NouveauDance said:

http://www.princevault.co...ed_Artists

Start with the albums Prince actually wrote, performed and produced - i.e. most of the Starr Company, Paisley Park, NPG Records albums. Then go from there to find the ones where he just produced a few songs, then the odd tracks he wrote/produced here and there.

.

Indeed. "Yo Mister" for instance is incredible, and any Prince fan needs to pick up the CD (maxi) single with the Extended Version.

todesm said:

databank said:

had NOTHING to do with Good Question and his contribution to True Confessions was minimal as well (and didn't include the Bambi cover according to Per Nilsen's research, though TC seemed to assume was responsible for it in a recent interview, so there may be something to dig here... or not - he wouldn't be the first Paisley Park artist who didn't know what was happening in his own album ).

He was credited one track which he co wrote i believe (miss thang ?).

He composed 2 exclusive tracks and recorded one of them.

todesm said:

"ck" by chaka khan is worth checking too. Eternity and Sticky Wicked (chaka prince and miles davis ...) are on there. Both a+++ tracks

Eternity here is a cover. That whole album is a gem from begining to end, a must-have in the absolute (besides the notable and remarkable /Khan/Davis/Leeds collaboration).

ThomasBjj said:

At the risk of repeating all the previous responses that I haven't read....

• The Family. Really fantastic. As far as I'm concerned, these are all Prince songs.
• Jill Jones. One of my favorites. Prince vocals can be heard on some tracks. All Prince Songs
• Vanity 6. All prince songs, music performed by Prince, Vanity on vocal.
• The Time, What Time Is It? Ice Cream Castles. Prince songs, prince performs all music, Morris on vocals.
• Mazarati. Couple songs written by Prince (he did one and wrote lyrics for 2 others), all songs sound like Prince songs (hardly, but a mplsound masterpiece just the same).
• Martika's Kitchen. Almost all Prince songs, all songs sound like Prince songs. Nonsense, he wrote/produced 4 tracks out of 12. Excellent album though but one has to be into that kind of silly synthpop
• Apolonia 6. All Prince songs.
• Taja Seville. Some Prince songs (two in fact), all songs sound like Prince songs (hardly, but a nice album overall).
• Mayte - Children of the sun. All prince songs.

warewolf95 said:

Adorecream said:

Most essential in no order (All are basically Prince writes)

.

The Time - The Time 1981

The Time - What time is it 1982

Vanity 6 - Vanity 6 1982

Sheila E - The Glamorous Life 1984

Sheila E - Romance 1600 1985

The Family - The Family 1985

Jill Jones - Jill Jones 1987

.

Fairly Essential (Many of these albums contain other material and only a few Prince penned songs)

.

Ice Cream Castles - The Time 1984

Pandemonium - The Time 1990

Sheila E - Sheila E 1987

Martika's Kitchen - Martika 1991

Time waits for no one - Mavis Staples 1989

Apollonia 6 - Apollonia 6 1984 (All Prince but some hit and miss material)

.

Good albums with a Prince sound, but minimal or no Prince involvement

.

Sex Cymbal - Sheila E - 1991

Jesse Johnsons Revue 1985 (This is pretty awesome)

The original 7ven - 2011

Thank you for the clarifications. One reason I've been hesitant it getting any of this stuff is that I'm not really into funk or soul or dance music etc., so alot of the artists Prince is/was involved in I simply have no major interest in, hence wanting to stick to "Prince albums" with this lot.

Most of the side project have a more R&B oriented sound that the main albums, that's for sure, but they still for the most part retain the complexity of 's music and cover several musical genres, so they're worth the trip.

bonatoc said:

novabrkr said:

Essential?

The first three The Time records.

The first two Sheila E. records.
The Family record.
The Vanity 6 record.
The NPG "Exodus" record.

Madhouse "8" if you want to hear his best "jazz" release

Let's not inflate the list too much.

Jill Jones is mandatory, I'm afraid.

I know some fans are very fond of it, but it doesn't offer much that is new when you think of it. The Family album and the Sheila E. albums cover much of the same ground stylistically. Prince's own versions of the songs included on Jill's album are also considerably better (the "updated" production takes away some of the energy from those songs).

novabrkr said:

bonatoc said:

Jill Jones is mandatory, I'm afraid.

I know some fans are very fond of it, but it doesn't offer much that is new when you think of it. The Family album and the Sheila E. albums cover much of the same ground stylistically. Prince's own versions of the songs included on Jill's album are also considerably better (the "updated" production takes away some of the energy from those songs).

I find it sonically closer to SOTT than previous projects in the end. it's a fans' darling, no doubt about that, and a terrific records IMHO. Mia Bocca and All Day, All Night are EPIC. Violet Blue is majestuous and surprising (it hardly sounds like a composition). G-Spot, My Man and For Love are lots of fun and Baby, You're A Trip is one of 's soul masterpieces. The only weak track IMHO is With You, the only one didn't record BTW (though he composed and mixed it). A major plus is that Jill Jones was a hell of a remarkable singer.

warewolf95 said:

todesm said:

i d say essentials are : All 4 the time albums sheila e romance 1600,the glamorous life, eponime jill jones eponime 87 ingrid chavez album mazarati taja sevelle eponime and npg exodus, goldnigga and nps madhouse albums U could add vanity6 and appolonia6 which do have a few classic tracks.

Thank you for the suggestions.

Prince pretty much wrote/recorded most of these, no?

No. Ingrid Chavez and Mazarati had little to do with Prince directly. I don't know anything about the Taja Sevelle record.

steakfinger said:

warewolf95 said:

Thank you for the suggestions.

Prince pretty much wrote/recorded most of these, no?

No. Ingrid Chavez and Mazarati had little to do with Prince directly. I don't know anything about the Taja Sevelle record.

recorded 5 songs out of 11 on Ingrid's, and played on a sixth so I wouldn't go as far as to say he had little to do with it. He started the project and planned to do it entirely but he envisioned it as pure spoken word, and Ingrid wanted to sing a bit and WB supported that, so said "if it's gonna be like that u guys finish the thing without me" and he gave Michael Koppleman the task (Levi also did a song). The result is totally brilliant, as Michael and Levi managed to stay totally cohesive with the sound had originally given the album, and was reportedly very impressed (he'd later do 2 remixes of one of Michael's songs for a maxi). May 19, 1992 is a must have for electronic music and trip-hop lovers as much as spoken words lovers, it's also an album where went totally outside of his comfort zone and did something quite unique in his career in terms of sounds (like a more sophisticated and atmospheric variation of the 1989 sound - when the tracks were originally recorded).

bonatoc said:

novabrkr said:

Essential?

The first three The Time records.

The first two Sheila E. records.
The Family record.
The Vanity 6 record.
The NPG "Exodus" record.

Madhouse "8" if you want to hear his best "jazz" release

Let's not inflate the list too much.

Jill Jones is mandatory, I'm afraid.

It sure is.

bonatoc said:

databank said:

Sure there will be a consensus that The Family is brilliant and Carmen Electra is weak, so The Family oughta be a priority, but should CE be skipped entirely for that very reason? IDK, besides even that one has a few brilliant moments on it, like COTS as you point out.

It really depends whether the OP is truly a fan of 's work as they say, or just someone who enjoys a very small part of 's overall career, as are many people here.

The problem is, he may like the Carmen Electra album.

It's like entering the A.A. :

— Hi, my name is Christian.

— Hello, Christian!
— I love "Go-go Dancer". I love "Skin Tight". I even appreciate Tony M.

My name is Eddie--I like "Just a Little Lovin'." And the segue before "All That"... and I think maybe Prince could have made a decent little love song from the backing track for that tune.

.

I agree with datbank on this--it's seems like you need to hear everything (certainly everything released) to get any kind of view of Prince's work. And even if you don't want an overall view of the body of work, but just want to find some records you like--well, I certainly have no idea what you're gonna like, and, based on what I've seen of people's opinions here, we all like very different things. But even on albums (or with artists) that might not appeal as a whole, Prince might throw an oddball track that does get you. So, again--give it all a listen, if you can.

.

Except Celine Dion's "With This Tear"--that's terrible.

databank said:

todesm said:

"ck" by chaka khan is worth checking too. Eternity and Sticky Wicked (chaka prince and miles davis ...) are on there. Both a+++ tracks

Eternity here is a cover. That whole album is a gem from begining to end, a must-have in the absolute (besides the notable and remarkable /Khan/Davis/Leeds collaboration).

I know that Sheena's version was released first (and has more Prince, since it's his recording), thus making Chaka's a "cover". However, how did Chaka get the song and when did she record it? Was it from Sheena's recording? Or did Prince submit it to her at some point, and then she did it? Had she even heard the Sheena version, or did her recording derive instead directly from Prince's version? It seems that if he brought it to her, then she did it (either at the same time as Sheena's or even later if without knowledge of Sheena's) than it wouldn't be of any lesser status than, say, Joe Cocker's "Five Women" or some other song that was in my head just a second ago and I've now forgotten. Ah well. Just because another, more heavily Prince-touched version also exists, does that mean this was a "cover" (if she didn't derive it from the Sheena version)--or is it just her doing a Prince tune that someone else did, but that was released first. For example, say Prince's "You're My Love" gets released tomorrow. Does that change Kenny Rogers recording's status? If Chaka re-recorded a Prince "demo" (for lack of a better word) without knowing that the Sheena existed (or before it was released, either way)--would that make hers a "cover"?

Don't get me wrong--I've got nothing against Sheena's version (I love it, actually)... in fact, I don't like Chaka's. I'm just wondering if it's really that clear-cut a distinction.

EddieC said:

databank said:

Eternity here is a cover. That whole album is a gem from begining to end, a must-have in the absolute (besides the notable and remarkable /Khan/Davis/Leeds collaboration).

I know that Sheena's version was released first (and has more Prince, since it's his recording), thus making Chaka's a "cover". However, how did Chaka get the song and when did she record it? Was it from Sheena's recording? Or did Prince submit it to her at some point, and then she did it? Had she even heard the Sheena version, or did her recording derive instead directly from Prince's version? It seems that if he brought it to her, then she did it (either at the same time as Sheena's or even later if without knowledge of Sheena's) than it wouldn't be of any lesser status than, say, Joe Cocker's "Five Women" or some other song that was in my head just a second ago and I've now forgotten. Ah well. Just because another, more heavily Prince-touched version also exists, does that mean this was a "cover" (if she didn't derive it from the Sheena version)--or is it just her doing a Prince tune that someone else did, but that was released first. For example, say Prince's "You're My Love" gets released tomorrow. Does that change Kenny Rogers recording's status? If Chaka re-recorded a Prince "demo" (for lack of a better word) without knowing that the Sheena existed (or before it was released, either way)--would that make hers a "cover"?

Don't get me wrong--I've got nothing against Sheena's version (I love it, actually)... in fact, I don't like Chaka's. I'm just wondering if it's really that clear-cut a distinction.

Wowowowowow, u're going too fast, it's a COVER.

Sheena releases song both on the album and as a single.

Chaka hears song.

Chaka likes song.

Chaka records song without being involved in any possible manner.

Chaka releases song 16 months after Sheena's version.

It's no more no less a cover than any other cover. It's possible Chaka asked if he minded her recording her own version the way Alicia Keys asked him if he minded her recording HCUDCMA out of courtesy, but it's a cover just the same. There's nothing more to it.

TrevorAyer said:

Encouraged by this thread I ordered The Family (vinyl, $9), they also had Carmen Electra (CD, $12) so I grabbed that too. Heard nothing but good things re: The Family and nothing but head-shaking re: CE, so I'll hear for myslef when they arrive.

(I also added Madhouse 16 for $10, which was a surprise. 'fire-singed sleeve' lol, hopefully not too bad)

.

I picked up the 94 East CDs the other week, (the 2004 Love, Love, Love and Lovin' Cup ones, $3ea.).

I guess they are Prince-related, but they're not considered his, right? Despite the attempts to sell them that way.

nonamesleft said:

Encouraged by this thread I ordered The Family (vinyl, $9), they also had Carmen Electra (CD, $12) so I grabbed that too. Heard nothing but good things re: The Family and nothing but head-shaking re: CE, so I'll hear for myslef when they arrive.

(I also added Madhouse 16 for $10, which was a surprise. 'fire-singed sleeve' lol, hopefully not too bad)

.

I picked up the 94 East CDs the other week, (the 2004 Love, Love, Love and Lovin' Cup ones, $3ea.).

I guess they are Prince-related, but they're not considered his, right? Despite the attempts to sell them that way.

Oh yeah I forgot about those. They're legit because Pepé Willie produced the sessions and therefore owns the masters but never approved of their release. The original album, Minneapolis Genius from 1986, was reworked from the original sessions and therefore has to be considered an original 1986 album. Further releases and rereleases included a lot of additional, untouched material from the late 70's, and some were remixed by Fink a few years back for yet another rerelease. So they do belong in a way because played on each and every track (and even co-composed one), but Minneapolis Genius, while being a 1986 album, is based on sessions that predate For You and has been finalized without 's involvement, so it's a bit of an oddity in 's discography.

Not to re-hash others too much but essential will depend on hardcore you get! They are are all "essential" if you're a completist but I suppose some would argue that maybe only half a dozen Prince albums are genuinely "essential" in the bigger scheme of things?!!?!? Although, obviously not me....

So, if we change the question to "where to start" I'd go for

The Time - What Time Is It?

The Family - The Family

Madhouse - 8

Jill Jones - Jill Jones

and possibly

Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life

The Exodus Has Begun - NPG (this is the best of the three NPG albums by far)

Plectrumelectrum (I personally this is the album he tried to do with Sonny T and Michael B, but from a place of light. The best since Rainbow Children.)

Also, if you really want to, give Three O'Clock's "Vermillion" a few listens through, as well Ingrid Chavez' debut album

Now then--related projects NOT worth the time:

TC Ellis - Confessions (I never understood the push for this album.)

Carmen Elektra (she can't rap)

Bria Valente (Another Boy is the only track I listen to, and that's just once in a while)

Rhonda Smith - Intellipop (meh)

Millenia - did we really need a girl-pop group?

databank said:

warewolf95 said:

As the title says^

I've recently become a hardcore fan but I've been hesitant to try and get any of the myriad of Prince-related album such as The Time or Madhouse or The Family or whatever, etc. etc.

Basically, I'm not too keen on anything that isn't a Prince vocal, but I'm open to anything and I just have no idea what is really essential to hear/get and what is just kind of "filler", ya know?

So, got any suggestions for me?

Don't lie 2 yourself u'll need to put your hands on goddamn everything in the end

.

Side-projects that entirely or almost entirely composed, recorded and per4rmed are:

.

The Time, What Time Is It? and Ice Cream Castle by The Time

Vanity 6 by Vanity 6

Apollonia 6 by Apollonia 6

The Glamorous Life and Romance 1600 by Sheila E.

The Family by The Family

8 and 16 by Madhouse

Jill Jones by Jill Jones

Times Waits For No One by Mavis Staples

Times Squared by Eric Leeds

Carmen Electra by Carmen Electra

Gold Nigga, Exodus, Newpower Soul and The War by New Power Generation

Child Of The Sun by Mayte

Kamasutra by The NPG Orchestra

Come 2 My House by Chaka Khan

GCS2000 by Graham Central Station

Elixer by Bria Valente

Superconductor by Andy Allo

.

I believe most if not all of the above is nothing BUT essential, they're for the most parts very interesting albums that also "fill the gaps" in 's creative process in between "regular" albums, ignoring them would be like skipping a third of his discography or his entire unreleased but circulating studio catalogue (which itself includes several more or less finished but unreleased albums recorded for/with other artists, such as the 2 unreleased Madhouse albums, the Margie Cox album, the Tamar Davis album, The Time's Corporate World, The Rebels and The Flesh.

.

Other albums he was involved a lot with include Sheila E. by Sheila E., Pandemonium by The Time, I Am by Elisa Fiorillo, May 19 1992 by Ingrid Chavez and The Voice by Mavis Staples. Though they are excellent albums in their own right, Mazarati and Taja Sevelle, quoted above, contained minimal input by .

Ditto on Superconductor - can't believe I forgot that. But I have a hard time putting Larry Graham and Chaka Khan in the related category, for some reason.

Before I buy them, does anyone knows if it's possible to listen to these albums (or some of them) on the net? I tried spotify and youtube and I found just something but not full album.

BartVanHemelen said:

NouveauDance said:

http://www.princevault.co...ed_Artists

Start with the albums Prince actually wrote, performed and produced - i.e. most of the Starr Company, Paisley Park, NPG Records albums. Then go from there to find the ones where he just produced a few songs, then the odd tracks he wrote/produced here and there.

.

Indeed. "Yo Mister" for instance is incredible, and any Prince fan needs to pick up the CD (maxi) single with the Extended Version.

Bart without his flamethrower, felt like a wrong Farenheit 451 plot, got me curious.

Meh... The 4th minor 7, and 1st minor 7 alternance has been so done and done again (Forever In My Life, We Can Funk, ...not to mention all things disco out there), it leaves me unmoved.
Great falsely bland background vocals, also what it seems to be a fine guitar solo,
but the production drowned in reverbs and trying to mask Prince's inputs ruins it for me.

GetOfFunk said:

Before I buy them, does anyone knows if it's possible to listen to these albums (or some of them) on the net? I tried spotify and youtube and I found just something but not full album.

No, but it's easy to download them illegally.

I wouldn't include Jill Jones or The Family. They do nothing for me...

My favorite Prince related cd's are The Time four albums, Vanity 6, Npg- Goldngga, Sheila E- Romnce 1600, Mavis Staples- The Voice, and Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready(not all Prince tunes of course but a good album IMO).

databank said:

GetOfFunk said:

Before I buy them, does anyone knows if it's possible to listen to these albums (or some of them) on the net? I tried spotify and youtube and I found just something but not full album.

No, but it's easy to download them illegally.

To give a listen on most of the listed gems, you have to be a shark for the groove (hint, hint).

bonatoc said:

databank said:

No, but it's easy to download them illegally.

To give a listen on most of the listed gems, you have to be a shark for the groove (hint, hint).

Thanks databank but I think I'll follow bonatoc's advice

Edit: I forgot: I have Madhouse and all NPG and I've never considered thes albums, above all the NPG ones, as Prince-related but as completely integrated in musical path. Am I completely wrong?

[Edited 12/9/14 8:32am]

databank said:

EddieC said:

I know that Sheena's version was released first (and has more Prince, since it's his recording), thus making Chaka's a "cover". However, how did Chaka get the song and when did she record it? Was it from Sheena's recording? Or did Prince submit it to her at some point, and then she did it? Had she even heard the Sheena version, or did her recording derive instead directly from Prince's version? It seems that if he brought it to her, then she did it (either at the same time as Sheena's or even later if without knowledge of Sheena's) than it wouldn't be of any lesser status than, say, Joe Cocker's "Five Women" or some other song that was in my head just a second ago and I've now forgotten. Ah well. Just because another, more heavily Prince-touched version also exists, does that mean this was a "cover" (if she didn't derive it from the Sheena version)--or is it just her doing a Prince tune that someone else did, but that was released first. For example, say Prince's "You're My Love" gets released tomorrow. Does that change Kenny Rogers recording's status? If Chaka re-recorded a Prince "demo" (for lack of a better word) without knowing that the Sheena existed (or before it was released, either way)--would that make hers a "cover"?

Don't get me wrong--I've got nothing against Sheena's version (I love it, actually)... in fact, I don't like Chaka's. I'm just wondering if it's really that clear-cut a distinction.

Wowowowowow, u're going too fast, it's a COVER.

Sheena releases song both on the album and as a single.

Chaka hears song.

Chaka likes song.

Chaka records song without being involved in any possible manner.

Chaka releases song 16 months after Sheena's version.

It's no more no less a cover than any other cover. It's possible Chaka asked if he minded her recording her own version the way Alicia Keys asked him if he minded her recording HCUDCMA out of courtesy, but it's a cover just the same. There's nothing more to it.

Well, all right, then. It's a cover.

.

XNY said:

I wouldn't include Jill Jones or The Family. They do nothing for me...

My favorite Prince related cd's are The Time four albums, Vanity 6, Npg- Goldngga, Sheila E- Romnce 1600, Mavis Staples- The Voice, and Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready(not all Prince tunes of course but a good album IMO).

Were you a fan in the 80s? I would think if you were that you would understand why the Family album is so important to his sound direction at the time. Jill Jones was a continuation of that. Plus, why Tevin Campbell at all. To me, that was just a one-time minor hit and that's all.

warewolf95 said:

I'm not really into funk or soul or dance music etc.

So just curious then...How did you get into Prince?

TrevorAyer said:

BobGeorge909 said:

TrevorAyer said:

the most essential is THE FAMILY ... it could have been a prince record it's so good

That records good for 3...maaaaaaaaybe 4 songs. High fashion, mutiny, and screams of passion..... and maaaaaaaybe susanahs pajamas. Sj is much better and seeming intended for live performance. The album version is not my fave.

You forgot the song Yes and Desire