My first memory of Prince is hearing "I Wanna Be Your Lover." I was 8. At the time I thought The Emotions sang the song.

Then when i was 10, I remember hearing on the radio that he'd gotten kicked off the stage in my hometown, and how "nasty" he got.

When I was 11, I liked the singles from 1999, but didn't really care for his videos, thinking he looked too "girly" for my "macho" tastes (I still laugh at myself over that . . . ).

At 12, I remember hearing "Lady Cab Driver" on my first Walkman and jammin' out to the song, like, "this dude's actually pretty cool."

Then at 13, my mother brought Purple Rain home and I played it until it virtually disintegrated, and learned the movie almost by heart.

The next spring, ATWIAD came out and at 14, I played that record out too.

Purple Rain made me a fan. ATWIAD made me realize I would listen to anything he put out, thereby making me a fan for life.

[Edited 2/12/13 14:07pm]

There's no possible way Prince's music (or anybody's for that matter) will ever have such a strong impact on me as it once did. I agree with most people, the 80's were his heyday, but I think that's only part of the reason. I won't bore you with my theory for what I think it is, but this example illustrates my point perfectly.

I remember when I was around 17 or 18 and I got my hands on a bootleg copy of The Black Album/Crystal Ball. Before I got to hear it, a girl that I liked came over and was trying to make out. All I could think about was getting her out of the door so I could listen to the cd without interruption. Sadly, that sort of passion for music, no matter how good it is, won't happen again.

In fact, when I listen to his old stuff, even old songs that I've just heard for the first time fairly recently (Splash, The Grand Progression, I Wonder...), I think they're great, but no one is getting thrown out of my bedroom so I can hear them.

skywalker said:

SynthiaRose said:

Just wanted to say it's been really interesting the back and forth between you two. Good food for thought. A few things:

Do we know (or need to know) what Prince's creative technique is? How can know what his method/anchor/starting and stopping point is?

And yes, I would characterize Prince as being disconnected from some artistic core.

What leads you to this characterization? What barometer do you use? Your opinion on his work? Chart success? Radio play? Minutes a day you spend (or don't) dancing to "screwdriver" ?

LOL! Yes the Screwdriver Dance minutes is the main barometer!

But really as far as Prince's disconnection I have no authority to say and am just basing that on my instincts and my evaluation of the new music lacking the power, urgency and voice Prince is capable of. Purely subjective.

Anyway, I've hijacked this thread long enough ... back to the "Old Timers" and their forget-me-nots....

I love 17 Days. I love screwdriver.

I remember exactly why I got into Prince and I know why I still like what he does now.

I think his "golden era" is held in such hight regard by old timers because it came in the most emotionally important times of theirs lives, rather than it simply being better.

I do think the old material is better, but I listen to the new stuff more than I do the old stuff I've heard a million times. It may not be as cutting edge, but quality doesn't need to be.

Cinnammon Girl is better than Jack U Off. I would take Screwdriver over Do it all night.

The main reason I got into Prince was the video to kiss - blew me away!!

The Parade period is my favourite period, however I love all his music (even the Tony M stuff!)

I think sometimes people forget that we CHOSE to like Prince and buy his music, so he doesn't owe us a thing, if he wants to release his music download only, then buy it and enjoy it.

I don't care which religion he follows, who he sleeps with, nothing .................. just love his music, some songs more than others, but he has shared so much of his gift with the world that we should be grateful.

Peace

SquirrelMeat said:

I love 17 Days. I love screwdriver.

I remember exactly why I got into Prince and I know why I still like what he does now.

I think his "golden era" is held in such hight regard by old timers because it came in the most emotionally important times of theirs lives, rather than it simply being better.

Actually, as those days get further and further away, I think it's both. It's like Stevie fans who went through adolescence or critical times of their lives in the early 70's, or folks who came of age in the bebop, Beatles, Motown eras.

I do think the old material is better, but I listen to the new stuff more than I do the old stuff I've heard a million times. It may not be as cutting edge, but quality doesn't need to be.

I don't go back to the 80's material as much either, probably because I'm busy exploring new artists . . . and artists I completely ignored back then, or otherwise preceded Prince.

Cinnammon Girl is better than Jack U Off. I would take Screwdriver over Do it all night.

Not that I agree with your specific examples but you could legitimately make that new-over-old argument with any number of songs.

I don't know. You'd have to ask the OLD people.

[Edited 2/12/13 16:45pm]

I just want to note that this thread has been refreshing in the fact that a few of us could talk about how we basically prefer "old" Prince and agree that the 80s was the best Prince era without a bunch of jerks putting us down for having this opinion. The people that had different opinions, stated their reasoning in an intelligent and polite manner. Thanks!

Adria said:

I just want to note that this thread has been refreshing in the fact that a few of us could talk about how we basically prefer "old" Prince and agree that the 80s was the best Prince era without a bunch of jerks putting us down for having this opinion. The people that had different opinions, stated their reasoning in an intelligent and polite manner. Thanks!

I like it. Been a Prince fan for probably over 30 years now. And I'll tell you something.

Sometimes "not-so-old" fans open my ears to something. You see, I've been spoiled. way spoiled. Official, unofficial -- from the 70's to the Zerozeroes, I've probably heard it -- many times over.

Then when you hear something like Rock n Rock Love Affair, you can be like : I've heard better.

And I did, but the point is there is still no one else around that can do a song with all those nuances so well, no matter how pedestrian some of the arrangement is... for Prince.

17 days. been my jam forever. One of many.

Screwdriver is a different experience, and owing to my immense regard for RdHull, I won't put the two on the same line, but damn it... Prince can still awe, impress and entertain.

I feel blessed I chose him as one of my heroes so young. I try to imagine picking a hero in the nineties and beyond... oh there are many that are still awesome artists, but the whole Prince thing is just very difficult to compare, unless you go back in time to the Beatles, JB, etc.

because of his funkyness!

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/AUTOMATIC7/PRINCE%20IMAGES/UTCMPROMOSHOT--NICE.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/AUTOMATIC7/PRINCE%20IMAGES/adele_prince_15.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/AUTOMATIC7/PRINCE%20IMAGES/ellemag6yg.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/AUTOMATIC7/PRINCE%20IMAGES/Prince_-_002.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/AUTOMATIC7/PRINCE%20IMAGES/prince1999unusedpromo-1.jpg[/img:$uid]

Aerogram said:

Then when you hear something like Rock n Rock Love Affair, you can be like : I've heard better.

And I did, but the point is there is still no one else around that can do a song with all those nuances so well, no matter how pedestrian some of the arrangement is... for Prince.

Here here!

People can either go on the journey, get off, or harp on about the good old days.

Personally, I get less out of P's music than I did, but it doesn't stop me enjoying elements of the now.

I pull that fonky face more to "When I lay my hands on U" that I do to "Annie Christian", and I'm an old timer.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

For use old timers... do you ever forget why you became a fan? I do... then I happen across something, maybe just a line in one song. Maybe some forgotten jam.... and it all comes back.

Now I fit in the category many call hater. That is the new songs (say the last 10 years) do little for me. But I am OLD... and something NEW has to do 2 things: compete with the 500+ other songs and touch some part of ME... of my core... to even have a chance.

But then again: when I am open to it... the new songs do sometimes succeed.

Take '17 days' I used that track to help me throung more than one broken heart... so Screw Driver has a hard time standing against that....

but the line "I'm ur driver ur my screw" will help you pick up chicks in bars. don't complain!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

For use old timers... do you ever forget why you became a fan?

No

I'm not an 'OLD Timer' but reading this thread really enlightened me! Nice hearing from you OLD FOLKS! Haha JK...Really..I am just joking!

I really learned a lot by reading your comments!! Thanks for the insight everyone!

SynthiaRose said:

Cuddles said:

More: I can understand and perhaps even agree that for every function one can argue there is a perfect form, an efficient form, a from that allows the function or, in this case, the creation, to reach it's perfect pitch/height. And that is BEAUTIFUL to discover and it takes some great skill and a great eye/discernment and I don't dismiss this act of finding, learning, perfecting form. I don't. I think an artits must have masterful technique as a foundation. But you know I'm what I'm going to say ... technique and art are different, even if art can't exist without technique.

the real version is floating around somewhere and it pisses them off. - the artist never loses it's roots, it's soul. When it's right it's consistent through it's entire body of work. Its not much of an evolution change but an improvement upon what's already established. Look at the bodies of work of any architect musician or painter, any artist. It's the same Prince. And it's a good thing.

Your last part about the "the artist never loses it's roots, it's soul" ... I don't think the artists loses it either, but I do think they can become disconnected from it. And yes, I would characterize Prince as being disconnected from some artistic core. You view art and artist as more concrete than I do; I think artistry is more mercurial, volatile, elusive. I do think technique is concrete.

That thing that is consistent from work to work is, for me, the artist's stylistic technique and it's like their DNA and, if original, may be in its own way a stroke of genius ... but still this is a foundation of art, not itself the art. IMO.

(can't believe I'm having this convo on the org. I love discussing the philosophy of artistry. This should have been it's own thread. )

goodnite

[Edited 2/11/13 21:37pm]