighted down by the concerns of the day. In these moments, I am beyond time.

While I would like to think that I have a wide appreciation of music, at this point I am perhaps a music snob, with an ear for what some might find objectionable, precious or just plain awful.

This is absolutely fine with me. I am not looking for consensus or camaraderie.

Tonight, some records have been committed to the turntable. The first was a one-sided 12" by the Neokarma Jooklo Trio, called Meditative, which is on the excellent Italian label Qbico. At its core are three players, Virginia Genta, David Vanzan and Luca Massolin. They are self-taught multi-instrumentalists -- Genta is a monster saxophone player. Their material is not all that easy to procure, as their albums are pressed in small numbers. Nonetheless, they are a great favorite of mine right now.

Next was a collaboration between Golden Jooklo Age and Peaking Lights on the Holidays label. Peaking Lights is a duo, ...ndra Dunis, which I know little about but I have one of its records, Imaginary Falcons, which I really like. This is all very ambient, avant, droning, noisy stuff that might send some packing but for me is perfect nighttime listening.

I have been back in Los Angeles for a few days now. The days have been taxing, often starting before 0700 hrs. I am basically here to shamelessly promote my Canadian dates, as well as three specials I shot for National Geographic called Animal Underworld, not to mention go to meetings, pretape upcoming radio shows and do some voiceover work. It's not much of a break, but it did allow me some rare LP listening time.

Throughout the 30-plus interviews I was dragged through, the questioners often were trying to find my sympathies as they opined about the deplorable state of music. I can't join in on that whine, however, because I find music to be really happening right now. Of course, good music is in the ear of the listener, but I don't have the problem of not enough good music to listen to as much as I can't find enough time to listen to all the good music that has been coming out.

The whole "music sucks now" thing to me is so lame. Youths write me and tell me that their band will go nowhere because of all the bad bands in the world. I tell them there has always been awful music and that no great band ever wasted any time complaining, they just got it done. Their ropey ranting is just a way to get out of the hard work of making music that will do some lasting damage.

To drive this point home, here are a few recent releases that plunge a sword into the whole "music sucks now" lie. I can't believe how easily some people are whipped.

KTL, V: The next installment of room-shaking, dark, droning hugeness from Stephen O'Malley and Peter Rehberg. All of their records are challenging, swallow-you-whole listening experiences. I am quite the fan. Besides CD and 2LP versions, this particular album also has a limited pressing of 300 that has an extra 12".

High on Fire, De Vermis Mysteriis: Matt Pike, Des Kensel and Jeff Matz have done it again. Yet another bone-breaking, vaporizing metal masterpiece. This is High on Fire's sixth studio album, and it kills as hard as the other five.

Heavy Blanket, Heavy Blanket: Six mind-melting instrumentals with our man J Mascis on guitar. I saw J's main band, Dinosaur Jr., 15 times last year, and I do believe he is better than ever. Stratospheric guitar oblivianation. I am so happy about this album.

Young Prisms, In Between: I became a fan of this band when I heard their previous album,Friends for Now. This is smart, atmospheric pop music. This new album is a bit less wall-of-sound than what came before, but I like it and it's growing on me steadily.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring, So Many Things: This great rockin' band from Australia have put all their pain-in-the-ass-to-find singles and split-singles sides into one collection, making for a great, ricocheting ride through their brand of straight-up tuneage. Their three albums are great as well. One of the upsides of many Australian bands is that there are often offshoot and related bands, and the ECSR gang have a few that are really worth checking out: The Ooga Boogas, The UV Race and Total Control. Not a bad record in the bunch.

OK, so we just laid waste to the "music sucks now" thing. Music is just fine, cheer up!

Henry Rollins: The Column! Stop Whining About How Today's Music Sucks

Also, here are some links where you can read about and find new music that's great:

Exclaim! (music magazine that cover's what's good in the world of music)

NME Radio (kickass insane British radio station that plays cool new music)

Blog TO's The Neighborhood Mixtape (new music, all different genres, all great)

Paper Bag Records (nice indie label out of Toronto, with great music)

NOW Magazine (yeah, I know that it's local to Toronto, but the way it covers the music scene like L.A. Weekly is just as good, and covers a wide range of genres; also, check out this article on how to encourage local non-pop music scenes in a town or city: Teen Age Waste Land)

The Wedge (New and exciting music, some of it like Prince and the NPG)

Here is the deal. Prince is 50 something years old. To me he tries to keep a fresh look for the band. Shelby doesn't bother me as much as that boring keyboard dude Renardo or whatever. Dude sounds like he reads the notes and has negative zero feel

imago said:

2elijah said:

Well, to each their own, and to answer your question, no, because that heavy metal sound is not my cup of tea, but that doesn't mean artists/fans who like it, should stop playing or listening to it just because I don't like it. I rather just keep it moving and gravitate my energy towards music styles, musicians/artists, whose music I like and appreciate.

This is exaclty why I didn't bother seeing Prince the last 2 times he performed in my city, even though it was only 15 minutes away. He can do what he does, and I'm not asking him to stop doing it. I just loathe it, so attend shows elsewhere.

I can't lie, if he came to my city right now I wouldn't want to go see him either. But my wife would, so that means I'd have to go.

DecaturStone said:

Shelby doesn't bother me as much as that boring keyboard dude Renardo or whatever. Dude sounds like he reads the notes and has negative zero feel

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