Dear .Org,

Which do you find is the most enjoyable in terms of bass playing if you were to choose ONE

1. Album (e.g. The Black Album)

2. Bootleg (e.g. The Beautiful Experience)

I feel like listening to some serious bass playing by Prince e.g. 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton or Peak The Technique. Of course, there are all kinds of different bass playing by Prince, so I would be interested in hearing ALL suggestions of his bass playing that you enjoy.

love,

Spirit

Album: Exodus

Bootleg: Stars & Bars or The Glam SLam BOX SET (East, West, South)

Nice choices, chopingard. I love the bass playing on Exodus; it's a shame about the vocals...

On a slightly different note, I personally love the guitar solo on Dark by Prince on Stars and Bars; it would have added a delicious touch on the released version of the Come album.

love,

Spirit

I'd definitely pick 1999 for best album! Eventhough he stays in the pocket, the bass lines are great and so funky!

Oh, that's a great choice, xpertluva; quite possiby, one of the best...in particular, I asbsolutely love the bass playing/programming on Lady Cab Driver, All The Critics Love You In New York and International Lover.

love,

Spirit

1999, as theres not that much bass on Sign o the times or Parade, and Purple Rain is the rock guitar album.

Theres bass playing forever on dozens of bootlegs, but the best is probably, "1983 off the Ivault collection"

The Birthday Show - 6/7/'84

LOVE the bass playing in that one. Brownmark kicks A$$!

I'll second you about 2 Nigs, SpiritOtter: the track immediately popped-up in my mind when I read the thread's title.

IDK about a full album or boot, though. The bass on Exodus is nice indeed, and I have some nice memories of 1994 live solos on Acknowledge Me, and Face Down on the Jam Of The Year single too. Mark's bass line on America (long version) is a fave of mine, too.

Album-wise it's either The Gold Experience or Dirty Mind. While Sonny's subtle lines and tone on TGE adds brilliantly to the bombastic complexity of its sound, Prince's playing on Dirty Mind is simply the epitome of raw, cold slappin' funk. I love both.

Bootleg-wise I'm not too sure. Maybe one of his mid 90s Gold Experience gigs. Those were heavy on funk bass.

bootleg:

CLIMAX - instrumental

The bass playing in this way 2 fonky

Dirty mind will put funk in yo' trunk.

Live i'd agree with Peak The Technique or anything from the 94 era.

For me personally it was the 6/26/94 Glam Slam show i was front row for, He played bass guitar/bass all nite long. Days of Wild & Now was too funky..

[Edited 12/15/12 13:00pm]

[Edited 12/17/12 9:53am]

Farfunknugin said:

Dirty mind will put funk in yo' trunk.

Live i'd agree with Peak The Technique or anything from the 94 era.

For me personally it was the 6/26/94 Glam Slam show i was front row for, He played bass guitar/bass all nite long. Days of Wild & Now was too funky..

[Edited 12/15/12 13:00pm]

[Edited 12/17/12 9:53am]

I have just began to check out the 26th June 1994 concert again (Glam Slam West) and...my God, you are absolutely SPOT ON. The whole band is on fire, and Prince's guitar playing is ferocious.

Thank you for the reminder, Farfunknugin.

love,

Spirit

SpiritOtter said:

Farfunknugin said:

Dirty mind will put funk in yo' trunk.

Live i'd agree with Peak The Technique or anything from the 94 era.

For me personally it was the 6/26/94 Glam Slam show i was front row for, He played bass guitar/bass all nite long. Days of Wild & Now was too funky..

[Edited 12/15/12 13:00pm]

[Edited 12/17/12 9:53am]

I have just began to check out the 26th June 1994 concert again (Glam Slam West) and...my God, you are absolutely SPOT ON. The whole band is on fire, and Prince's guitar playing is ferocious.

Thank you for the reminder, Farfunknugin.

love,

Spirit

Yeah amazing gig. It was a charity concert right after his VH1 Honors appearance. One of the many highlights was seeing how humble he became when stevie came on stage to sing Maybe Your Baby. To my knowledge it was the first time they ever shared the same stage . At one point Prince was on the floor playing the symbol guitar with a grin ear to ear all the while looking up at stevie in awe knowing that he was playing with one of his heroes. Really cool moment. Also Berry Gordy led stevie on stage. One of my favorite gigs I've been fortunate to witness.

[Edited 12/19/12 10:51am]

Adorecream said:

1999, as theres not that much bass on Sign o the times or Parade, and Purple Rain is the rock guitar album.

Theres bass playing forever on dozens of bootlegs, but the best is probably, "1983 off the Ivault collection"

There is CRAZY bass all over Sign'O' the Times, it's just buried in the mix. The bass on "Play in the Sunshine" is NUTZ. There's some rad stuff on "If I was Your Girlfriend", too. there's cool bass on "Little Red Corvette", but as a bass player I don't find 1999 to be all that bass heavy.

For me, the best bass playing on a Prince album was The Rainbow Children. Prince's bass playing on "Family Name", "Everlasting Now", "Mellow" and "Everywhere" are very melodic and "clean". His most mature as a musician. "Everywhere", Prince's use of modal runs was very exciting to hear and to play against John Blackwell's complicated drum pattern was great.

SpiritOtter said:

Dear .Org,

Which do you find is the most enjoyable in terms of bass playing if you were to choose ONE

1. Album (e.g. The Black Album)

2. Bootleg (e.g. The Beautiful Experience)

I feel like listening to some serious bass playing by Prince e.g. 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton or Peak The Technique. Of course, there are all kinds of different bass playing by Prince, so I would be interested in hearing ALL suggestions of his bass playing that you enjoy.

love,

Spirit

Nothing on wax or live during the PR-Parade Revolution years as the bass was turned down in the mixes back then.

6/7/84 First Ave. Soundboard has some nice bass especially on 17 Days.

The bass was turned down in the mix on "Alphabet St.", but if you tune everything out and really just pay attention to it, he was a MONSTER on the bass, especially after he says "If you don't mind, I would like to just...watch!"

And also during Cat's rap he unleashes some funky licks!