I still prefer the Revolution band members compared to his other band members after all these years...Prince's music never sounded better than during the 1999, Purple Rain, and ATWIAD years...wishful thinking...

nope.

93-95 NPG

Joshy said:

Their sound is nothing compared to The Revolution though...I think Prince was at his peak creatively during the Revolution years especially since the Revolution members had creative input to his music back then...

I Think The Sing o The Times/Lovesexy band Is The Best band he Had...

Jimmy said:

Best behind that npg yep

I think for musicianship the band he's got now is the best.

But for influencing him and as co-writers etc. The Revolution rule.

I think Musicianwise the Sign O The TImes/Lovesexy band was. As far as fun I think the NPG band was most fun.

I've only been listening to Prince since 1992, and IMO his current lineup are the slickest group of musicians since then.

Joshy said:

Did you ever actually see the Revolution live?

rainbowchild said:

Yes they are his best band without a doubt. They are the only band of Prince's that had the whole package, the live show and the studio. I've seen every configuration of Prince's bands live (except the Gayle/Andre days) and nothing could touch the chemistry of the Revolution.

There's been many NPG bands...but only ONE Revolution.

rainbowchild said:

You damn right, the Revolution was the best bunch he's ever worked with. The only crew to come close was the Sign/Lovesexy line-up.

rainbowchild said:

The Revolution members (apart from W&L) played on almost nothing Prince ever recorded. (Album liner notes can be deceiving. ) You could probably count the number of tunes that Bobby or Mark played on one and a half hands. Contrast that with bands he's had since, and well, you tell me...

Still don't think there is a right or wrong answer to the queks chun, though...

-SWANGknowswhatyou'resayin'

I think in terms of musicianship - no.

In terms of personality and impact - yes.

The Revolution was a melting pot of different tastes and influences. I think that his current band has put a spit shine on the phrase "yes sir".

squirrelgrease said:

Right on.

I think Prince works best when he has people around him who give him stuff he doesn't know, and give him shit.

If you have 10 people around you saying "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" - you're gonna get a different output.

Prince is definately a musical sponge - and I think the water you ring out of the sponge is dependent on the water you soak in.

HELL NO!!! NPG 4 life..I use to like The revolution but NPG is funky!!..

SWANG said:

Good point but just for the record in the studio the Revolution pretty much consisted of Prince, Wendy and Lisa. And no band members in Prince's career have ever created a sound with Prince that sounded like no one else but PRINCE.

Actually, I take my previous opinion back. Ii don't necessarily think that The Revolution were the best band. However, they were the best looking band that he's worked with. Man, they looked too cool back in the day. Sure, musicianship is key, but since it was the 1980's, style was everything.

I liked the Revolution but I was thrilled when Prince decided to break the band up in 1986.They're a good band,but not nearly as diverse as the band that came next.Prince clearly wanted to move on and explore more complex music, hardcore funk and jazz,and there's no way he could have done this with the Revolution.


The best band Prince ever formed was the SOTT/ Lovesexy band.Nothing compares to this band.Listen to some of the live boots from this period (1987-88),it was AMAZING!

MOUNTAINS!!!

CAN I GET 'PRINCE'AND THE BAND TO PLAY THIS LIVE FOR ME!!!


THIS SONG IS GREAT! BEAUTIFUL! AND THE MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE ON FIRE!

DavidEye said:

They were as deverse as the music called for and I love the Lovesexy band too but they added nothing to the direction of Prince's music.

I think the Revolution (Purple Rain) an expanded Revolution (Parade era) were the best!!!

Techinically, some NPG ban members might have been better musicians... but as a BAND, the Revolution ruled!

As others said, they had a personality, both individually and as a cohesive unit. Wendy & Lisa contributed to the music like no other since.

The Lovesexy band was good too, but mainly because of Sheila and Boni's vocals.

I think the pen-ultimate would be Expanded Revolution as follows:

Bobby Z on drums
Wendy & Lisa on guitar and piano/keys
Brownmark on bass
Dr. Fink on Keys
Sheila on latin percussion (congas, timbales, bongos)
Eric Leeds and Matt B. on horns
Susannah on backing vocals
Jill Jones on backing vocals
Jerome for stage antics
[Mico (I could take him or leave him for additional rythm guitar). ]

That would be the best band of all time.
[This message was edited Sun Aug 24 12:31:25 PDT 2003 by GaryMF]

personality, style, and looks: yes

musicianship: nope

Jimmy said:

I 2nd that!

Of course without Wally & Brooks.

EverlastingNow said:

actually, there's been three revolutions, the 1999 tour revolution (with dez) and then the Purple rain revolution (with wendy) and then the parade revolution (with good ole Wally and 'em)


hehe

LadyCabDriver said:

The Revolution:

Wendy (Bobby Z "Prince didn't name the band the Revolution until Wendy joined because we didn't feel like a band with the problems he had with Dez")
Lisa
Bobby
Fink
Mark
*added to the core group*
Eric and Matt
Miko
Jerome and the other two

Now...the NPG line ups:

1991-1996
Levi
Michael B
Sonny T
Tommy B
Rosie G
Tony
Kirk
Damon
Morris Hayes
Mayte

1996-99

Morris Hayes
Rhonda Smith
Kat Dyson
Kirk Johnson
Mike Scott
Martha


2000
Morris Hayes
Larry Graham
Mike Scott
John Blackwell
Geneva

2002-present

Rhonda Smith
Renato Neto
John Blackwell

ONE Revolution

heck, no! the revolution is probably the weakest band he has had. the current line-up positively smokes. npg exodus era were tough, too, and lovesexy band. but this one he's got now is tops.

fms said:

The band he has now is great, but anyone of them could be replaced and the music would sound the same. NO BAND sounded like the Revolution, and let's see if any of this new band makes the cover of Rolling Stone.

EverlastingNow said:

No, they wouldn't. Not just any drummer could replace Blackwell and not skip a beat, no pun intended.


Your unrelenting enthusiasm, to put it mildly, for the Revolution has just hit a gigantic speed bump. If you judge a band's greatness or validation by Rolling Stone magazine, especially today's Rolling Stone, you hold it in much higher regard than it deserves.

Supernova said:

for real, man...the day they put Britney Spears on their cover, they lost ALL credibility.