i reckon theres loads of similarities between these two - has either of them ever given props to the other in the press or at a show or anything/anywhere?

thirstinhowlVIII said:

I have read some compliments from Bowie to Prince. Never heard Prince mention Bowie.

npgaddicted said:

Prince mentioned Bowie at the second Melbourne concert last year. Prince said something like 'This ain't David Bowie in here', I think in reference to how much Prince was ripping up the funk. I'll try and find the exact quote..

npgaddicted said:

I wonder if Prince ever actually listened to Bowie.

i cant help thinking that he must have but probably not. but prince was to the 80s what bowie was to the 70s, he was the only guy right on the cutting edge of pop weirdness.

thirstinhowlVIII said:

...and they both used different alter egos, like Camille, Jamie Starr, Alexander Nevermind, Bowie was Ziggy Stardust which , as far as I know, even lead to some sort of identity crisis...
What I know is David Bowie used to play the 1999 album over the PA before his concerts started....cool thing to do...guess Prince copied a lot from Bowie when it comes to multiple identities.

thirstinhowlVIII said:

...and they both used different alter egos, like Camille, Jamie Starr, Alexander Nevermind, Bowie was Ziggy Stardust which , as far as I know, even lead to some sort of identity crisis...
What I know is David Bowie used to play the 1999 album over the PA before his concerts started....cool thing to do...guess Prince copied a lot from Bowie when it comes to multiple identities.

KoolEaze said:

george clinton was doing that alter ego thing and on a largre scale arguably, at the same time as bowie too....

I always thought he sounded a bit like Bowie on "Eye wanna melt with you", particually the way he says the line of the song title!

thesexofit said:

It sure does!

SynthiaRose said:

There was an article in one of the Uptown issues about Prince and Bowie. The writer wrote about how erily similar Ziggy Stardust album and Purple Rain album were. He goes from the song titles to the subject matter of the songs to the album covers. Bowie is one of my all-time fave and there is no doubt P has been greatly influenced by Bowie. P has patterned his career after Bowie 2 a large degree, especially in the 80's.

SynthiaRose said:

There was an article in one of the Uptown issues about Prince and Bowie. The writer wrote about how the Ziggy Stardust album and Purple Rain albums were erily similar. From the song titles to the subject matter of the songs to the album covers. Bowie is one of my all time fave artists and a huge influence on me as a musician/songwriter. This is someting I've always noticed: Listen to the intro to Diamond Dogs and listen to Scarlet Pussy. P's voice is exactly like Bowie's. No accident.

blackguitaristz said:

The spoken part of P's voice that is.

And these last posts are assuming Prince has actually listened to Bowie...seriously listened. Prince has never mentioned Bowie as an influence.

i remember Bowie talking to fams on his own fan-site, around 98/99, Bowie believed that Prince would 'get over' the musical midlife crisis P. was going through. He said P. is too much of a talent to not get over it or something like that. I wonder what Bowie thinks of P now. Probably still the same? However, i think the to of them would make some GREAT tunes together!!!!!

Ask DavidEye to point you in the direction of that wonderful Uptown article!


On Bowie's totally horseshit 1987 album "Never Let Me Down," there is a song that sort of gives props to Prince...the shit song "Zeroes" has a line that says, "my little red corvette has passed me by." I've read arguments that this line was Bowie's way of saying that Prince had taken up his baton of experimentation...Bowie was dried up....Prince was where it was at....

Interesting.


But don't bother listening to the song "Zeroes" or the album "Never Let Me Down." Please. Don't. Bowie's my man, but that shit is awful...

i saw bowie here in mpls a few months ago. he utterly rocks. his harmony is. .. weird but it's at right angles to itself or something, to me. challenging.

i admit, i'd fantisized that prince would invite him to the park for a jam afterwards and i'd actually get to see david bowie up close. didn't happen though.
. ..

I'm finding this fascinating....
I am a huge fan of both but never noticed similarities. I suppose they would have something in common to be my favorite two artists. I just always assumed it was because they were both brilliant. I like to think that there's at least respect there.

on a side note, i always wanted to hear prince cover suffragette city.

thirstinhowlVIII said:

Clinton publicly has stated that he was inspired by Bowie.

Remember Prince had that quote around the time of Rave when he said "Me and David Bowie are the only ones making sure we get paid..." and something like "there should be artists union for the recording industry..and David Bowie and I will be the presidents..." something like that. I remember in that Prince "un-authorized biography" video that came out a while back, u know the one with Pepe WIllie, Chris Moon, Owen Husney, & Chaz: Chaz said something like "if prince comes home he could do things we all dreamed about, like David Bowie...."



Nero

neronava said:

ha. george was already recording under two band names from 1970 onwards. bowie didnt do the alter ego thing until the ziggy album in 1972. im sure george liked bowie, but the alter ego/multiple names thing did not come from him.

XxAxX said:

This has already happened.

Bowie and Prince jammed onstage together at Paisley Park during the latter part of 1987.

.

giotto said:

when?!?! what did they do?

SynthiaRose said:

Holy shit, I said this very same thing last year on the org and I got ripped to shreds for it! I totally agree, he DOES sound like Bowie on this track and now at least I have two people to back me up for it!

Awesome!

thirstinhowlVIII said:

yeah, WHEN ferdinand?! I am as amazed as thirstin! sounds unbelievable!

mrdespues said:

02 October 1987 (AM). It was a private party. Nothing is circulating, though.

.

thirstinhowlVIII said:

Playing in 2 bands, or having 2 different names isn't quite saying your a whole new person; with persona, history etc. So HA. Thats not the same thing...no joke I saw a special on 70's music and George said he was inspired by Bowie to do alot of things. I'm seeing a trend in your threads....


nn

Prince's vocals in the 80s did sound alot like Bowies vocals on Golden Years and Heroes...

neronava said:

whats the trend?

Tom said:

Yeah - I agree... both Bowie and Prince have played around with their vocal sounds.