I’m not happy with myself for this post: I wish I could make the changes that most of

ya’ll seem to have made. But this past week I took Musicology off heavy rotation and

all the only P. in my player has been Dirty Mind, 1999, and Controversy. And

folks Musicology is sterile (understatement) by comparison. I’m not asking for the 80’s all

over again but where is the vitality, the edge, the pulse pounding funk? It’s nowhere to be

found. The closet we get is the Marrying Kind and If I was the Man in Your Life. Even Illusion,

Coma, Pimp, and Circumstance, while one of the better tracks on Musicology, sounds

like the hallow shell an older Prince. I hate to say it, hate to think it, but I feel like P. is

loosing edge with each and every record he’s putting out (and yes I’m thinking about

TGE, NPS, TRC, NEWS, Xpectation). Fine, the man is happy, healthy and married (and that’s

all good for him, really I’m glad)…and sure, of course, I realize that he’s mellowed out

with religion and age but damn I miss the old Prince.

17ways69days said:

1st of all-it's not AA we haven't made big changes in our life to dig Musicology.

2ndly- Prince isn't in the same place he was when he made Dirty Mind , Controversy, and 1999. Are you? Hell, the whole world is different. It's like this- yeah high school might have been fun, but do you wanna go back? I don't. When Muhammed Ali returned to the ring after being stripped of his title, he wasn't the same as he was in the 60's. But he still kicked ass. Same with Prince. Still the greatest.

And to answer the question can Prince still bring the funk I ansdwer with a question-HAve you seen a Prince concert this year?

1st of all-it's not AA we haven't made big changes in our life to dig Musicology.

2ndly- Prince isn't in the same place he was when he made Dirty Mind , Controversy, and 1999. Are you? Hell, the whole world is different. It's like this- yeah high school might have been fun, but do you wanna go back? I don't. When Muhammed Ali returned to the ring after being stripped of his title, he wasn't the same as he was in the 60's. But he still kicked ass. Same with Prince. Still the greatest.[/quote]


Damn dude I’m not sure that I’m the one taking this too seriously. Coming down kind of

hard on me with that response. No, I’m not trying to return to high school and P. is still

very accomplished but I’m simply trying to say that the music he recorded twenty or so

years ago was far superior to the music he is making today. I don’t have to go back to the

early 80’s, I can look to Parade, the Black Album, or Sign of the Times. Even the

Symbol record, mess that it is, has a vitality that is missing from P’s last five or so

records. This has nothing to do with nostalgia, with trying to recapture a memory

because, like I said, I’m feeling these older records right now, today, this morning. I’m

just coming from the perspective that P, great as he is, is no longer making great music.

Good music? Yes. But good is for Outkast, A. Keys, Kravitz and co.

His name is Prince and he is funky!

the only answer to this question is: MY NAME IS PRINCE AND IM STILL FUNKY!!!!!

YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVENT HEARD MUSICOLOGY THE ALBUM YET!!!!!1
ITS THE FUNKIEST FOR YEARS!

TheFreakerFantastic said:

You OBVIOUSLY did not read the first post.

Many people would respond with a resounding "yes, he can".
There really is no yes or no answer to a thread like this. Whether or not people think P still has the power to really "bring it" is already being decided in arenas all over the country. You say you miss the old Prince, but the old Prince is sitting right in your lap. Listen to the old stuff, enjoy it. But you can't expect a guy who's been doing his thing this long to live up to everyone's expectations. That's the journey of an artist. In the end, they have to go their own way.

OdysseyMiles said:

Good post.

I understand what your trying to say. Yes he is past his prime,creatively. It's hard for die hard fans to admit it. Yes each lp is a decline in music. James Brown is not making the The Payback anymore. I learn to enjoy it while it last. Once the hype dies down it's back to the music. Same for Santana, he's great but it wasn't beyond the moment he had a few years back.

As long as Prince is entertaining he's bringing the funk, maybe not as creative on record but to the stages all across America. Great point is "LIVE" music and real instrumentation is the key focus here.

17ways69days said:

Thanks. I feel what you're saying. I was listening to Around The World In A Day over the weekend. I've recently been trying to learn some P songs acoustically, so I popped in Pink Cashmere a couple of days ago. Look at all the music we have to satisfy our every mood! That's what I try to focus on. At the end of P's career, he probably wants to look back and see a beautiful diversity that no one else can claim.

Musicology is not funky...? Well I guess you're right it is a little drab and everyone seems to think the same..... but you got the slaughterhouse and chocolate invasion if you want the REAL FUNK!

ThataintFunky said:

True.

i c what u are saying about the old Prince who would play the guitar like there was no tomorrow and would literally hump the floor....but like he is saying, he is evolving, always has and always will....but

if u attend his concert, he still has that drive, and compassion. U can feel that he is singing and performing from his heart, and then u actually realize that, yes he has changed, but not that much. when i saw him earlier this year when he was performing, it was almost like he wanted to hump the floor, but didn't cuz he isn't at that point anymore...it's not like i didn't want him to though.....