it seems like the mark of a true prince fan is meant to be hearing or seeing him live, but if im totally honest, while there could def be highpoints seeing him live, i often just preferred hearing the studio versions. maybe its cos i never saw the 86/87/88 tours (though they did set the standard for me from the videos/bootlegs), but i always found that while sometimes princes reworkings of his songs were great, sometimes they really were not improvements at all on the original arrangements. so i actually prefer hearing most of the songs as they are on the albums. eg - i would much rather hear TRC the album over the one night alone live album. the preachiness live is just far too prevalent. he also just got a bit too maximal once the npg era began. its like he wouldnt leave anything alone, when for me, one of his strengths was always cutting things out, not chucking more things in.

99.9% of the time I listen to his studio recordings, not his live stuff.

lurker316 said:

99.9% of the time I listen to his studio recordings, not his live stuff.

+1

studio Prince

I still prefer the studio pieces over live renditions.
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The live renditions in the 1979-1986/88 period tended to express the album cuts the best.
All the Critics Love U i NY Sexuality Automatic I Wanna Be Your Lover Purple Rain Head Delirious When Doves Cry(Parade) tour Soft & Wet America Temptation(Nice France 85) Sign O the Times Dance Electric Erotic City etc

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That was when 'Purple Music' was the strongest as far as a definative prince sound 1982-1986 moreso

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I love the rehearsal stuff over the live performances

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1981-1986/-88 tended to have the best off night/aftershow expressions of his music

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I love the albums cuts so much uniquely that I still tend to listen to Prince/protege music seperate from other artists when I create playlists

I prefer studio over live recordings. Not just Prince either but including him. I like being at live shows but not listening to them recorded.

It depends on the song , and sometimes on the band, too.

Some songs sound better as a studio version, for example When Doves Cry, some songs sound better live, and some sound best as a rehearsal version, for example Noon Rendezvous. And some songs sound great in any version, for example Somethign in the Water.

It all depends and it´s all very relative and subjective.

Well, depends on my mood, of course. That's like asking, does anyone NOT prefer a glass of your favorite beverage over a reading a really great book?

About half the time I want to listen to live stuff, the other half, I need studio output.

I'm def into studio stuff more. For example if a boot comes out... and it's studio... I'm going to try to listen to it. I've let many a live boot slide.

sulls said:

I generally prefer the studio recordings to live recordings, but I would say that seeing him perform live (i.e. attending live performances, as opposed to watching video recordings) are generally my most treasured memories.

there will always be good live versions of certain songs - there are some that are actually WORSE live i would argue - eg kiss, girls n boys, when doves cry, 1999.

but overall, id say the best tours are the DM, parade, SOTT and lovesexy tours. if nothing else, those tours deserve to get the live DVD/album treatment.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

oh yeah, i quite like the lovesexy version.

sulls said:

Live versions help me to appreciate some studio versions.

Same here. There are some times that his live arrangements are way better than the studio versions. Even when he records with a band vs a one-man show is better.

But I can do without "oh no let's go!" and the "shave and a haircut" segments he put into "Let's Go Crazy." It cheapened an otherwise great song. Same with the slowed down 3rd Eye Girl version. Hate it so much.

djdaffy1227 said:

I prefer studio over live recordings. Not just Prince either but including him. I like being at live shows but not listening to them recorded.

Definately studio Prince. The only way to really enjoy a live show is to actually see it in person. For me it loses something in the transition when you only have the audio of a live show with no visual to go along with it. Prince was a very visual performer- he was always doing something to capture your attention while he was on stage. That's why I'm loving the DVD/Bluray releases we're getting from the Estate with these deluxe editions.

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Barely ever listen to live recordings.

In general.

So 97 % studio mateiral.

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the live version of SSH and indeed most of the gold experience album were far superior....and as for the studion version of the track 'come' - unlistenable...the more electronic version is much better

I realized that not much from Lovesexy was expressed well live

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the pieces I listen to tend to be very stripped down like I Wish U Heaven(with Patti LaBelle and Positivity) might have been at an aftershow