He sampled "Squib Cakes" on "Sleep Around."

I saw him play "What is Hip?" full verisions, twice - once at House of Blues in West Hollywood 5/2004 I was about ten feet away, again at Paisley Park 6/2004 that time I was about ten inches away. Yeah that cat loved TOP.

TrivialPursuit said:

He sampled "Squib Cakes" on "Sleep Around."

He used a sample of "Squib Cakes" on the song "Release it".

Every time I watch the first two concerts from the Montreux Jazz Festival 2013, I think "this band is his personal version of Tower of Power".

[Edited 10/19/19 20:19pm]

ludwig said:

TrivialPursuit said:

He sampled "Squib Cakes" on "Sleep Around."

He used a sample of "Squib Cakes" on the song "Release it".

Every time I watch the first two concerts from the Montreux Jazz Festival 2013, I think "this band is his personal version of Tower of Power".

Yeah, he replayed that opening drum beat. It's a fucking stellar song, so I can see why it gets so much sample-love.

As a side note: "The Jam" from Graham Central Station feels like a take on "What Is Hip."

And, of course, from Schoolyard:

'Ace's girl showed up, that's when the party started jumpin'
Tower Of Power's "Squib Cakes" steady humpin'

"First class - Guitar 101, James Brown - second hour
Horn part, U ain't got none unless U got Tower of Power"

quote from the song MPLS

[Edited 10/22/19 11:44am]

Childhood friend and bandmate Terry Jackson said they saw Tower of Power three times in MPLS. Of course, Morris openly admits to being greatly influenced by drummer, David Garibaldi. The first time Prince and Terry watched Morris play, they knew too. I'm sure the Tower of Power influence led to Prince seeking how to do horns with a band that didn't have horn players (besides the one or two players they could grab from time to time). Apparently he and Linda Anderson were working that out on keyboards, eventually leading to Prince pioneering his "horn" parts using the Oberheim synth. Look how Jesse Johnson used horny synth stabs and riffs in his songs, too. It's all a big part of that MPLS Sound.

I believe Sheila may have sat in/jammed with Tower growing up as well, since both Tower and the Escovedo family are from Oakland.

Now what's really interesting is that Jesse Johnson asserted that it was actually David Garibaldi who programmed "777-9311". I'm not sure there's ever been concrete proof though.

Militant said:

I believe Sheila may have sat in/jammed with Tower growing up as well, since both Tower and the Escovedo family are from Oakland.

Now what's really interesting is that Jesse Johnson asserted that it was actually David Garibaldi who programmed "777-9311". I'm not sure there's ever been concrete proof though.

That would be crazy if true.

Schoolyard

Also the "crooked shoes" line in The Max always reminded me of "Get Yo Feet Back on the Ground" by ToP.