So this open letter is in responce to having sat back and read and listened to hundreds of views over the last decade without ever opeing my mouth -- it's basically a long FREEFLOWING RAMBLE, so don't say I didn't warn you

Hi, so despite the fact that I've got several hundred cd's and video tapes and hundreds of news articles, etc. and despite the fact that I've been reading these threads almost everyday for two years, I've only really written a couple of times, kinda like dipping your foot into the pool or something -- but after reading all these interesting threads lately about which albums are great or suck or are indifferent to some, I've decided to finally throw down my two cents, or perhaps even a nickle. I'm a huge fan, been to all the LA shows over the last six years, heard just about EVERYTHING he's done either on album or bootleg, yet I've never felt comfortable hanging out with other Prince fans, it's not them, it's me -- you see I work behind an art desk in my apartment all day, and am about as close to a hermit as a person can possibly be in Los Angeles -- I live with my girlfriend (who's been a real sport about my Prince collecting) and for some reason I've just never been able to be more than an observer -- like someone who watches and reads all the fans but is always pressing his nose against the window, and hesitant to open the door. I guess, I'm different then most in this chat room, I hear everyone putting up post after post, having long talks about this album or that song, but have now finally decided it's about time to write more than three bloody sentences every six months or so.

First, I just don't get why everyone seems to come down on Crysstal Ball so much -- the packaging sucks (and I'm still amazed no fan with good computer skills has corrected that by the way) -- but the music seems great to me.

I a lot on these threads about how Prince's not as good as he used to be, but people were saying that in '95, and that's when he released the Gold Experience, which from what I've read here over the last two years seems to be a HUGE fan favorite -- one of my top three by the way.

And One Nite Alone Live -- um, sounds pretty damn great to me -- yes I wish there were more hits on it -- but then again if he'd done that you'd have just as many people complaining about not enough new material. Me? -- I'd like some official live stuff from the Gold period, but frankly I can't find any fault with the majority of his output over the last few years. TRC was the only Prince album I just couldn't get through when I first bought it -- I got it at midnight the night it came out, rushed home -- and then just sat there wondering what the hell I was listening too -- but it's grown on me, kinda. But outside of that, everything else seems pretty damn great to me.

Rave? -- Liked it a lot, miles beyond the plastic, overly produced Emancipation. Rave, Strange But True, Prettyman and several others -- hell I even like the cover song, a little.

ONA? -- Fun, different, no complaints. Love the opening track, and can't help thinking that Young and Beautiful sounds like Cat Stevens (another favorite).

Xpectation and News? -- Not my thing, but a giant leap away from the overly produced stuff, like NPS.

The NPGMC tracks and Audio show -- hey thanks Prince, worth a hundred bucks, no doubt -- please do it again sometime.

Now if I was going to make a complaint, it would have ot be the lack of REMASTERS -- dear God in heaven, just listen to Sign o the Times or Parade after Gold or Diamnonds and Pearls, the sound quality is WAY OFF. Now there's something that needs fixing!

In fact, while I'm on the subject of people's complaints, let me just say that I still don't understand why Per Nelson and so many others think Gold, Exodus, Graffiti Bridge, Diamonds and Pearls, Crystal Ball and yes, even (to some degree) Rave -- aren't as good as the 80's stuff? I just don't get it. For over a decade now, I've been reading his opinions about how the stripped down work of the past is light years beyond, I've read how Sign o the Times was his last clear cut masterpiece, hell I've read that statment by so many, over and over, and I just can't understand why? For every great absolute masterpiece song of the 80's, I can come up with an equally strong or better song from the last decade or so. Yes, I dared to say "better" when refering to newer work...

Now admittedly, Come, Chaos and Dissorder, and the Vault are mediocre, I would never give them to any new fan to listen to, until loooong after hearing all the other stuff -- but to be honest, I'll listen to them more than his first four albums -- yes, even including Dirty Mind, which is completly in his high pitched voice.

New Power Soul -- ok, that's a tough one to defend, personally I don't know what Prince was thinking. But, if push comes to shove, I can still find five good songs on there, which is more than I can say about his first two albums.

Oh, and while I'm rambling, I think The Very Best of Prince was a damn good compilation -- I just would have gotten rid of the openign song and replaced it with Controversy or something. I eman hell, you ask 90% of the casual fans, and that collections got most of the classic hits, without all of the filler from the Hits 1 and 2.

So anyway, there's absolutly no point in any of this rambling, just wanted to finally write something more than two sentences once every six months. But, just in case anyone reads this thing all the way through to this point -- thanks for reading; my name's Doug, I'm 32, a storyboard artist, and just wanted to say hello -- sorry it took a coupla hundred words

Now, if only I could figure out how to put one of those nifty pictures next to my screen name....

I agree with most things you've said except for this;

I didn't like Rave Un2 - it's Prince at his most un-inspired and I'm sure that there was probably a reason for that, but I don't know what. However, Rave In2 is a huge improvement! If you haven't joined the NPGMC and got Rave In2, then do so.

Secondly, I love every other Prince album with the Xception (sic) of Xpectation, which I found to be a bit bland and uninteresting. NEWS, however is an amazing work, if you spend some time trying to get into it. I promise you that I wasn't too happy when I first heard it and had the same opinion as you: 'it's not really my cup of tea', but give it some time and you'll find a lot

Thirdly, don't be such a stranger. Don't be ashamed of your opinions - who cares if people disagree with them or not? It's always interesting to read the whole scope of opinions and ideas, even if we don't always agree with them.


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[This message was edited Tue Mar 2 11:46:14 2004 by Haystack]

Haystack said:

Yeah, I noticed quite a few people liked the remixd rave better, but um -- why?! The origiinal Rave song was stronger, a l0t stronger, and it doesn't include Strange But true, which kinda reminds me of the 1999 album. I just don't get why people like the Rave In2 better than the original -- though I think it's a got a few great remixes. Oh, and you can't possibly tell me ya actually like the remix to Man o War better than the original...uh, can you?

Donny Osmond.

Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous. Don't be alarmed

Hi Lucas

lucas said:

I don't like RaveIN2 at all. The title song, undisputed and several others were butchered on it with lame R&b and "house" beats. The man O'war remix sucks monkey balls. The song Raveun2 is best performed on small club. Just that one track on small club is better than the entire Raveun2 and in2 albums.

lucas said:

Hello!