I mean the group. Remember them? I was just listening to their first album. In hindsight, they must have really been digging Prince's 1999 album cause it was eerie how much they effortlessly (at times) were sounding like him. If you have the album and listen to the track entitled " Tonite" I think you'll hear what I'm talking about a little Scandalous meets International Lover. Man back in the day I loved them cats but you all pleez respond and let me know if you remember them or have info as to their current status/whereabouts. I was at launch and saw they released a single as recent as 1998 but no more have I heard.

they really didn't sound like him that much vocally.The lin drum machine was the main thing that gave them the prince sound along with a few keyboard licks.Get up on it by bobby nunn is a prince copy.as 4 ready 4 the world.i don't think they have done anything in years.i know the lead singer went solo but he was 1 album and out as far as i know.
[This message was edited Wed Jun 12 18:09:52 PDT 2002 by theC]

RFTW was the SHIzzniT!!! Now, that's a group I wouldn't mind seeing do a reunion tour.
Melvin did some song with Luke Skywalker in the late 90's. Haven't heard anything else.

theC said:

Yeah vocally some of their stuff was sometimes shaky at best but I really loved their songs and lyrics

they reminded me more of Jesse johnson. I always thought it was funny they wrote Oh Sheila which sounded like Prince singing about Sheila E. Not really much to their songs though. usually one or 2 riffs repeated over and over. I liked them though, but definitly a dated sound. Remember "Digital Display?!"

Ya NO I alwayds thought they sounded like The Purple One also, eventhough they never would admit it in interviews. Any true Prince-fam could tell they studied Prince's music and style. I loved RFTW!!!

Yeah they definitely got caught in the 80's synth sound thing. but at the time it was very conceptual. and oh sheila i thought they were really reaching with that one.

Ya NO I always thought they sounded like The Purple One also, eventhough they never would admit it in interviews. Any true Prince-fam could tell they studied Prince's music and style. I loved RFTW!!!

Ya NO I always thought they sounded like The Purple One also, eventhough they never would admit it in interviews. Any true Prince-fam could tell they studied Prince's music and style. I loved RFTW!!!

RFTW was truly the shit back in the day. they released 4 studio albums and 1 greatest hits album. Melvin went solo and recorded 1 studio album. I find myself going back and jammin' to their stuff every once and a while. As a matter of fact, I put together a RFTW greatest hits cd for a friend of mine.

What was that whole RFTW "Lay You Down" song about anyway? Well, I know THAT! I mean, it's funny, but it's too much like the line from "Dirty Mind."

"You just gotta let me lay ya, you just gotta lettme lay ya lay ya, gotta let me lay you, you just gotta let me lay you DOWN..."

Out of all the "Prince copycat bands",Ready For The World was my favorite.Their 1985 debut album had many great songs,such as "Digital Display" and "I'm The One Who Loves You",which sounds the most like a Prince song,imo.It's weird and haunting,with that annoying stop-start beat that makes it impossible to dance to...lol...

Their second album 'Long Time Coming'(1986) was an improvement,even though they still borrowed heavily from the Minneapolis Souund.I love the songs "Mary Goes Round" and "Do You Get Enough".But the best track is "Some People Don't Care",the funkiest thing they ever did!!

In 1988,they decided to ditch the "Prince sound" and embrace the Teddy-Riley influenced New Jack Swing sound.The results were disastrous.Their 1988 album 'Rough N'Ready' is a huge disappointment,imo.I pretty much lost interest in them after that project.

Yeah, I was into RFTW back in my day. Often heard rumours regarding Prince's involvement witht he song OH Sheila - Was there any?

No,Prince had nothing to do with the song "Oh,Sheila".In fact,I don't think Prince really cared for this band at all.I heard that they showed up backstage at one of his concerts and Prince totally ignored them.

Yeah but it has always been obvious they copied P a lot. i never heard their 3rd album thanx for the review. I always thought their copy of Prince was so blatant it had to be their way of showing they admired him so but judging by his reaction i guess he didn't see it that way.

DavidEye said:

That maybe true but then he signs Mazarati who I thought were also a Prince copy band but not as good or as cool looking as RFTW.

"Oh Sheila let me love you..." that was a cool song. Sounded a lot like Prince.

Btw,I truly recommend the first two Ready For The World albums.They borrow heavily from Prince,but the songs are great! Some of the songs on these two albums are reminiscent of Prince's '1999' era.Check these CDs out...


***'Ready For The World' self-titled debut album(1985---

"Tonight"
"Digital Display"
"Ceramic Girl"
"Deep Inside Your Love"
"Oh Sheila"
"Human Toy"
"Slide Over"
"Out Of Town Lover"
"I'm The One Who Loves You"

***Ready For The World 'Long Time Coming'(1986)---

"Love You Down"
"Baby(Let Me Love You)"
"Long Time Coming"
"So In Love"
"In My Room"
"Mary Goes Round"
"Some People Don't Care"
"Here I Am"
"It's All A Game"
"Do You Get Enough?"



The first CD is filled with hits,but admittedly,most of the songs sound alike.The second CD is a little more ambitious,with the incredibly funky "Some People Don't Care" being the obvious highlight.

No disrespect intended, but this topic has been discussed b4 with a thread by DavidEye...peep this:

http://www.prince.org/msg...#msg_80598

I remember Morris Day doing a guest VJ hour on MTV & after he played the "Oh Sheila" video, he said "That was the very familiar sound of Ready for the World" & gave a look to the camera that screamed "they stole our sound!!!".

Awww!

I always thought that their Ballads were pretty great.
Even though they all sounded exactly the same.
Oh Sheila was a classic back in the day, listening 2 it now reminds me how much my musical tastes has changed.

"What's good 4 the goose..."

Melvin Riley's CD Ghetto Love was the shit & it was overlooked!!!

I used to love them too. "Ceramic Girl" is great.
When Melvin when solo, the cover of his album made him look like a gangster. Had me rolling on the floor.

DavidEye said:

I Agree on all those Points.they had a Greatest Hits Album that dropped in the Early 90's&Melvin Riley the Lead Singer dropped a Couple of Albums.they always Acknowledged Michael Jackson&David Bowie when asked of Musical Influences but never Prince.I felt a Jesse Johnson vibe as well with them.interesting thing about Melvin Riley IMHO His Vocal Styling Pre-Dated Keith Sweat Singing through your Nose style.