Pentacle said:

owen said:

Or better still, if we accept that TMBGITW was Prince's last big radio hit single,

can you think of another artist selling as many concert tickets who last had a hit 20 years ago?

Fleetwood Mac.

lol

yeah but without the excitement Prince generated in London back in Feb

RJOrion said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

--------------

well damn....never considered that angle.... also, his parents, have passed on...i know its been reported that he wasnt very close with his mother and had an inconsistent relationshp with his pops...but i know from personal experience, that when you lose a parent with whom youve had a dysfunctional relationship with, it can cause some feelings of guilt and and a certain lack of closure that NEVER goes away... we cant say for sure if he's troubled in that regard, but i can certainly empathize with him if he's dealing with that kind of emotional/spiritual pain

Exactly. The man is human and has other aspects of life to deal with. All these folks want is "hits" on their terms.........as if it means anything from Prince's perspective. It is laughable if it wasn't so pathetic coming from so called "fans".

The usual backlash when Prince shuts people out and doesn't do what they want him to do...

RJOrion said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

--------------

well damn....never considered that angle.... also, his parents, have passed on...i know its been reported that he wasnt very close with his mother and had an inconsistent relationshp with his pops...but i know from personal experience, that when you lose a parent with whom youve had a dysfunctional relationship with, it can cause some feelings of guilt and and a certain lack of closure that NEVER goes away... we cant say for sure if he's troubled in that regard, but i can certainly empathize with him if he's dealing with that kind of emotional/spiritual pain

This is sad, and we all have unresolved or deep wounds that we carry with us as we go through life...I hope Princes personal life is not as bleak as this. I can empathize with this as well, but really hope he has people he can trust and love around him...maybe we just don't know about his real personal life. Could be Prince has thrown himself into the thing that never lets him down. Music. He's tried friends, been married, attempted family and doing what we all do...it seems he may have been burned too many times to put himslef out there like that anymore, and music continually saves him. I often wonder, if the universe exacts it's balance when one is so talented, gifted and fortunate.....seems many pay a hefty price in order to leave such a legacy....

Graycap23 said:

Pentacle said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

Yes, like not having many songs in the catalogue he can keep on performing.

Then dying alone and friendless, as his creditors and WB raid the vault.

Pentacle said:

Graycap23 said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

Yes, like not having many songs in the catalogue he can keep on performing.

Then dying alone and friendless, as his creditors and WB raid the vault.

Damn yall are cold.

Prince has more songs that anyone that he can perform live........u must have him mixed up with someone else.

Pentacle said:

Graycap23 said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

Yes, like not having many songs in the catalogue he can keep on performing.

Then dying alone and friendless, as his creditors and WB raid the vault.

sad and scary thought...it has happened to other artists though...hopefully not Mr. Nelson

terrig said:

RJOrion said:

Prince is close to 60 years old.

No friends, no wife, no kids. He has more important issues than the nonsense being stated in this thread.

--------------

well damn....never considered that angle.... also, his parents, have passed on...i know its been reported that he wasnt very close with his mother and had an inconsistent relationshp with his pops...but i know from personal experience, that when you lose a parent with whom youve had a dysfunctional relationship with, it can cause some feelings of guilt and and a certain lack of closure that NEVER goes away... we cant say for sure if he's troubled in that regard, but i can certainly empathize with him if he's dealing with that kind of emotional/spiritual pain

This is sad, and we all have unresolved or deep wounds that we carry with us as we go through life...I hope Princes personal life is not as bleak as this. I can empathize with this as well, but really hope he has people he can trust and love around him...maybe we just don't know about his real personal life. Could be Prince has thrown himself into the thing that never lets him down. Music. He's tried friends, been married, attempted family and doing what we all do...it seems he may have been burned too many times to put himslef out there like that anymore, and music continually saves him. I often wonder, if the universe exacts it's balance when one is so talented, gifted and fortunate.....seems many pay a hefty price in order to leave such a legacy....

THIS!...i cant think of too many entertainers or public figures, who have reached the pinnacle of success in their chosen endeavors, who didnt eventually succumb to a somehow tragic ending...could it be that his seemingly increasing religious zeal (that SOME of his fans seem put off by) is an attempt by him, to try and ward off this seemingly inevitable fate...im gonna stop now...i respect the man too much to continue to openly speculate on, and forecast his impending doom...its making me sad

[Edited 12/31/14 12:25pm]

RJOrion said:

terrig said:

This is sad, and we all have unresolved or deep wounds that we carry with us as we go through life...I hope Princes personal life is not as bleak as this. I can empathize with this as well, but really hope he has people he can trust and love around him...maybe we just don't know about his real personal life. Could be Prince has thrown himself into the thing that never lets him down. Music. He's tried friends, been married, attempted family and doing what we all do...it seems he may have been burned too many times to put himslef out there like that anymore, and music continually saves him. I often wonder, if the universe exacts it's balance when one is so talented, gifted and fortunate.....seems many pay a hefty price in order to leave such a legacy....

THIS!...i cant think of too many entertainers or public figures, who have reached the pinnacle of success in their chosen endeavors, who didnt eventually succumb to a somehow tragic ending...could it be that his seemingly increasing religious zeal (that SOME of his fans seem put off by) is an attempt by him, to try and ward off this seemingly inevitable fate...im gonna stop now...i respect the man too much to continue to openly speculate on, and forecast his impending doom...its making me sad

[Edited 12/31/14 12:25pm]

There is no impending doom..........Prince will continue 2 do what he knows best. It works 4 him.

I simply don't see this premise as a valid statement, comment or question.

Prince hasn't changed........the public taste has.

Graycap23 said:

There is no impending doom..........Prince will continue 2 do what he knows best. It works 4 him.

Ya, I agree, as long as Prince is making music, he's happy....and has a safe place to exorcise his demons (so to speak)

I agree with this.Does anyone even get excited when they hear that Prince is producing a new,sexy,young female artist? Been there,done that.It's just not excitng anymore.Sheila E. was his last successful protege and that was in the 80s.These newer proteges release albums that don't go anywhere.Time for Prince to find a new hobby,lol.

Adorecream said:

2. Plugging proteges and sexy muses - This is not a new problem with Prince, if its 19, got big tits and squeaks along to a Prince bassline, he will promote it. Forcing some of 3rd eye girl's lesser moments, Bria Valente and Tamar on his own projects does him no favours. Plus Prince you are in your mid 50s, chasing around 18 to 23 year girly girls and given them albums of your rejects and making us buy them is not a good way to keep fans. Even worse is that most of these vanity projects never do that well and seem to have less talent than all of the big boobed sex kitten fluff on the charts now. Seriously, if we had not had 3rd eye girl, we would not have been inflicted with Boytrouble.

Seriously does anyone still know of Tamar, listen to the Bria disc we were forced to buy or care about Andy Allo anymore?

[Edited 1/1/15 1:27am]

I agree with this.Does anyone even get excited when they hear that Prince is producing a new,sexy,young female artist? Been there,done that.It's just not excitng anymore.Sheila E. was his last successful protege and that was in the 80s.These newer proteges release albums that don't go anywhere.Time for Prince to find a new hobby,lol.


"But they don't know the things you do to me when we're alone"...

SoulAlive said:

skywalker said:

Adorecream said:

Just my 2 cents here, but 5 basic reasons, why Prince is not moving product like he used too.

When did Prince really used to sell a lot of albums/move alot of product? I mean, when did he ever have the biggest selling album of the year? 1984.

-

Other BIG sales years for Prince: 1983, 1989, 1991, 1996 (kinda), 2004.

-

Selling a million records in 1986 was nothing. Especially, for an artist as hot/famous/in the zone as Prince was.

-

There is this misconception that Prince used to sell albums like gangbusters. The truth is, he rarely sold more than to his fanbase.

-

Here, at the end of 2014, no one is really selling albums anymore. Not like they used to. The business has changed.

-

Compare Taylor Swift's sales of 1989 to Janet, Whitney, or Madonna in the 80's and 90's. Hell, compare here sales to Cyndi Lauper's She so Unusual. Scratch that, compare Taylor Swift's sales to Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. Puts things in perspective.

-

Bottom line: Yes, Prince could play the game better. However, all of the reasons that you listed arte things Prince has ALWAYS done for better or worse. You should read Alan Light's new book, Let's Go Crazy.

-

The book really details the fact that, though Purple Rain was one biggest phenomenons ever, Prince did things to end it/slow it down way before he needed to. Many of the things you listed, in fact.

[Edited 12/30/14 13:22pm]

Now here's a real take on the "issue". There are scores of artists who do the heavy promos, the videos, the interviews and still don't sell even 150 000 copies of their album.

KingSausage said:

People don't think music is worth paying for anymore. It's depressing as hell.

Given the current structure,

the weak talent,

the so called singing TV shows,

reality TV on so called singers,

Spotify and the like..........

It ISN'T

Graycap23 said:

KingSausage said:

Graycap23 said:

Given the current structure,

the weak talent,

the so called singing TV shows,

reality TV on so called singers,

Spotify and the like..........

It ISN'T

But people don't even pay for the good shit anymore. There's always been garbage. Just this morning I was complaining to my wife how much better it was when we were growing up and Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, etc were popular and these damn kids with their terrible music dammit. But everything sells low numbers now. Quality music or not.

The entire structure from the top 2 the bottom is shit.

It's OVA man.

Any time u can get something free that u use 2 pay 4.........most will get it 4 free.

[Edited 1/2/15 7:43am]

mattosgood said:

Pentacle said:

Most of this is all Bullshit. It's his horrible song writing, producing and corny ideas.

therat said:

therat said:

Most of this is all Bullshit. It's his horrible song writing, producing and corny ideas.

This can be said of any artist who works under censorship. Prince's religion has killed his art.

(2 a degree)

ART Official Age.

Another reason to consider: Who is Prince anyway as an artist?

So much of his classic period feature not so subtle wholesale appropriations of ideas and imagery from those that came before him. I'm not talking about things that were inspired by others and then he put his own spin on them. I'm talking straight-up by the numbers copying things right out of the acts of other people. The sex crazed, v-licking, guitar-humping crazy man antics, executed pretty much exactly as they were in Jimi Hendrix's act. The on-the-one, braggadocio, dance-maniac, chicken scratch aficionado, leader of the band, straight out of James Brown's playbook. Piano thumping, pompadour and do-ragged out falsetto singing from Little Richard.

So many of Prince's classic characteristics were themselves just, ok I'll imitate Jimi Hendrix for a few minutes, next song I'll imitate the shit out Little Richard, next song on the goodfoot James Brown, then I'll imitate Mick Jagger, then I'll copy The Beatles and on and on and on.

Where can you find the true Prince when he was at his commercial peak? Maybe not until the Parade/SOTT years? And then what? Once he begins to be really comfortable in his own shoes, sales begin to decline. Over the years he has probably come more and more out of his image and into just being himself, but the real Prince, as it turns out, is boring as fuck.

Does anybody really like, what the real guy behind the image of Prince, brings to to the table?

funksterr said:

Another reason to consider: Who is Prince anyway as an artist?

So much of his classic period feature not so subtle wholesale appropriations of ideas and imagery from those that came before him. I'm not talking about things that were inspired by others and then he put his own spin on them. I'm talking straight-up by the numbers copying things right out of the acts of other people. The sex crazed, v-licking, guitar-humping crazy man antics, executed pretty much exactly as they were in Jimi Hendrix's act. The on-the-one, braggadocio, dance-maniac, chicken scratch aficionado, leader of the band, straight out of James Brown's playbook. Piano thumping, pompadour and do-ragged out falsetto singing from Little Richard.

So many of Prince's classic characteristics were themselves just, ok I'll imitate Jimi Hendrix for a few minutes, next song I'll imitate the shit out Little Richard, next song on the goodfoot James Brown, then I'll imitate Mick Jagger, then I'll copy The Beatles and on and on and on.

Where can you find the true Prince when he was at his commercial peak? Maybe not until the Parade/SOTT years? And then what? Once he begins to be really comfortable in his own shoes, sales begin to decline. Over the years he has probably come more and more out of his image and into just being himself, but the real Prince, as it turns out, is boring as fuck.

Does anybody really like, what the real guy behind the image of Prince, brings to to the table?

When you mention things prince supposedly directly copied from jimi, james and richards it seems as if you're implying that they were the first people to do these things as part of their persona. which is simply not true, everything is inspired they would of seen someone else do it and then they made it famous. Like the 'moonwalk' dance move. If you think Prince now as 56 year old is boring what would you rather he do instead? I'm glad a 56 year isn't guitar humping.

Dilan said:

funksterr said:

Another reason to consider: Who is Prince anyway as an artist?

So much of his classic period feature not so subtle wholesale appropriations of ideas and imagery from those that came before him. I'm not talking about things that were inspired by others and then he put his own spin on them. I'm talking straight-up by the numbers copying things right out of the acts of other people. The sex crazed, v-licking, guitar-humping crazy man antics, executed pretty much exactly as they were in Jimi Hendrix's act. The on-the-one, braggadocio, dance-maniac, chicken scratch aficionado, leader of the band, straight out of James Brown's playbook. Piano thumping, pompadour and do-ragged out falsetto singing from Little Richard.

So many of Prince's classic characteristics were themselves just, ok I'll imitate Jimi Hendrix for a few minutes, next song I'll imitate the shit out Little Richard, next song on the goodfoot James Brown, then I'll imitate Mick Jagger, then I'll copy The Beatles and on and on and on.

Where can you find the true Prince when he was at his commercial peak? Maybe not until the Parade/SOTT years? And then what? Once he begins to be really comfortable in his own shoes, sales begin to decline. Over the years he has probably come more and more out of his image and into just being himself, but the real Prince, as it turns out, is boring as fuck.

Does anybody really like, what the real guy behind the image of Prince, brings to to the table?

When you mention things prince supposedly directly copied from jimi, james and richards it seems as if you're implying that they were the first people to do these things as part of their persona. which is simply not true, everything is inspired they would of seen someone else do it and then they made it famous. Like the 'moonwalk' dance move. If you think Prince now as 56 year old is boring what would you rather he do instead? I'm glad a 56 year isn't guitar humping.

Supposedly? In the 80's, I read about it all the time, whenever there was an article about Prince. I just wasn't familar enough with Jimi, James and Richard to understand just how much Prince was lifting from their acts. Particularly Jimi Hendrix. 70% of what I associate as Prince's persona as it turns out, is Hendrix.

It's strange whenever Prince wants to go commercial, the music always turns out subpar.

The extra promotional outputs most argueably are for the albums:

Diamonds & Pearls

Emancipation

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic

Musicologoy

with D&P being a major succes selling 6.7M worldwide, and Musicology being a modest success for selling over 2.5M worldwide... The music on on those 4 albums by most fans are average or below average records...

But whenever he releases GENIUS records, the general public isn't "sophisticated" enough to appreciate and understand it. Example, Sign O' The Times which sold just over 1 million copies in the U.S.