MattyJam said:

Changing music? Nobody cares about D'angelo or even remembers him except a few thousand hardcore fans at the most.

this is what my friends say about prince

Lauryn Hill seems to be in the same position.She had so much potential.There is so much that she could have done by now.

trickster said:

MattyJam said:

Changing music? Nobody cares about D'angelo or even remembers him except a few thousand hardcore fans at the most.

this is what my friends say about prince

Difference is, Prince is internationally recognised and respected as a musical legend. Most people don't even know who D'angelo is, and those that do just talk about his hot abs.

People are just desperate for a new idol of substance. Prince has gotten boring and predictable, MJ is dead and the current crop of musical artists (and I use that word loosely) aren't up to much. It is through sheer desperation that a couple of hundred fans are clinging onto D'angelo as some kind of musical prophet. But the truth is, he ain't no Sly Stone or George Clinton or Prince. His lengthly drug-fueled hiatus from the music scene has built an enigma around him and made him seem more interesting than he actually is. He's just a lazy pothead and an average musician.

MattyJam said:

Changing music? Nobody cares about D'angelo or even remembers him except a few thousand hardcore fans at the most.

True. Plus he doesn't have much in the way of songs that would cross over to the mainstream.

Here we go. All I can say is when D came up in the mid to late 90's and early 00's, that was his peak. In my mind, he was blowing up but hadn't quite blown up to his full apex. Then he disappeared, had issues and now appears to have grasped a handle on his life. As far as the question goes on "missing his time"...I think that he hasn't missed his time, he's already had it. I think the real question is, can he regain his status from "his time" and reach above it? That to me is a bit uncertain. The only way we'll know is if we wait and see how the rest of his Europe tour goes and what he has in store next (which I'm hoping a new album and US tour).....unless that is, he pulls an El Debarge and disappears yet again. Who knows.

[Edited 2/2/12 4:23am]

MattyJam said:

trickster said:

this is what my friends say about prince

Difference is, Prince is internationally recognised and respected as a musical legend. Most people don't even know who D'angelo is, and those that do just talk about his hot abs.

People are just desperate for a new idol of substance. Prince has gotten boring and predictable, MJ is dead and the current crop of musical artists (and I use that word loosely) aren't up to much. It is through sheer desperation that a couple of hundred fans are clinging onto D'angelo as some kind of musical prophet. But the truth is, he ain't no Sly Stone or George Clinton or Prince. His lengthly drug-fueled hiatus from the music scene has built an enigma around him and made him seem more interesting than he actually is. He's just a lazy pothead and an average musician.

I would disagree with that entirely. I find that music professionals (i.e. real working musicians) are fond of him and hold his work in pretty good esteem . I've definitely felt the support of his peers from day one until now, from the United States to Europe to South America, with cats that have worked with everyone from Michael Brecker to Jobim to Sting...and suffice it to say they don't really give a shit about his abs.

Maxwell's nine-year sabbatical didn't decimate his career. In fact, he came back with a solid album and guess what... the fan base was there, ready to receive him. I've got faith in D'Angelo's musical gifts and his timing. His re-emergence will be rewarded. But it's critical he drops a new album and tours North America this year.

[Edited 2/2/12 7:10am]

Did he miss his time? Yes.

Is it 2 late? No.

Will he get back on top with a proper release? Yes.

he still has his chops. i think he'll do just fine

the most important thing for him to do is....get the album released!! No more delays,no more promises,no more false starts....just get it out there! This just might be his last chance to come back.

Identity said:

Maxwell's nine-year sabbatical didn't decimate his career. In fact, he came back with a solid album and guess what... the fan base was there, ready to receive him. I've got faith in D'Angelo's musical gifts and his timing. His re-emergence will be rewarded. But it's critical he drops a new album and tours North America this year.

[Edited 2/2/12 7:10am]

getxxxx said:

And the debbie downers doubters continues again. Sade and her crew takes extended breaks so why cant others do this?

You also have to take into account that Sade has an extremely LOYAL and large crossover audience that D'Angelo does not have.

To get back to the original post, I think that essentially, this is a defeatist question. The point is that D'angelo is making music now, and given that his genre of music is generally classic funk/soul, there's always going to be an audience for that. He makes grown folks music, and grown folks tend to be less fickle than the pop music audience. If gets his work ethic on point, and concentrates on output- people who like his style of music and performance will support him.

missfee said:

Identity said:

Maxwell's nine-year sabbatical didn't decimate his career. In fact, he came back with a solid album and guess what... the fan base was there, ready to receive him. I've got faith in D'Angelo's musical gifts and his timing. His re-emergence will be rewarded. But it's critical he drops a new album and tours North America this year.

[Edited 2/2/12 7:10am]

Ottensen said:

To get back to the original post, I think that essentially, this is a defeatist question. The point is that D'angelo is making music now, and given that his genre of music is generally classic funk/soul, there's always going to be an audience for that. He makes grown folks music, and grown folks tend to be less fickle than the pop music audience. If gets his work ethic on point, and concentrates on output- people who like his style of music and performance will support him.

Exactly. People need to stop underestimating the audience here. He can still sell especially if he does it right.

also VAN HALEN latest release took 14 years to come out

getxxxx said:

also VAN HALEN latest release took 14 years to come out

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

Timmy84 said:

Ottensen said:

To get back to the original post, I think that essentially, this is a defeatist question. The point is that D'angelo is making music now, and given that his genre of music is generally classic funk/soul, there's always going to be an audience for that. He makes grown folks music, and grown folks tend to be less fickle than the pop music audience. If gets his work ethic on point, and concentrates on output- people who like his style of music and performance will support him.

Exactly. People need to stop underestimating the audience here. He can still sell especially if he does it right.

oh please you where one of many on the debbie downer doubters bandwagon

D'angelo is "The Second Coming" of Prince .............

smoothcriminal12 said:

getxxxx said:

also VAN HALEN latest release took 14 years to come out

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

and so what?

kitbradley said:

getxxxx said:

And the debbie downers doubters continues again. Sade and her crew takes extended breaks so why cant others do this?

You also have to take into account that Sade has an extremely LOYAL and large crossover audience that D'Angelo does not have.

D doesnt need a crossover audience, not his market and what makes you think his fanbase isnt loyal? GTFOH

MattyJam said:

Changing music? Nobody cares about D'angelo or even remembers him except a few thousand hardcore fans at the most.

getxxxx said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

and so what?

They released consistenly up until 98 and were already established as legends by then. D'Angelo is not.

smoothcriminal12 said:

getxxxx said:

and so what?

They released consistenly up until 98 and were already established as legends by then. D'Angelo is not.

are you a fan or a hater. pick a corner. clearly you and the rest of the debbie downers doubters have chosen your corners.

smoothcriminal12 said:

getxxxx said:

also VAN HALEN latest release took 14 years to come out

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

Are you suggesting the success or failure of a resurgent act is based on its lifespan? How would you explain the auspicious relaunch of Maxell's career in 2008? He was on an extended hiatus too.

getxxxx said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

They released consistenly up until 98 and were already established as legends by then. D'Angelo is not.

are you a fan or a hater. pick a corner. clearly you and the rest of the debbie downers doubters have chosen your corners.

Right, so I'm a hater because I said someone with two albums isn't a legend? I guess Janelle Monae is a legend as well.

Identity said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

Are you suggesting the success or failure of a resurgent act is based on its lifespan? How would you explain the auspicious relaunch of Maxell's career in 2008? He was on an extended hiatus too.

It has nothing to do with lifespan, but by that point they had already released albums for a while and had been around for a long time.

The Rolling Stones is a legendary group, to cite an example. Each time the band kicks off a tour, the ticket sales are record breaking and whatever new album they release ahead of the tour tanks.

Identity said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Yeah, but they've been around since 1978.

Are you suggesting the success or failure of a resurgent act is based on its lifespan? How would you explain the auspicious relaunch of Maxell's career in 2008? He was on an extended hiatus too.

Identity sometimes i dont agree with you, put you are DEAD ON IT right here.

getxxxx said:

Identity said:

Are you suggesting the success or failure of a resurgent act is based on its lifespan? How would you explain the auspicious relaunch of Maxell's career in 2008? He was on an extended hiatus too.

Identity sometimes i dont agree with you, put you are DEAD ON IT right here.

Even though I later confirmed that I wasn't saying what I thought he was.