He's not the best...but to say he doesn't play well? Average?

I'd recommend the following:

I'm Yours
The entire Madhouse 8 LP
Sexual Suicide
Yes - The Family
The America video clip

I don't think he's been behind a kit since '87. But he did have some chops.

Everybody has their own personal thresholds on what makes a person a better instrumentalist.

What a thread. P's specialty is the guitar followed by piano. I believe he is good @ the drums and 2 most of us, when we get the final deal, the package is great 4rom every side. Just listen 2 the damn songs. That is what really counts in the end. We luv listening 2 the songs. We can also bitch about this and that, but @ the end of the day, he still plays the drums better than most, and especially better than me. I could only wish 2 have as much talent as he does, AND 2 B ABLE 2 BRING IT ALL 2GETHER IN THE END SO BLOODY WELL.

chickengrease said:

ONA LIVE in VEGAS, he opened the show behind the kit, then passed off to Sheila who then passed of to John.

You can't all be serious that he was the Drummer on Madhouse? No way!

That was the last person I ever assumed it was. I thought it must have been Sheila or something. Are you sure? Some of those tracks, particulary Seven, I think, it's blazing fast. I know speed doesn't make a good drummer, but it was on cue! If there were album credits I could be sure, but there aren't on my copy.

Prince? Are you sure? I've always considered him an average/standard, pop/rock drummer, but if he did Madhouse, I may have to re-evaluate that. Oh! 6 and a half, awesome funk drumming!

In the DMSR book, Susan Rodgers who engineered the Madhouse LPs, said that the LP "8" was completed in 4 days and Prince played all instruments with the exception of horns.

And that says what?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Ruse said:

I have, well, it's pretty easy, there is a manual... but you DO have to know something about music of course, and programming drums on a Linn or I think any drum machine are only as good as your drumming and creativity.

I've heard people use an LM-1 or LM-2 and the beats all off...no concept of the one. I haven't used and Akai drum machine so I can't compare...but it does beat most modern drum machines, and I've used Yamaha's and Roland, and the Linn is easiest, great sounding and the timing super tight, without sounding artificial!

One thing about using an actual Linn as opposed to using a sample library, is that you REALLY do not get the same feel and creative inspiration if you were to use a software sampler or computer to recreate the beats.

Having a real one is thousands of times better than a software library. I'm not a big gear head but there is something special about using the actual piece of music instrument.

Computers I think are taking away the spirit of music, with the Linn you can actually program a whole song and then justt track it, let it be your metronome, you're drummer...with that fantastic timing!

Also on a Linn, the sounds are so much warmer and powerful. The programming is instant. You feel the machine working and responding to you. You can instantly erase a beat or drum sound you don't like as it's pulsing...you can mix the drum sound levels individually. The buttons feel great. You can also change sound chips with your own samples! And they actually may sound warmer than digital samples!

Anyway, I don't want this to become a Linn thread, yes anyone can use a Linn, but again, your skills and talent as a drummer are reflected in your programming.

That's why Prince rocks on the drums.

I must say that Prince does have some cool as little fills, those hi-hat fills in songs such as Let's Work...I'm still trying to figure those out!

FlyingCloudPassenger said:

p played live drums on "let's work", man.

savoirfaire said:

Hell yeah! That one too.

7salles said:

on his 1st four albums from "for you" thru "controversy" he was a one man band...

thanks flyingcloudpassenger that was very well written! i prefer analog over digital anyday --- bring back the reel-to-reel!

At the celebration Femi Jiya said that he thought Prince was an excellent drummer, completely underrated, and it was one of insturments he excelled on...

Femi has worked as a studio engineer for many years with a number of artists.

the funny faces he makes while druming on film or video... are him trying to be funny! He always does that...

Ruse said:

Femi's another that confirms it! Susan and Femi.

Thanks Ruse! Yeah, computers and that whole digital domain, it's good for somethings, speed of work and/or projects, quality if you want that digital exactness and perfectness but the computer is the do-it-all of tools.

And I think that when you use it for spreadsheets and then use it for photo editing and then turn around and use it for music production, it gets all unfocused and a jack of all tools and master of none. All that other software is distracting and dealing with OS issues sucks.

Anyway, BACK to Prince's drumming, HE DOUBLE KICKED the drums on It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, you know! That's no easy task, takes practice.

Are you kidding, 2freaky? If you haven't already, you should wathc the live video for America.

...sometimes I really don't understand these folks

Do you all know how many great drummers there are out there? I have seen young kids who can play as well as Prince. The little blond kid from Hanson plays his ass off. Stevie Wonder kicks Princes ass on drums, AND HE'S BLIND! Critics have mentioned his weak drumming--weak meaning not earth shattering. Playing fills and rolls is not that hard. Listen to Buddy Rich; now there's a fucking drummer. Sure Prince programs great drum stuff. But has he lately? I rest my case. Dansa, defend me.

2freaky4church1 said:

How in the hell could you even compare Isaac Hanson's drumming to Prince's? You should be ashamed of yourself!

One more!

Prince on drums on the jam "Peak The Technique" from The Beautiful Experience! Starts playing drums midway the jam.

Remember...!?

Kicked some..."f*** that.".

Does Prince playthe drums on Love SEXY?? nice sound to my ears

enjoyniki said:

I think most of the live drums are Sheila. But the programmed drumming is Prince.

7salles said:

Check the liner notes on the album...that sould tell you.

*going from memory* I think he did all the instruments on that album himself (I may be wrong tho)

2freaky4church1 said:

I thought you were joking around before but you really dont have a clue do you. It shows in your comments that you dont know the first thing about playing the drums so why are you having a go at Prince for not being able to play them?? At least he can

Let's be objective here guys.

Prince is a great guitarist. He's an average drummer. However, like George Clinton, Prince has a knack for surrounding himself with great musicians. This includes some fabulous drummers, who have brought skills which perfectly supplement Prince's own skills.

I've never heard anything to convince me that Prince was a particularly good drummer. I play drums myself - I'm pretty average too. Like Prince I only ever learned enough so I could put together tracks myself quickly, and more often than not I'll program drum tracks using MIDI sequencers.

Prince is a fabulous all-rounder, but that doesn't mean he's brilliant at everything. Prince isn't a brilliant drummer, but he does't need to be - he has a brilliant drummer holding it down in the band, whilst he wails on guitar and gets the glory. That's where he belongs - right up front with his guitar.

While it is quite true to say that Prince isn't a brilliant drummer, I've no idea why anyone would expect him to be.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!!!

Please explain to me why Prince is such a "shitty" or "average" drummer. The man can play his ass off on the skins...I mean seriously, what the fuck?!!! As someone stated earlier, I'll take Miles Davis's word over anyone elses in here.

okaypimpn said:

Well I'm not gonna take anyone's word for it (including Miles)... all I'm saying is that I've never heard anything that made me think Prince was an incredible drummer. If you think he's such a mindblowing drummer, point me at something that makes you think that, what music? He's not shit, but he's not brilliant. Why would he be? He's never been a full-time drummer, he's chosen some brilliant people to do that for him.

Why does Prince "need" to be brilliant at everything? He's good enough. I don't get this discussion but I certainly don't get the defensive responses.

2freaky4church1 said:

Who cares about Hanson? Are they funky?
Yeah, Buddy Rich is cool. Listen to Ella&Louis. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong that is, you fool(sorry, i won`t say that again). Most of the other stuff he did is really a "macho" type of drumming. He`s was one of the biggest assholes in the music scene ever. Everybody knows it, except for you. Listen to these tapes from the tour bus and you know what i am talking about. Suggestion : buy yourself an Ellington(Duke Ellington that is, you fool(Ouch!)) album with Sonny Payne. He`s everything: a powerhouse, sophisticated, the greatest beat you ever heard, technique that makes every drummer wanna cry, and...cool!
Just the fact that you start bringin up names like Buddy Rich shows that you really don`t know what you`re talking about. BECAUSE: Buddy Rich is indeed an incredible drummer. Everybody knows that as well. It`s just a ridicolous comparison. Almost like : Van Gogh was better than Mozart.
Oh, and don`t forget to buy those records that i mentioned.
I never meant to get offensive, but you slightly start to get on my nerves.

ian said:

Yeah,yeah,yeah...but frankly I'm sick of the "right up front with his guitar" stuff,do we need another freakin guitar solo?
I want him to spend more time with the piano & drums.That's one of the reasons why I love the Madhouse records,I LOVE to hear him tinkling the ivories,crashing the cymbals,and his drum solos.

ian said:

My answer is...Tamboooriiine.

The MAdhouse stuff convinced me...

Anybody who has the May '86 San Fransisco show from the Parade tour, listen 2 the drum solo he does on "America". IMO, it's better than the live video of the same songs. He is definately a very underrated drummer. His drum programming is sick also!! Very experimental and off the wall, but exciting at the same time.

ian said:

Damn it, I'm not into repeating myself, so just scroll towards the middle and see where I posted my reasons why.