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Thread started 06/19/16 6:40am

paulludvig

Could Prince play horns?

Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss say no, but I think I read somewhere that Prince sent Candy Dulfer a tape of him playing sax. Didn't he also learn trumpet in school?
The wooh is on the one!
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Reply #1 posted 06/19/16 6:49am

SPYZFAN1

Candy said he could play a little bit of the sax. But she also said that what little he could play would always make her laugh. On "The Love We Make', there's one (very brief and quick) drone sax note..for some odd reason I always thought that was him playing it.

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Reply #2 posted 06/19/16 6:52am

jdcxc

Wasn't the sax his first instrument as a child and the only instrument that he received formal lessons?
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Reply #3 posted 06/19/16 7:04am

paulludvig

SPYZFAN1 said:

Candy said he could play a little bit of the sax. But she also said that what little he could play would always make her laugh. On "The Love We Make', there's one (very brief and quick) drone sax note..for some odd reason I always thought that was him playing it.



Didn't she actually say his playing was ok?
The wooh is on the one!
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Reply #4 posted 06/19/16 8:34am

SPYZFAN1

It's possibile she could have mentioned it in a different interview. But I kind of chuckled when I read her statement. I would have loved to have heard him play the sax even if he wasn't that great.

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Reply #5 posted 06/19/16 10:03am

feeluupp

He played sax and violin on the FACE DOWN music video.. lol

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Reply #6 posted 06/19/16 11:25am

KoolEaze

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A saxophone is mentioned by the journalist who did the first interview with Prince for his highschool newspaper, and Eric Leeds and Candy Dulfer have both confirmed that Prince could indeed play some basic saxophone but he was not proficient or good enough to be really considered as able to play it . Eric said you´d need to develop something called "embouchure" (?) to play sax, and that it takes years.

" I´d rather be a stank ass hoe because I´m not stupid. Oh my goodness! I got more drugs! I´m always funny dude...I´m hilarious! Are we gonna smoke?"
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Reply #7 posted 06/19/16 4:12pm

smiler69

One reason why I always thought the love symbol was a combination of the symbols for male and female, and a horn; to symbolise wind instruments in general that he revered and always wanted to master. Something he held in high regard and something to aspire to. It seemed to me it was all part of his vulnerabilty and persona especially when he adopted it as his name. And yet he used this symbol as a reminder to strengthen his resolve, even after he changed his name back.

"I'm not a woman, I'm not a man, I am something that you'll never understand..." describes the love symbol perfectly...
This is what it's like in the dream factory...
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Reply #8 posted 06/20/16 12:32am

bookwomen

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According to this article and horn player no Prince could not play the horns.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article83665792.html

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Reply #9 posted 06/20/16 12:43am

artist76

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smiler69 said:

One reason why I always thought the love symbol was a combination of the symbols for male and female, and a horn; to symbolise wind instruments in general that he revered and always wanted to master. Something he held in high regard and something to aspire to. It seemed to me it was all part of his vulnerabilty and persona especially when he adopted it as his name. And yet he used this symbol as a reminder to strengthen his resolve, even after he changed his name back.

"I'm not a woman, I'm not a man, I am something that you'll never understand..." describes the love symbol perfectly...

Hmm, I can't refute your interpretation of his symbol, since Prince has never given us a detailed explication himself, but I thought the horn incorporated into the male-female symbol that he'd been using since at least back to PR, was for

the trumpet of the 7 angels of the apocalypse

since he seemed so interested in all things Revelation-related.
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Reply #10 posted 06/20/16 1:06am

KoolEaze

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artist76 said:

smiler69 said:
One reason why I always thought the love symbol was a combination of the symbols for male and female, and a horn; to symbolise wind instruments in general that he revered and always wanted to master. Something he held in high regard and something to aspire to. It seemed to me it was all part of his vulnerabilty and persona especially when he adopted it as his name. And yet he used this symbol as a reminder to strengthen his resolve, even after he changed his name back. "I'm not a woman, I'm not a man, I am something that you'll never understand..." describes the love symbol perfectly...
Hmm, I can't refute your interpretation of his symbol, since Prince has never given us a detailed explication himself, but I thought the horn incorporated into the male-female symbol that he'd been using since at least back to PR, was for the trumpet of the 7 angels of the apocalypse since he seemed so interested in all things Revelation-related.

That´s what I always thought, too.

But when I saw that the horn part is actually the symbol for soapstone in alchemy it made me think twice about the horn interpretation. I think there´s more to it.

" I´d rather be a stank ass hoe because I´m not stupid. Oh my goodness! I got more drugs! I´m always funny dude...I´m hilarious! Are we gonna smoke?"
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Reply #11 posted 06/20/16 1:34am

artist76

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KoolEaze said:



artist76 said:


smiler69 said:
One reason why I always thought the love symbol was a combination of the symbols for male and female, and a horn; to symbolise wind instruments in general that he revered and always wanted to master. Something he held in high regard and something to aspire to. It seemed to me it was all part of his vulnerabilty and persona especially when he adopted it as his name. And yet he used this symbol as a reminder to strengthen his resolve, even after he changed his name back. "I'm not a woman, I'm not a man, I am something that you'll never understand..." describes the love symbol perfectly...

Hmm, I can't refute your interpretation of his symbol, since Prince has never given us a detailed explication himself, but I thought the horn incorporated into the male-female symbol that he'd been using since at least back to PR, was for the trumpet of the 7 angels of the apocalypse since he seemed so interested in all things Revelation-related.

That´s what I always thought, too.


But when I saw that the horn part is actually the symbol for soapstone in alchemy it made me think twice about the horn interpretation. I think there´s more to it.


Yes I know there had been discussion here about the symbol and the soapstone, but I don't really see a connection, especially how it's connected to the male-female being joined. But, Prince did seem interested in "alternative" ideologies, so it's possible there's a metaphysical/alchemy meaning.
Still, I think it's more biblical, because around the time he added the horn, he was also obsessed with 7. The 6 horns are a wake up call to god's people, the 7th announcing the glory of God. Related to the shofar, which was used to call the attention of god's people, as prelude to announcement or warning. The shofar (and depictions of the Angels' trumpets) are long with no valves, like in the symbol. It fits with the idea that the coupling of man-woman represents human completeness, represents God, or oneness in God, which will happen upon the 2nd coming.
Anyway, just conjecture. Don't think we'll ever know for sure.
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Reply #12 posted 06/20/16 3:40am

smiler69

maybe it does have multiple meanings underlying, and incorporates all the interpretations that fans have. Maybe that's the point, it's a symbol of collective ideas and interpretations, in and of itself, and something that fans can feel a connection too.

I like the idea that it's his own 'key' (as in 'clef'), therefore, his own 'sound', as it looks like an abstract version of the the treble and bass clefs merged. Then using the symbol as a name, he becomes the music, ergo he IS the music.

maybe we'll never know, but then, the speculation and mystery is far more interesting. Opens up so many ideas and topical discussion...

sorry getting a little off topic...

The horn, along with the m/f symbols perhaps means that the music is for everybody, no exceptions.

This is what it's like in the dream factory...
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Forums > Prince: Music and More > Could Prince play horns?