I've come to the conclusion that ONA Live is my least favourite Prince album. There is absolutely nothing about it that makes me want to listen to it, except for 'Xenophobia'.

Experiencing the songs live may have been amazing (I wouldn't know, seeing as the NPGMC site constantly locked up when I tried to buy tickets), but hearing this recording certainly doesn't exactly make me wish that I had been there!

Not one of the tracks on it improves on the original studio recordings, or gives off any kind of electric vibe. The result is an album of un-inspiring re-recordings, with a distant crowd noise in the background.

The album is totally without atmosphere.

Listen to ANY Prince live bootleg and hear what a live recording SHOULD sound like.

ONA Live is definitely NOT what I wanted as a live Prince album.

Does anybody agree with this statement, or do you think that I'm talking rubbish?

Aroo?!

It might not be my most listened to album, but I'd say it's far from the worst. FAR FAR FAR from the worst.

And heck, it's the first Prince album I could get my mom to listen to since Sign O The Times, so at least to me, that sez SOMETHING...

He obviously hasn't heard Empancipation or NPS!

"One Nite(sic) Alone Live" does suck really bad, but it is not his worst.

Emancipation kicks ass. except for courtin time

Xpectation = Shite.

Whilst certainly not the best live performance(s) from the tour - it's still a beautifully packaged recording.

If only he could have brought out Hamamatsu (my favourite as a complete show) and the Nighttown as aftershow. Now that would have been phenomenal!

themuse said:

Oh, I have. But at least Emancipation has a few gems on it, and NPS has a unique vibe to it and showed Prince taking on a new concept ('faux live'). ONA Live, however, is just Bland City. In my opinion, of course.

Haystack said:

---
There is nothing wrong with this disc. I would have liked to have heard a few more re-worked live. That is my only complaint. The new version of strange relationship and the jam of peach make it worth the price.

You just sound like you have listed to many bootleggs. Which have bad sound, too much audience noise and are in short supply. I think you just dislike Prince's RnB side like more than half the people on this site. In short your talking rubbish. Keep listening to your bootlegs

Marrk said:

emancipation = triple shite.

ona live = eh.

Haystack said:

I don't think you're talking rubbish, but I don't completely agree with you. You're right that the best "ONA" tour boots walk all over the official album in every aspect but the sound quality, but "ONA Live" isn't at all bad. He's made far worse albums - "Chaos & Disorder", "Rave Un2", "NP Soul".

Haystack said:

I have had the NPGMC box since Nov last year, and have listened to it three times.
It TOTALLY lacks atmosphere.They have faded out WAY too much crowd-noise.
Personally, I prefer ANY of my bootleg One Nite Alone concerts to this cd.
The packaging is beautiful tho.

---

I like it.

People on this site like to say I'm negative so I won't post what I think is his worst album, but I don't believe it is ONAL. It has Joy In Repetition on it, which makes me glad to own it.

Sorry Haystack that you feel that way but
you are entitled to your opinion.

ONA Live is an excellent CD it doesn't
only bring back memories of the concert but
the music is excellent They jammed and blended
together.

They tore up on Dorothy Parker had me screaming
Dorothy Parker yeah. George singing We Do This
and he lost his voice and Musiq. They tore up
2 N United 4 west Compton even Prince had to say
he wanted to sing but its to funky yeah. Greg
giving that charlie brown sound just to much
the guitar playing was amazing.

Loved Xenophobia and Avalanche.

Maceo oh Maceo just was blowing that horn
Renato, Rhonda, Candy, John, Sheila, and Larry
much props go to you all. Can't put this CD
down.

Just my

Whats that I hear sounding quite clear
What that I hear sounds good to my ear

(my ears 2) It Aint Over
Blow your horn Maceo what got on feet some
jordans Just the drums Maceo hit me now

ONA can't be as bad as Chaos and Disorder. I think that is his worst.

Haystack said:

I wouldn't classify it as the worst. I rank NPS as the worst. I cannot stand that album. It has its moments (wasted kises, mad sex, come on, the one), but the rest is horrible.

thebumpsquad said:

I can feel u on that. I like the cd, but I have heard 2 boot fromt the tour and listen 2 the boots far more than I listen to the actual ona album

CHAOSMAN87 said:

COURTIN TIME RULES !!!

:O

It's a Live album???

IstenSzek said:

It's a Live album???


yeah, right??! it's so sterile. certainly not his worst album, but...i dunno, i'm tired. i never listen to it..and if the SOMETHING BIG involves the ona dvd then YAWN.

i myself really don't care for ONA BUT IT ISN'T HIS WORST.RAVE AND CHAOS ARE TWO THAT I REALLY DISLIKE.i have only listened to ONA twice.P's old music is much better than his new.

i myself really don't care for ONA BUT IT ISN'T HIS WORST.RAVE AND CHAOS ARE TWO THAT I REALLY DISLIKE.i have only listened to ONA twice.P's old music is much better than his new.

The best way to experience Prince live is to go see him live, provided you have good seats. The only other way is to see one of his shows on DVD -- he's so much fun to watch. The only live CDs that I like are the ones to shows I've seen. ONA Live bores me. I wish I could actually see him perform these songs on stage and see him play some instruments. It's one thing to hear a guitar solo, but another thing to actually see Prince playing it. Give me ONA Live on DVD, THEN I'll be happy!

Haystack said:

Have you been experiencing a mid-life crisis lately Haystack?

Well, me thinks that it is not his worst album ever. But one thing is sure. The album lacks atmosphere. One reason for it is that it is not taken from one show. I know, i know it is hard to decide which show is the ultimate, cuz everyone of us has different memories and preferences. Anyway I think a live album must come from one show, otherwise it cannot transport the atmosphere of it to your ears. But even if it is not what many of us expected I would prefer ONA live against, let's say Eagles live, at any time. ONA Live -> Real music from real musician that is.

I couldn't disagree more. I've been listening to it almost constantly for months and still I'm not tired. Although I worship SOTT, I really feel the live Strange Relationship with the horns and Rhonda's bass is an improvement. I have to add that for me, CD 1 is the absolute highlight. I dont play the other two much. I know a fair number of ONA bootlegs but I don't think they're better than the official set. I love this album SO much!

Only goes to show how many different types of P fans there are. Some like P & MJ, some like some like P & Led Zep. I like P & Maceo so there ya go...

It is _not_ his worst album...
the song material (selection/arrangement) is way too good for that claim to be justified.

The thing with most people is, that they saw one or more concerts and got hold on one or more
bootlegged shows. Then, long after the tour ended, they finally got ONA live.
By that time, you heard the songs over and over, picked your favourite moments, and actually
getting into ONA live is just too much.

I agree on the production scepsis, I do think it sounds sterile, non-cohesive and would have liked it better if
it was taken off a single show. I barely made it through the second listen, and the aftershow disc
actually started to bore me. Of course there are some great moments on that disc (Joy in repetition,
The ballad of Dorothy Parker, We do this), but it is too obvious a lenghty jam-disc. The aftershows
did provide _songs_ with the late night vibe, without being overlong structure lacking jams...
I would have included Calhoun Square, Dolphin, Bambi and The question of u/The one (brilliant!).
It would have made a healthier image of the actual aftershows.

For me, it is not his worst album.

I haven't played it much though. Sometimes I'll buy a new album of his and won't start really getting into it for months. So I can't say that not listening to it will always be that way. It is not what I immediatly had in mind for a live album though. Yet, I am open to changing my mind in the future.

I have been far too busy listening to Xpectation anyway. I totally love this album.

Of the albums I have got, my least played one is 'Batman'. That never get's a look in. Even though I like Partyman, the title track and Scandalous. Shit, I do quite like it then...

HEY, NOTE TO ALL COURTIN' TIME HATERS... LEAVE THAT SONG ALONE!!! It is fantastic!!!

ONA live is a great double CD, only "It ain't over" should have been separated from the pack.
Yesterday I listnend to disk 2 and, god, Anastasia teared me apart… I also love all the piano songs – very beautifull and soulfull.
ONA live is a LIVE CD, that means not intended to have completely different versions. If the songs are too different from the originals, the public masses would not understand anything. This is not a fan orientated pack, I think. That's why there is some classics.
The TRC version is great.
Xenophobia is a bomob, even if it's far too long.
I felt a lot of emotionsfrom the discs, the songs I didn't really like gave me just the same impression (the too heavy Family Name and The Everlasting now), but both CD's make a good value (the packaging is terrific!). A nice gift.
IAO is not that good. Prince is not the best songs chooser, we all know. That's why he suffers from the lack of a manager…
Anyway, I quote ONA LIVE 9 on 10 and I'm proud to have that VOICE and REAL musicians. Note that ONA LIVE is only a band of 5 or 6 musicians with a little black man in front of thousands of very different generations.