Ill be a hypocrite and add..it was with Lovesexy for me and I agree with most of Neversins sentiments

Romance1600 said:

I agree with everything Romance just said. Well, except for the pat about Xpectation. And I was crazy about all the 90's shit too, even though Diamonds was a cheeseball. And OK, so was the symbol album, and he DID look like he was in hell and we were lucky that he showed up, but I dunno...I guess it made me feel lucky. I love pictures of him from like 92-93...so cold, so removed. Like his music.

MrWhatever said:

I dig that album as well. I feel the beginning of the end is yet to come. Sorry.

OK, here's my question: Is the reason why many of you felt his downfall began in the '90's because everybody else in the world began to think he was losing his cool?

I only wonder why he would release NPS
will SO much filler when "there's gold up in them hills".

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Any album with "Arms Of Orion" HAS to be the end...of something.

But I still dig the title track to that album along with "Vicki Waiting."

Just checking in to give this bullshit topic a rate of 0

Regardless of the topic ... it has NEVER ended 4 me!

Now, don't get me wrong, there WAS a dip in quality during the mid-nineties but being a fan of anyone is about peaks and troughs!

No single artist can churn out classic after classic and you need 2 bear in mind the personal turmoil that the wee man went through during those years. Plus there was still the odd classic in amongst the shit.

I'm sure none of u are 100% perfect or innovative in your jobs day in day out!

Anyway, my point is this, if u follow any artist u have 2 take each endevour at face value ... judge the quality of the music, the tune, the melody, the beats ... whatever u personally dig and wait and see what happens next!

'Prince is like a box of chocolates ... U never know what ure gonna git!' And He's all the better 4 it!

Just my ten pence piece ... or 2 bob depending on where u come from!

end? Well the end of my "Prince is God, he can do no wrong" thinking was right about when the name change happened...whenever the hell that was, it was when I went from being obssessed to casual; when I realized he was just a man who could make some damn good genius music.

...if that's what you mean?

Other than that I don't think there's been an end to anything.

Keep in mind that in the 80s he was in his twenties, developing views on certain things, meeting and making friends with great musicians (dez, andre, matt, wendy, lisa, sheila, eric, ect.), and having his first meaningful romantic relationships (susan, vanity, susannah). and add to the fact that the 80s was the last decade for truly creative music and the starting of the MTV phenomenum; of course he was making albums like "dirty mind", "1999", "purple rain", "sott", hell everything that came out between '80 and '88.
Many artists are more adventuresome in their 20s, their young days. I don't remeber who said it but Prince hasn't lost anything except the "fun". He's still the same musician(probably an even better one), he just isn't around the likes of hungry tweny-year-old musicians, he's not experiencing thing for the very first time anymore; of course we're never gonna see anything that's the on the same level as the stuff released from '80-'88, it's completely unrealistic to expect that.
EVERY artist looses their "steam" when they grow older, they don't have the same excitement as they once had, there are probably an exceptional few that don't apply to this rule.
Prince still has it in him to make great music, I've NEVER stop believing that. But I have stopped believing and expecting him to release stuff that is on the same level as, say, "sott".
Prince has morphed into a wonderful musician, listen to "The Rainbow Children", ignore the lyrics, and tell me I'm wrong.
So nothing but the "fun" as ended, and that's only natural.

....my two cents.
[This message was edited Sat Jan 10 19:29:24 PST 2004 by lovebizzare]

picasso said:

NWF said:

Nah. I felt his downfall began around that time because I thought he was losing the plot where his whole public image was concerned. He was still making some really strong music, even through all of that, but his whole vibe during that period was losing the fun and the creative energy of what I had enjoyed prior.

I'd have to agree with you, 1989_Batman was the beginning of the end. Although I love the Diamonds and Pearls album and the Symbol album is pretty good too.

1989's "Batman release marked the first time I actually recognized that Prince was human.

Supernova said:

Ditto, I have 2 agree here, I have been a fan since 1982 and still am 2 this day.Sure not all of Prince's music as my husband says "gets me wet" anymore but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. Prince's music has been with me through most my life, I can't imagine how boring music would be without him. I truely appeciate his music especially when I hear the crap on the radio 2day my kids think is "HOT" PULEASE!!

picasso said:

I agree, and that's why were all here on the org chatting about Prince's music, because most of still buy the current releases, and look forward to what he is doing next.

But that doesn't negate our opinions about the development of his career as a whole to this point, or our opinions of individuals albums, songs, or periods in the mans musical career.

NEVER SAY DIE MUTHAFUCKAS!

Blablabla...

NWF said:

For me it was '93. In 91 when Madonna released her "Immaculate Collection" I thought to myself "only people whose careers are over release greatest hits collections". Prince followed 2 years later.

I think 'Batman' is a brilliant album

1958

KeithyT said:

o,that's nice











btw for my dad it was the symbol album,he enjoyed d&p,but the did not like that symbol

then he left prince fandom all 2gether cuz of the name change.

'89 - Batman - i was personally dissapointed from this album onwards to varying degrees, but it was Rave that nearly convinced me that there was nothing worth still waiting for. Then TRC came and I was born again.

hisroyalbadnessfan8485 said:

I wasn't trying to be clever. I mean 1958 was the beginning. Prince still has moments of genius, so I don't think we've reached the end yet either.

What year did Purple Rain come out? I'm not looking at this from a creative standpoint. It's just that in my opinion he became extremely mainstream during the PR era. I guess when everyone caught on to his genius (good for him!) the novelty of it all started to wear off for me.

UptownDeb said:

'84.

For me it was the album. Just couldn't get into it and vowed I'd never buy another Prince album. I really thought he'd lost it. I even went into record stores, looked at the Come album, and left without buying it on several occasions. Then one day I was looking at it and thinking no... I won't buy it - it'll just be more crap like , but then I thought who the hell am I kidding? I know I'm going to buy it sooner or later, even if it's only to confirm that he has indeed lost it. And I'm glad I did. Come brought me back into the Prince fold again, so to speak.

...until The Rainbow Children. I know many people love this album and see it as a return to form, but I just don't get it (to me it sounds like one long 70 minute extended jam, and not a very good one either). I was going through the same disillusionment that I went through with , so I wasn't too bothered about buying N.E.W.S. when it came out first. Same thing happened again, who am I kidding, I've got to hear it. And am I glad I did! I love N.E.W.S., to me it's a return to real music after the dreariness of TRC.

OK, I know plenty of you will totally disagree with me, but just my opinion and personal musical taste.

I guess the point is that I will never give up buying the latest Prince record, because I'll always be to curious to hear what he's up to now. So there's no 'beginning of the end' for me, because each time I think it's all down hill from here, he goes and confounds me by releasing another brilliant album.

I was hardcore up to Lovesexy...

I started fading away slowly after that and started digging David Bowie hardcore. By the symbol CD, it was a done deal.

I only revisited prince's stuff.

Lately, though, I have been trying to get into it with an open mind.

There has been a little success.

Somebody's Somebody
Calhoun Square
Papa
Ripopgodazippa
Crucial
Strays of the World
Damned if I do

I like these pretty good...

UptownDeb said:[I guess when everyone caught on to his genius (good for him!) the novelty of it all started to wear off for me. [/quote]


ditto

Last year...