I kinda liked the Ellen performance and I enjoyed it a hell of a lot better than what he did on Leno, but he's just tainting his old hits with too much sound. He throws horns into everything and even puts way too much funk/blues guitar into shit. Every song is becoming a Jazz version, and that ain't cool. Not for me anyway.

I think he has way too many players on stage, and basically there's just too much music. A few instruments played well is all we need to enjoy a song. Some of the greatest songs consist of only a few band members and a few instruments. Hell, the White Stripes are two people (a guitar and drums) and they can turn out a whole crowd with just that. If the song is hot and catchy, you don't need a shit load of instuments. It becomes a distraction. I think Kiss would have been much better played with just a guitar and drums, but instead it was performed with guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, horns, harps, chimes, xylophones, cowbells, duck calls, etc. I mean, less really is more.

Okay Prince, we get it. You're capable of putting together a huge musical production. Can we please go back to simpler times now?

great interview on ellen. did anyone notice what they were playing when he came out? a rerecording of kiss? hmmm think that will be one of those on musicology?

BlaqueKnight said:

It doesn't have to be the exact same, but it doesn't have to be over-produced either. That band should be cut in half.

EvilWhiteMale said:

[i]blah blah blah blah means bullshit!
let the music grow...let it be!

go2theMax said:

We don't have a choice in how he makes music, do we?

EvilWhiteMale said:

No, funny thing is about us not being Prince, you don't.
Besides I thought the Parade era had too many horns also.

EvilWhiteMale said:

You listen to Slipknot though...

marksinclair said:

True, but their music doesn't sound overdone like that. They have two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, a DJ, lead singer, and a couple of others who contribute to percussion and other madness. They're a large group, but it makes sense when you see and hear them. Everything blends together so there aren't distractions.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Don't do that, you'll get a headache.

No, Evil I think Prince's reworking of his songs is Wonderful. He is always trying New Arrangements and new lineups of members. I think he looks Wonderful, his clothing is Fab, he looks Am,azing and for me Evil every other Performer takes a back seat to Prince. To each their own but I rather him than any other Performer and you actually like Goth . I am not into That as Much as Prince anymore.

EvilWhiteMale said:

-----
Their music is not RnB maybe that is the reason it is not overdone. It looks like Prince has gone back to the RnB era revue of the Parade period and I think that is the way it is going to be for now. I have to ask you if you don't like this style of music how in the hell did you get in to Prince in the first place. He came out of RnB scene.

Just my two cents but a DJ is not needed in any band.

BlaqueKnight said:

Right on.
And Kiss is one song in particular that Prince has always changed when playing live. Not surprised to see that he's still flippin' it around.

I think Prince should play accompanied by an accordion and a banjo, and he should sing through one of those vocoder tubes like Peter Frampton, but nobody listens to me.

Anxiety said:

what about some backup, with a jug player and a washboard player? that'd be hawt.

Some fans have the worst case of monday morning quarterbacking that I've ever seen! Some of you all act as if you expect Prince to personally come by your home and get your personal approval before doing anything that he does.

Everything that Prince does doesn't require a critique (whether good or bad).

You're right... "less is more", so do us all a favor and please be quiet.

Ironically he only has two more musicians in this band than he had in the 'legendary 1987 "Sign O The Times Band", the extra keyboardist, and extra sax player. Not that big of a difference. The mid 90's NPG and the late 70's/early 80's bands were his smallest units. Now to be fair I love the mid 90's NPG stripped down, funk/rock sound. However, the addition of horns adds a richness to the band. I think he will use the horns sparingly, why don't we wait for the concerts to begin before we start criticizing.

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

"Fans" they are funny. All the way live and they complain that it's "too much". Take out the horns and they complain about the synth samples.

FutureShock said:

You mean...he doesn't drop by you all's homes too....?

DAMN, and he ate all my girl scout cookies this morning when I was advising him on moonwraps and ear-bling!!!

skywalker said:

So True!

EvilWhiteMale said:

Obviously not...and thank God 4 it!! I think as an artist he can't let fams' x-pectations run his
creativity...U just do what U feelin'. I think Prince is bold...he's not afraid of xperimenting and when he does he takes some risks...he can do right or wrong, he can do a brilliant album or a shit...I don't like all his works, but I respect his source...besides I believe in one thang, U can only critisize properly when U know U could do better, otherwise is blah blah blah!
And yep...I think it's ok, everebody can like or dislike his works and even express it here...but come on...when someone b all the time like "don't like this" "don't like that" "i hate it"...it sux!! if it sux that much what keeps U so interested anyway???

Hmmm...less can be more for certain kinds of songs, true. But, I loved the full sound from his large band this morning. It was that kind of sound that gave me new appreciation for "Nothing Compares 2 U". "I Feel for You" certainly sounds 10 times better as well with such a big sound, and those horns doing the keyboard parts.

This is the perfect band for him, as long as they keep Mike Scott on rhythm guitar (Prince can play lead guitar when he needs to...) Gotta have guitar in the mix!
[This message was edited Wed Mar 3 19:04:32 2004 by jtgillia]

I havent seen the Ellen performance yet, but I'm lookin forward to it.

Prince did do a pretty sharp version of this song already without excessive bandmembers on the Undertaker, so its not like it hasnt been done.

I agree - LESS clothes gets me MORE hot!!!

Anxiety said:

you're lucky...i let him stay the night over at my house last night. the lil' fucker kept puttin his cold-assed feet against my back, kickin me and singin in his sleep all night.

CalhounSq said:

you a trip, calhoun!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I hear ya. I remember when I let him over for a couple of nights a while ago. The bastard used all my sister's make up, and he kept coming into our rooms with magazines, asking us if we'd heard "the truth".

Well Evil White Male, et al., Prince is going back, just like he says on Musicology. I still remember all the etra musicians from Earth Wind and Fire, Parliament, etc. Why can't some of u people just open your minds a little more??