http://www.billboard.com/...over-story

QUOTE

"I was watching this Fellini documentary, and he was saying artists want complete freedom," Benjamin says, reflecting on his winding journey, post-Outkast. "[But] usually, when artists get complete freedom, they end up doing nothing. And he was saying every artist needs some kind of opposition. My opposition is time, age. You can make music forever, but I think there’s a magic window. I think you can go beyond your magic window and still be the greatest instrumentalist and greatest artist, but anything outside that magic window is just not resonating the same."

UNQUOTE

Do you agree with Andre that an artist has a "magic window"so to speak, particularly age, and once you're past that magic window, it's just nor resonating the same? Is it possible that he's referring to Prince?

nuttynutmeg said:

http://www.billboard.com/...over-story

QUOTE

"I was watching this Fellini documentary, and he was saying artists want complete freedom," Benjamin says, reflecting on his winding journey, post-Outkast. "[But] usually, when artists get complete freedom, they end up doing nothing. And he was saying every artist needs some kind of opposition. My opposition is time, age. You can make music forever, but I think there’s a magic window. I think you can go beyond your magic window and still be the greatest instrumentalist and greatest artist, but anything outside that magic window is just not resonating the same."

UNQUOTE

Do you agree with Andre that an artist has a "magic window"so to speak, particularly age, and once you're past that magic window, it's just nor resonating the same? Is it possible that he's referring to Prince?

I dont think age has that much to do with it.

There is however the concept that an artists first album is a document of their entire life experience to date. Everything they've ever wanted to say or play... That can come at any age.

The second album is (usually but not exclusively) is a document of the time after the first album.

In the case of Prince his "window" was much longer than most artists. By the time he was onto his 34th album after living as a millionare celebrity who can satisfy his every whim. It's little wonder his music doesn't resonate the way it once did. How many people can honestly relate to Prince?

nuttynutmeg said:

http://www.billboard.com/...over-story

QUOTE

"I was watching this Fellini documentary, and he was saying artists want complete freedom," Benjamin says, reflecting on his winding journey, post-Outkast. "[But] usually, when artists get complete freedom, they end up doing nothing. And he was saying every artist needs some kind of opposition. My opposition is time, age. You can make music forever, but I think there’s a magic window. I think you can go beyond your magic window and still be the greatest instrumentalist and greatest artist, but anything outside that magic window is just not resonating the same."

UNQUOTE

Do you agree with Andre that an artist has a "magic window"so to speak, particularly age, and once you're past that magic window, it's just nor resonating the same? Is it possible that he's referring to Prince?

I'd agree 2 a degree but it isn't as simple as that. Timing, marketing, competition, the condition of the industry, and a host of other things play a big role in that Magic Window.

Graycap23 said:

I'd agree 2 a degree but it isn't as simple as that. Timing, marketing, competition, the condition of the industry, and a host of other things play a big role in that Magic Window.

What GC said.

Plus, the type of music the artist plays is key. 3 Stacks is an MC. When it comes to hip-hop, which IMO (with a Few Exceptions) skews young, the window is smaller.

Are you suggesting Prince has done nothing with his freedom? That's just nutty, nutmeg.

[Edited 1/27/15 14:36pm]

Jeez will Andre just shut up and release The Love Below Part 2. Or is his 'magic window' over?

I don't think there is any magic to Prince's "window" of relevancy but I do believe there is an age issue bearing down towards him and I've often wondered what he's going to do about it.

P is almost in his late 50s. How much longer is he going to be able to perform songs like Little Red Corvette and not sound lame or look pathetic?

I remember having the chance to see James Brown in what turned out to be a few months before he died and I passed on the opportunity because I wanted to keep my internal image of him as the Godfather of Soul insulated from the reality of seeing a fat old man in a sequined suit trying to hit those screams and do those dance steps he was so famous for and failing miserably. It would just be too embarrassingly painful.

Now Prince is still looking really good and sounding really good and he still has a good run ahead of him but at some point in the not all that distant future he's going to hit that threshhold where his appearance will become out of synch with the lyrical content of his songs.

It will be different from JB because P will probably still be able to sing, dance and play as good as he ever did, it just won't look right, kind of like an 80 year old woman trying to rock a mini-skirt and halter top; it's her prerogative to wear one if she chooses but.. well, you know what I'm sayin'.

I don't think Prince is ever going to retire from performing. He just loves it too much.

But he is going to have to do something that's age appropriate.

I'm thinking that P would do well to move in a jazz fusion direction and perhaps his N.E.W.S. album was foreshadowing such a move.

Take, for instance, Herbie Hancock. He's soon to be 75 and he's still masterfully funky. Lonnie Liston Smith is 72. George Duke, if he were still alive, would be 69. The formula for these guys is that they would have younger vocalists to give the audiences someone relateable.

You know P could write jazz tunes to equal these guys or even surpass them with funky groove based tunes. I could see P flexing his composing chops as a band leader more than as a singer and arranging tunes so tight it would make your jaw drop. It will be about having virtuoso players who can carry the complexity of his compositions, much like Frank Zappa required.

All I'm really saying is that if he wants to remain tasteful, at some point he's going to have to back off the sexy, and given that he will probably never retire from performing, what's he gonna do?

Somehow I can't see him playing oldies in casinos for senior citizens who are there to remember when.

DakutiusMaximus said:

I don't think there is any magic to Prince's "window" of relevancy but I do believe there is an age issue bearing down towards him and I've often wondered what he's going to do about it.

P is almost in his late 50s. How much longer is he going to be able to perform songs like Little Red Corvette and not sound lame or look pathetic?

I remember having the chance to see James Brown in what turned out to be a few months before he died and I passed on the opportunity because I wanted to keep my internal image of him as the Godfather of Soul insulated from the reality of seeing a fat old man in a sequined suit trying to hit those screams and do those dance steps he was so famous for and failing miserably. It would just be too embarrassingly painful.

Now Prince is still looking really good and sounding really good and he still has a good run ahead of him but at some point in the not all that distant future he's going to hit that threshhold where his appearance will become out of synch with the lyrical content of his songs.

It will be different from JB because P will probably still be able to sing, dance and play as good as he ever did, it just won't look right, kind of like an 80 year old woman trying to rock a mini-skirt and halter top; it's her prerogative to wear one if she chooses but.. well, you know what I'm sayin'.

I don't think Prince is ever going to retire from performing. He just loves it too much.

But he is going to have to do something that's age appropriate.

I'm thinking that P would do well to move in a jazz fusion direction and perhaps his N.E.W.S. album was foreshadowing such a move.

Take, for instance, Herbie Hancock. He's soon to be 75 and he's still masterfully funky. Lonnie Liston Smith is 72. George Duke, if he were still alive, would be 69. The formula for these guys is that they would have younger vocalists to give the audiences someone relateable.

You know P could write jazz tunes to equal these guys or even surpass them with funky groove based tunes. I could see P flexing his composing chops as a band leader more than as a singer and arranging tunes so tight it would make your jaw drop. It will be about having virtuoso players who can carry the complexity of his compositions, much like Frank Zappa required.

All I'm really saying is that if he wants to remain tasteful, at some point he's going to have to back off the sexy, and given that he will probably never retire from performing, what's he gonna do?

Somehow I can't see him playing oldies in casinos for senior citizens who are there to remember when.

Well said. But I just can't imagine Prince doing an American Song Book album.