Thoughts?

it's a bit more complex than that.

It seems to be. I used to envy those that were lucky enough to be there for his so-called glory days. But recently, I've begun to feel bad for them. The expectations are so much higher. I hear a song like Musicology and think it's fun and catchy. A lot of fans that were there in the beginning judge on what they've heard in the past. So there are definitely two factions. Personally, I just like the mans music. From Purple Rain to Rave to The Rainbow Children. It's all good with me.

Handclapsfinga
snapz----- More complex? How so?

Yes, 95% like the past better, and the other 5% dig whatever he's doing now (or try to convince themselves that they do).

I'll admit that I am mainly a fan these days out of loyalty to what he's done in the past. There's very little enjoyable that he is doing as far new music. He can still be very entertaining in concert, however.

He's given me so much through his music in the past that I'll always help support his new albums (by buying them) even if they don't do much for me.


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[This message was edited Fri Feb 20 11:49:53 2004 by RupertZ]

I like the past and also the present. His music rocks no matter to me.

skywalker said:

you also have those who respect the past and the present, then you got those people (like myself) who love p's past work but don't really mind/care for the newer stuff...and of course, there's those who might fall into several configurations of the aforementioned.

it ain't just "old-skool vs. new skool", "newbies vs. veterans". look closer and see.

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/81370



COPY and PASTED from the other thread...

I still like some of what he's doing now a lot, but i love what he did in the past a whole lot more.

I have a question...those of us who prefer the older stuff more than the newer stuff get accused of living in the past...but is it that simple? discuss.

My thoughts (whether u care or not): I have always lived in MPLS. I was a bit young to see him when he did all his 1st Ave gigs (I am 30), but u could say I was obsessed. Then some personal issues kept me out of the musical loop for a bit (’99-’02), not to mention the whole Crystal Ball/Naysayers Snafu, which I’m glad I missed.

Do I miss the level of enthusiasm I used to maintain? Yes and no. I miss the feelings I used to have over the early stuff, because I miss the early stuff. I liked it better when he made songs to please himself, which in turn pleased the fans and the critics. But lately, (and again I was gone, so please correct me if I’m wrong), it seems like he’s been focusing on getting back into multi-platinum, superstar status, at the cost of the music (TRC aside).

I don’t like it when people say, “I liked his early stuff,” because they truly are missing out on some recent gems, however, I don’t feel as excited about his new stuff as I used to. I think many people keep the same excitement each time he has a new album coming out, in hopes of it being pure genius (like we know he’s capable of). I just ain’t got that kind of time or patience.

Just realized I didn’t even answer your question. I’m sorry!

Here's my take on Prince's Tavis Smiley comment on that.

For Prince to dismiss some fans as sticks in the mud who have no concept of his career-long ouevre is self-serving and misses our point:

The bulk of the older stuff was just simply better than the bulk of the newer stuff. It's not so much a "good old days" mentality as much as it is our ability to distinguish between superior and ho-hum music. That distinction is fine when Prince wants to pass it off as the musical sophistication that makes us worthy of his music. But when we apply those same standards and find his more recent product lacking, Prince accuses us of trying to retard his growth as an artist. Which is, I suppose, the only way he can spin that. I don't necessarily need another Parade. But, I'd love another album that was as comprehensively excellent and consistent.

Bob I can name that tune in two notes....

An example in the case of the song "THE WORK"

The music : His best yet, a genius work of musical art

The lyrics : Complete & utter stupidity, written by a spiritually wounded imbecile

ThreadBare said:

well put.

Here's my take:

In the 80s, Prince was IT. Others were attempting to emulate his sound as he was SETTING trends as a songwriter, performer, etc.

Then, after the Revolution splitup, Prince changed. He can call it "spiritual growth" or whatever, but the bottom line is that after Lovesexy and the Batman album, Prince began FOLLOWING trends, making a conscious effort to keep up with the times.

I have defended the man for over 20 years when folks said he was weak, wierd, etc. but there was one thing I can NEVER defend him against...his feeble attempts at hip hop. The whole Tony M. thing, and even Prince's LAME ASS raps he kicked himself made me cringe. "Days of Wild"? DISGUSTING. That's how Prince spent the 90s...trying to keep up with the Jones' and failing miserably. Think about the Diamonds and Pearls album...a good album, but "Jughead"? Atrocious. "Willing and Able"?...was fine, until Tony M. spolied it in the end. The Symbol album? "The Flow"? UGGGHHHH!!!!! "New Power Soul"? Again...UGGHHH!!!

The easiest way for me to put it is from 1980-1988, Prince albums had 8 songs that I LOVED and 2 that were so-so. In the 90s-present, Prince albums have had 2 or 3 songs that I loved and 7 or 8 that we so-so to terrible (except The Rainbow Children...EXCELLENT album).

I will always support the man...I am a diehard till the end, but I refuse to ignore his inconsistencies over the past decade. I go to the concerts, I go to Tower Records at midnight the night before release to get the album first, hell, I even did my pilgrimage to Mpls for Celebration 2001, but he will NEVER reach todays music fans releasing the stuff he has over the past decade.

I really feel sorry for him. If you count all the Time, Sheila E., etc albums in the 80s, the man released 21 albums in 8 years. No one could expect him to keep that up.

The song "Musicology" sounded pretty nice though last night. Combine that with "Reflection" that he and Wendy performed, and I am VERY interested in the new album.

It's simply a matter of aging. He's still very capable but the good songs take longer to make because the older we get the fewer new experiences/inspirations we get. To simply say he was better in the 80's is a matter of opinion-- more consistently good? Sure. Parade is not as good an album as TRC on any level other than the vibe. TRC works on many levels and is perhaps his most complex, layered, cohesive album to date. Prince's bitterness in TRC is what turned people off. Many fans just couldn't relate to it. They may tell you it's the voice or Wedding Feast but that's not it. In fact, the more I listen to that album the better it gets.

What was the topic again. Oh, yeah. I don't quite fit in either category. In this world it seems as if you're only as good as your last album. If that's true then I'm not into his current music. N.E.W.S. isn't my thing. Perhaps his greatest album ever, TRC, was made just 3 years ago so I do like his recent past. He can never have a run like he did in the 80's-- that's the nature of getting older-- but as long as he makes music I'll be a fan. I do hope that he challenges himself from time to time, however. Settling into a jazz, funk, or rock mode is the easy way out. Experimentation is the key.

Prince's greatest work was the TRC album which I consider to be the greatest FUK-U albums ever.
I stopped a LONG time ago (1990) looking for the "NEXT" great Prince album.What I think to be the "GREAT" Prince album may not be Rolling Stone's,The Grammy's,18 year old down the street's "Great" Prince album.

Case in point .
In 1990 Rolling Stone gave Graffiti Bridge 4.5 stars out of 5.A near classic in their opinion.

I loved 110% his work from the beginning till maybe round Rave to the joy fantastic which was still a brillant album, his later work definately some gems in them but they have seemed to have lost the sense of fun and raw spark that the earlier work had they sadly dont grab me as much TRC very good album but i dont really go for christian rock which some of the tunes head 2wards. I hope that if he did re-sign to WB that they can help in the direction and marketing, he could still completely make the music he wants im sure if it did happen, its why sometimes a record company such as WB is a good thing a little guidance in were to aim that genius. His earlier music didn't seem to take itself so serious. (ahhhh sad prince fan feeling guilty 4 saying that now )

I hear what a lot of fans are saying in this thread. But I really think the issue of liking "old vs. new" is no more complicated than the fact that many die-hard fans like us know all of Prince's officially released music backwards and forwards... and on top of that many of us know Prince's unofficial work as well. With ALL of that music floating around in our heads, I honestly believe that we've simply reached a point of over-saturation. I believe the law of "diminishing returns" applies at this point in Prince's career. With some artists, the point of diminishing returns can happen in just two albums because they lack artistic depth. But Prince is so diverse that it took about 20 years and a new album each year for most of us to finally get to a point where we feel that Prince really can't do anything that will top what he has already done. And because of that whole notion, I think some fans who prefer the "old" are really trying to hold Prince up to an impossible standard at this point.

Name any other artist that has been around for 20 plus years and is still blowing people's minds? The kicker with Prince is that he's been creating music professionally for over 25 years, and he is STILL being creative. That to me is amazing.

Yes!

there is 2 groups..

"purple fakers" & "his fams"

locoarts said:

Purple Fakers?!?!


shit...it's ALOT more complex than that...I resent that label....(because I sure as hell aint a FAM)

Fakers?!?!? I'm still scratching my head about that one....


There are 2 groups.... FANS and FAMS...thats as black and white as most of us see it

Fakers?!?!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

and then you have those who try to steal everyone's joy by bitching about the new stuff all the time, trying to change people's minds about liking it since they cant seem to...

and THEN there are those people who...love the old stuff and want him to get back to that again, yet they dont quite understand what the big deal over Wendy and Lisa is...they're too dumb to realize that Wendy and Lisa are the reason Prince's music sounded the way it did back then in the first place... DUH

TRC, a work of geius?! Sometimes the only thing more sad than Prince's new-found "recycled funk" and neo-spiritual religous rantings are his fans blind allegiance. Someone said it best, when commenting on the whole "setting trends vs. following them" thing. So true. I even think the "High" album sounded very fresh, and quirky in a good way, whereas TRC sounded contrived and stiff, with the standout exceptions being "I love U 4 me", and "Digital Garden" (which sounded unfinished).

I respect everyone's opinion, but please think before you label TRC his beest work ever!

locoarts said:

I really hope that's irony.


Purple fakers, my tits.

Saying that you like Prince in the 80's is just like saying you love the Emperors New Clothes. Fans often say they prefer his popularist stuff from the 80's because they feel they have too so they dont be ridiculed by other fans.

Those who dont like his new stuff simply does not like music. Prince has turned his music into a real craft. Any muppet can write a so called hit (again the Emperor's new clothes syndrome), but few artists can paint a masterpeice. Prince is far more creative now than he ever was, and so should the fans be.

I'm confused. I don't know what i think about this topic. Should I go and be a Pink fan instead? It's probably a lot easier.

this whole shit is retarded as hell, plain and simple...

i like what i like and i don't like what i don't like... i like about 95% of prince's music, and that 5% that i don't like isn't concentrated at the beginning or at the end... it's spread through-out his career...

chaz said:

If you're telling people to think before they label TRC his best work, then you don't really respect everyone's opinion, do you?

I like some new stuff as much as some old stuff. there's dumb stuff now and then. To bad there's no new surprising boot songs right now.

EllisDee said: