Anji said

Perhaps then it is more to do with the level of enjoyment received in the first place. You don't particularly have any great preference for milk, therefore you think no more of it, other than drinking it.

Prince, on the other hand, you obviously enjoy considerably and, therefore, you make other connections - you're experience reaches beyond what you are hearing and extends to speculative thoughts about the man himself. When you think of him, however, are you relating the lyrical content and the emotion of the piece to him and wondering about his own experience, or is it something else? Why is it more rewarding to think of him whilst listening to the music? Do his opinions and experiences reflect how you would/can feel, or is it more that they are fresh and interesting notions?For me, as a musician, I tend to picture most artists actually playing the particular instrument, or constructing the track, so to speak. Its a pain sometimes and not something I do consciously, it just happens. It doesn't make it any more enjoyable, but I find it hard to listen to music without picking it apart and hearing how it was made. This happens with most music I listen to. It has its benefits, as I can try and emulate these things in the studio but, sometimes, I feel it does get in the way of enjoying the music as a whole. For example, sometimes I just can't take my ear off the bass, lets say. So, I hear the bass, all the way through, nothing else! Its not to say I can't hear the whole thing, its just I kind of catch myself doing it and then think "Shit, I just missed half the tune!"

sure is possible. brotha's cute n'all, but i have a feelin if i met 'im i'd have to smek him around some.

Anji said:

Didn't I say I was a fambot? Weren't you listening Anji? To simplify my response, I like the music, not the man.

I think it is fine to get inspiration and insight from an artist's music. However, I do think you should be careful to elevate anyone... Prince is a human being, and while he may be able to lend you insights, he is also just as likely to make horrible mistakes like the rest of us. If you follow another human being, you are likely to be dissapointed. There is a fine line between learning from a person, and putting them into some worshipful status. You should seek insight and wisdom from all around you, and not trust all of your life's developments to one person. I do think that many people become way too worshipful of their favorite musicians, actors, writers, etc. I've even been guilty of it myself in the past. It leads to an inevitable fall, when the person you're fixated on winds up making a very human mistake.

stymie said:

HEHE! Yep, I was listening but you kinda sound like you built your image of the man to an unrealistic level. I like the way JediMaster explained how he once did the same, like many fans do.

...for some people when they look back at certain points in their lives they realize what got them through whatever they were going through, although they don't always realize what's getting them through it as it's happening. It's like an epiphany in retrospect. I completely understand this. As kids, and even young adults sometimes, we're still in the process of finding ourselves, so to speak. Everybody gravitates to what they relate to, even if they can't pinpoint the tangibles of exactly why they relate to it at the time that they're in the process of becoming an independent spirit of their own. And all independent spirits have been heavily influenced by someone, or something, or both.

LOL! Listening to his music, I also picture the man in the studio. But aswell as crafting the beats, I find him contemplating his thoughts. For example, when I hear The Rainbow Children album, I don't just recognise the music. I recognise the man and all his pyschology. Does that make any sense?!

there are alot of other artists who are putting out great music without all of the amateur dramatics: Bjork, Sigur Ros, Radiohead etc.

Anji said

Completely!

I have to agree, I do exactly the same, and have done with all of his albums really (TRC just happens to be that bit more personal than the others, for sure). I find myself thinking about where his ideas originated, why he wants to communicate that in particular, etc etc, or, even, "what the hell is he on about?!!!", though that is quite infrequent!

BUT - some of the notions and ideas on TRC I strongly dis-agree with, but I do not enjoy the album any less for it, it is still one of my faves. And your original question asked if we can like the music without liking the man - well, this kinda proves that you can. 1+1+1=3 - love it to death, great funk groove, but I agree with hardly a single lyric in the tune. But, that's ok, its his belief, just not mine! Still a fonky-assed tune all the same

i've come to the conclusion that the prince we see in the music is the man he aspires to be, and that's the man i dig.

Mindflux, this is still baffling me about you. Do you need to agree with a person's views for you to like them?

For example, when I listen to 1+1+1 is 3, I hear a funky tune and I also hear Prince saying that if a women wants to be with him, she needs to understand their relationship will be subject to the presence of their God. I don't subscribe to this philosophy myself but does that mean I like the man any less? No. Another example from The Rainbow Children. Prince may tell me that accurate knowledge of the bible will bring 'the everlasting now.' Do I agree with this philosophy? No. Does it make me like him any less? Of course not.

I guess it's the way he's delivering his message that some find difficult to stomach but I also think people read too much into what he's about. The kid is really quite simple to me. When he likes something, he tells us. Nothing more, nothing less.

Bjork and Radiohead are NOT guilty of amateur dramatics - come on??!!!

A few questions remain...

If some people call themselves just fans of the music, and not the man, why do they let the man anger them so much? If I know I don't like something, I will avoid it. What's the difference here?

These people think they know what Prince is like. They dislike him vehemently yet they stay close to him. At almost every opportunity they have this need to let everyone else know their truth.

Are the likes of EvilWhiteMale, Huggy and Bart just looking for closure?