Toure's book "I Would Die 4 U" (2013 edition) is based on lectures Toure delivered at Harvard University. He mentions at one point that Prince was influenced by David Bowie.

Now it makes sense. I sense some David Bowie influence in P's Dirty Mind era/ image - so image-wise, P's trench coat and lack of other clothing with the gritty, urban image combined with demo-sounding, stripped disco songs. This is similiar to early David Bowie and his attire of very little clothing, gender fluidity and experimental 70s dance-pop music.

About the whole trench coat thing... David Bowie was photographed in dark, neo-noir, gritty attire in 1976, photographed by Andrew Kent.

I wouldn't be surprised if P was influenced by these Bowie looks (outfit, pose, attitude) as he started his career.

[Edited 8/31/23 8:40am]

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

Toure's book "I Would Die 4 U" (2013 edition) is based on lectures Toure delivered at Harvard University. He mentions at one point that Prince was influenced by David Bowie.

[Edited 8/31/23 8:40am]

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Bowie was more intellectual than Prince and was able to move farther than Prince from the pop core of his music to do more extreme, dissonant and experimental things. Works done with Eno (around Berlin), Outside or the Buddha of Suburbia soundtrack are unthinkable for Prince.

happyshopper said:

themanfromneptune said:

RJOrion said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

themanfromneptune said:

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Bowie was more intellectual than Prince and was able to move farther than Prince from the pop core of his music to do more extreme, dissonant and experimental things. Works done with Eno (around Berlin), Outside or the Buddha of Suburbia soundtrack are unthinkable for Prince.

The plan on emancipation is quite similiar to enos from the same hill actually. Very similar. But prince was prob just into new agey ambient music influenced by eno. But yea Bowie was more intellectual and detached. But both were very aware of music history.

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If I have to think to "experimental music" in Eno or Eno-Bowie direction, I could say The Plan, true. Also Cutz, East. Something in Strange But True. The second-half of Father's Song. But are little echoes here and there in a complete different direction in music.

RJOrion said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Toure, while a smart man no doubt, should've rethought part of that book. The latter 1/3 is just him rambling. It goes way off course. He was better off posing his hypothos and comparing boomber to Gen X mentalities, etc. I found a lot of myself in that book when talking about latchkey kids, etc; and how Prince, Madonna, and MJ had feet in both worlds. They were all baby boombers, but exhibited Gen X sensibilities in their music; yet their worth ethics were boomer-centric.

Comparing Bowie to Prince is complimentary to both artists, no doubt. They were both revolutionary and forward thinking in their art. But to think that Prince - who had to be introduced to the sounds of major arists by his bandmates and friends well into his late teens and early 20s - was listening to Ziggy, Hunky Dory, Aladdin, or "Heroes" just doesn't sit well. And if he did, was he influenced by that? Probably not, at least not to the degree that Touré and others try to fecundate in his journalings.

And the example of a black and white photo is certainly not proof of anything other than an artistic call by either Prince or the photographer. I found the b/w cover rather ironic considering the wide array of social, sexual, and political ideologies he expresses on the album. If anything is not black and white, it's Prince's view of his own sexual utopia aka Uptown.

I think Prince was more influenced by the New Wave/Punk scene of the early 80s than David Bowie specifically.

Whatever cosmic forces swayed him into the gray-then-purple studded trenchcoat look, I thank them! That was pure genius and pure Prince!

prince playing guitar on lets dance.

cant imagine prince would play on a song/artist he hated, even when just guesting with another artist like nile rogers

https://pitchfork.com/news/55794-prince-and-nile-rodgers-cover-david-bowies-lets-dance-video/

No. The only outside, "modern" influence I see in the DM era is Gary Numan.

panic in detroit is the best bowie song

lustmealways said:

panic in detroit is the best bowie song

Sounds somewhat like the Stones.

You say it was bowie's best song by miles, like his other stuff isn't as good.

I agree with Se7en. I've read that P, Andre and Dez were digging The Plasmatics and (hardcore West Philly band) Pure Hell around that time. If you look at any videoclips of Pure Hell, you can see where Dez and Andre copped a little bit of their look.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

you could even argue that no dez = no punky prince.

Dirty Mind is Prince inspired by Prince

SanDiegoFunkDaddy said:

Dirty Mind is Prince inspired by Prince

He literally bought the last track from Morris Day...

WhisperingDandelions said:

SanDiegoFunkDaddy said:

Dirty Mind is Prince inspired by Prince

He literally bought the last track from Morris Day...

umm I know that. The demo Morris gave him was totally different than what was recorded. Morris version was more syncopated and funky

SanDiegoFunkDaddy said:

umm I know that. The demo Morris gave him was totally different than what was recorded. Morris version was more syncopated and funky

The demo is out there?