Annie Christian is a TR-808. Aside frn the fact that there was nothing else out that sounded like that at the time the man said it himself in an interview, also claiming some nonsense about it being one if the first even though that machine was out LOOONG before Controversy. Definitely an 808. I can't stand to isten to the Vanity album much, so I can quite conjure the drum sound of Bite The Beat so I can't help there.

steakfinger said:

Annie Christian is a TR-808. Aside frn the fact that there was nothing else out that sounded like that at the time the man said it himself in an interview, also claiming some nonsense about it being one if the first even though that machine was out LOOONG before Controversy. Definitely an 808. I can't stand to isten to the Vanity album much, so I can quite conjure the drum sound of Bite The Beat so I can't help there.

Thanks for this info, never knew Prince confirmed the 808 was used. I always thought it was a beat out of an organ or a casio on Annie Christian. I did consider the 808, but I associate that drum machine with a big kick/ long decay (which is not there at all in AC). But of course you can tune the 808 kick to sound small and thin too...

Shame Marley Marl or Ced Gee never made beats for Prince. Would be interesting to hear the results.

It sounds like some early form of the 808 but the snares arent as clear and snappy. I went through all my samples of drum machines out at the time and the 808 and 606 are the closest sounding things but they still sound like theyre missing something.