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Thread started 05/15/21 12:32pm

LILpoundCAKE

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Prince and the steel drum


Most notable use of steel drums is in "New Position", I guess? But there's more subtle uses as well, through out his catalogue. There's one in "Scarlet Pussy" for a hot second. All the way up to later years in songs like "Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone".

My question though is: are they actual drums being performed by prince or is it a keyboard that sound very realistic?

Like, he's playing all instruments on New Position/I Wonder U according to princevault so that would mean he had a steel drum in the studio and performed on it himself?

Enquiring minds want to know smile

May U Live 2 See The Release of Parade SDE
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Reply #1 posted 05/15/21 12:46pm

LILpoundCAKE

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also, what other songs of his feature steel drums?


cool

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Reply #2 posted 05/15/21 1:33pm

BartVanHemelen

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Wendy played the steel drums on the Parade Tour, and IIRC the steel drum was still in the instrument room in the basement of PP, might have been visible in one of the police photos.

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Reply #3 posted 05/15/21 1:38pm

BartVanHemelen

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.

.

Source: https://kstp.com/pages/sp...otos.shtml Beware: contains pictures some might find upsetting (pills etc.)

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It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
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Reply #4 posted 05/15/21 1:43pm

BartVanHemelen

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incredible-photos-of-princes-underground-music-vault-released-for-the-first-time-20-1556650053-XB2M-column-width-inline.jpg

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incredible-photos-of-princes-underground-music-vault-released-for-the-first-time-21-1556650054-coCa-column-width-inline.jpg

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Source: https://www.shortlist.com...sley-park

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[Edited 5/15/21 13:43pm]

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Reply #5 posted 05/15/21 1:45pm

BartVanHemelen

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Ah, I think it is the silver drum below the white drum.

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Reply #6 posted 05/15/21 2:12pm

LILpoundCAKE

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Wow! thank you Bart. And you're right, Wendy played the steel drums on the parade tour, so that got me wondering if perhaps she also did so on some of the studio material.

Great to see those pictures of his gear again. I must have them somewhere on a harddrive but haven't been through them in years. I should check them out again.


cool

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Reply #7 posted 05/15/21 2:14pm

LILpoundCAKE

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doh! just noticed you already posted a direct link. thanks again thumbs up!


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Reply #8 posted 05/15/21 5:10pm

LoveGalore

It's on the remake of Witness and on Blue Light as well.
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Reply #9 posted 05/15/21 11:16pm

Vannormal

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What's that small heartshaped purple guitar in the back of this picture ?

Never seen that guitar before i believe ?

Someoone ?

-

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
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Reply #10 posted 05/16/21 1:09am

langebleu

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moderator

^ It's a guitar that Prince bought whilst on tour in Japan (from Paisley Park Archives exhibition tour book series - guitar and bass, pp72-3).

(Please start another thread if you wish to discuss further - back on topic)

ALT+PLS+RTN: Pure as a pane of ice. It's a gift.
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Reply #11 posted 05/16/21 1:18am

LILpoundCAKE

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That guitar is also in the Rock N Roll Love Affair video iirc. I think Andy is playing it.


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Reply #12 posted 05/16/21 1:20am

LILpoundCAKE

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But yes, back on topic. We need more songs with steel drums. So far we have:


New Position
I Wonder U
Scarlet Pussy
Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone
Blue Light
Witness


keep 'm coming please smile


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Reply #13 posted 05/16/21 1:53am

BartVanHemelen

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Duane Tudahl tells the story of how Susan Moonsie gifted Prince the steel drum and he immediately started playing it:

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https://www.youtube.com/w...-SXhDg9IM8 (from 0:23:20 or thereabouts)

.

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Reply #14 posted 05/16/21 3:34am

Germanegro

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Steel drum? Where are the pans? The steel drum is fashioned from storage drums and are pan-shaped, more like steel bowls.

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Reply #15 posted 05/16/21 11:04am

LILpoundCAKE

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BartVanHemelen said:

Duane Tudahl tells the story of how Susan Moonsie gifted Prince the steel drum and he immediately started playing it:

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https://www.youtube.com/w...-SXhDg9IM8 (from 0:23:20 or thereabouts)

.


another great link! thank you thumbs up! i'm going to listen to all of that cool

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Reply #16 posted 05/17/21 12:36am

ian

It's a Daisy Rock, kinda junk cheap guitars aimed at younger girls.

Vannormal said:

-

What's that small heartshaped purple guitar in the back of this picture ?

Never seen that guitar before i believe ?

Someoone ?

-

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Reply #17 posted 05/17/21 1:14am

Vannormal

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Could it be that Prince used sampled the steel drums too ?

Like in 'Blue light' and 'Ain't gonna miss u when u'r gone'

rather than playing it...

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"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. And wiser people so full of doubts" (Bertrand Russell 1872-1972)
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Reply #18 posted 05/17/21 5:40am

Germanegro

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I believe that to be a strong possibility, either a triggerd sample or a Fairlight effect, particularly used in live concert.

Vannormal said:

-


Could it be that Prince used sampled the steel drums too ?


Like in 'Blue light' and 'Ain't gonna miss u when u'r gone'


rather than playing it...


-


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Reply #19 posted 05/17/21 8:34am

masaba

I also think it's him playing it during the intro to Hot Thing in the Utrecht 87 show from the SDE.
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Reply #20 posted 05/17/21 11:12am

steakfinger

Vannormal said:

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What's that small heartshaped purple guitar in the back of this picture ?

Never seen that guitar before i believe ?

Someoone ?

-

I wouldn't be surprised if he made Andy play that hunk of crap as some kind of humorous punishment. That guitar is an utter piece of shit and can be had for less than $400 used. They are children's guitars and the quality is awful. They're made by a company called Daisy Rock marketed specifically to girls. The model is called the Daisy Rock Debutante Heartbreaker Short Scale Princess Purple Electric Guitar. https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Rock-Debutante-Heartbreaker-Princess/dp/B0002D06U4

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Reply #21 posted 05/18/21 1:51am

Dandroppedadim
e

I bet Prince could still get some funk out of it, even if it is a piece of junk!

I wouldn't be surprised if he made Andy play that hunk of crap as some kind of humorous punishment. That guitar is an utter piece of shit and can be had for less than $400 used. They are children's guitars and the quality is awful. They're made by a company called Daisy Rock marketed specifically to girls. The model is called the Daisy Rock Debutante Heartbreaker Short Scale Princess Purple Electric Guitar. https://www.amazon.com/Da...B0002D06U4

[Edited 5/18/21 1:52am]

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Reply #22 posted 05/18/21 7:14am

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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In a large room original
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Reply #23 posted 05/18/21 8:39am

LILpoundCAKE

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coldcoffeeandcocacola said:

In a large room original


thank you. I don't think I've noticed them in that song yet so I'll give it a good listen tonight cool

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Reply #24 posted 05/18/21 10:06am

coldcoffeeandc
ocacola

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LILpoundCAKE said:



coldcoffeeandcocacola said:


In a large room original


thank you. I don't think I've noticed them in that song yet so I'll give it a good listen tonight cool



I remember being 19 and listening to it walking down a country lane. At the time I thought was that a steel drum? I am still sure it is!
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Reply #25 posted 05/18/21 1:13pm

Milty2

BartVanHemelen said:

.

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Source: https://kstp.com/pages/sp...otos.shtml Beware: contains pictures some might find upsetting (pills etc.)

I see some drumline drums and conventional drums but no steel drums in these photos. Cant make out what is on the shelf above but def no steel drums. Maybe Prince used a steel drum patch off a keyboard.

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Reply #26 posted 05/20/21 8:44am

BartVanHemelen

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Milty2 said:

I see some drumline drums and conventional drums but no steel drums in these photos. Cant make out what is on the shelf above but def no steel drums. Maybe Prince used a steel drum patch off a keyboard.

.

Or you could read what I wrote in this thread:

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Wendy played the steel drums on the Parade Tour

.

Or:

.

Duane Tudahl tells the story of how Susan Moonsie gifted Prince the steel drum and he immediately started playing it

.

But apparently simply reading factual statements is a bit too much effort when you're busy speculating.

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
your use. All rights reserved.
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Reply #27 posted 05/20/21 10:48am

Milty2

BartVanHemelen said:

Milty2 said:

I see some drumline drums and conventional drums but no steel drums in these photos. Cant make out what is on the shelf above but def no steel drums. Maybe Prince used a steel drum patch off a keyboard.

.

Or you could read what I wrote in this thread:

.

.

Or:

.

Duane Tudahl tells the story of how Susan Moonsie gifted Prince the steel drum and he immediately started playing it

.

But apparently simply reading factual statements is a bit too much effort when you're busy speculating.

Why do you need to be so confrontational all the damn time?

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Reply #28 posted 05/20/21 3:00pm

Dauphin

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I agree, I think the silver pair under the white is a marching band tenor or tom kit. Probya third attached drum behind for like a 8-10-12 setup.

I'll say that when I visited in 2000 we were able to see the instrument room and the steel drum was hanging up near the white paisley electric drum pad kit. That paisley kit looks to be disassembled on the shelf above the marching band gear.

The steel drum is a low profile instrument. Kinda like a large wide wok. But yeah he definitely had access to a real steel drum in his instrument storage in Paisley Park.

Milty2 said:



BartVanHemelen said:



.



.


Source: https://kstp.com/pages/sp...otos.shtml Beware: contains pictures some might find upsetting (pills etc.)




I see some drumline drums and conventional drums but no steel drums in these photos. Cant make out what is on the shelf above but def no steel drums. Maybe Prince used a steel drum patch off a keyboard.


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Reply #29 posted 05/20/21 3:09pm

Dauphin

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Actually I was able to zoom in better, and I think those silver drums that were used for the Emancipation release event. If anybody remembers that 30 min special.
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Still it's nice to know, when our bodies wear out, we can get another

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