Tell it RJOrion. Better act like ya know....musicology up in here.

Original is ten minutes of unapologetic Minneapolis Funk and Jesse Johnson throws down a MEAN guitar solo

paisleypark4 said:

Even if everything Alexander said was true, it only means Prince was flawed.

We knew that already.

It was over 30 years ago.

You've spoken your peace, Alexander.

Best of luck.

SoulAlive said:

Adorecream said:

Alex pissed off too as his career never went beyond a few R and B hits in the mid 80s, few people outside of the music cognoscenti and African Americans have heard. The only song of his I have heard is Fake and I don't even think it is very good.

Seriously? You never heard "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Innocent"? Those are great songs.

Sorry I'm late to the party!


Just to weigh in, Adorecream, you REALLY need to listen to "If You Were Here Tonight" (with some good headphones) or otherwise when it is completely silent around you. IMHO this is one of the best R & B love songs ever made. Incredibly beautiful and passionate. "If You Were Here Tonight" is in the upper pantheon of baby-making music! Also, "All True Man" deserves a definite listen. The writing and production and passion with which he sings these 2 love songs is awesome, and he has a voice that is all his own. NO ONE sounds like him. These 2 songs are everything GREAT about Alexander O'neal, IMHO.

Even though "Saturday Love" is a duet with Cherelle, it is a great duet.

Otherwise, seeing Alexander O'neal as The Time frontman sounds like peanut butter and honey. (Doesn't go together.)

And I too recall Jimmy Jam saying Alexander O'neal got dropped because he had all these big material demands about what he had to have before he would be a part of Prince's vision for The Time, and it was a complete deal breaker for Prince (with regard to Alexander O'neal).

[Edited 10/6/17 13:26pm]

namepeace said:

Even if everything Alexander said was true, it only means Prince was flawed.

We knew that already.

It was over 30 years ago.

You've spoken your peace, Alexander.

Best of luck.

But it is not true. Alex ranted and raved at that meeting and according to Morris Prince did not respond at all. Only calling Morris later to say that Alex was out.

Alex simply wanted to much money and the budget was just not there for the project.

laurarichardson said:

namepeace said:

Even if everything Alexander said was true, it only means Prince was flawed.

We knew that already.

It was over 30 years ago.

You've spoken your peace, Alexander.

Best of luck.

But it is not true. Alex ranted and raved at that meeting and according to Morris Prince did not respond at all. Only calling Morris later to say that Alex was out.

Alex simply wanted to much money and the budget was just not there for the project.

OK. So he's ranted and raved at Prince, who's no longer here to respond, and wouldn't even if he were. Hopefully Alex will move on now.

In the Ben Greenberg book it says there was a disagreement over Alexander's work habits (Lacking and not as dedicated as Prince's) and also his weed habits (Obviously Alexander was not willing to give it up to be part of the Prince camp).

Adorecream said:

In the Ben Greenberg book it says there was a disagreement over Alexander's work habits (Lacking and not as dedicated as Prince's) and also his weed habits (Obviously Alexander was not willing to give it up to be part of the Prince camp).

How could it be a disagreement over his work habits when he never even made into the group?

Listen to Morris talk about this on the Original 7 doc.

laurarichardson said:

Adorecream said:

In the Ben Greenberg book it says there was a disagreement over Alexander's work habits (Lacking and not as dedicated as Prince's) and also his weed habits (Obviously Alexander was not willing to give it up to be part of the Prince camp).

How could it be a disagreement over his work habits when he never even made into the group?

Listen to Morris talk about this on the Original 7 doc.

Prince may have been looking at his work habits in Flyte Time and may he showed up late to the meeting or something. The worst thing one could do in Prince's group was be late.

.

I agree too, it was about paper, Prince was going to pay them scale or minimum wage, mostly as he was not really making much money himself at the time. One book mentions the Time got $145 a week each during the Contriversy tour, that is pretty low even by 1981 Chitlin circuit standards.

paisleypark4 said:

Original is ten minutes of unapologetic Minneapolis Funk and Jesse Johnson throws down a MEAN guitar solo

That's actually Jellybean Johnson playing that solo on Innocent, Bean wrecked shop with that one

Abdul said:

Adorecream said:

Adorecream said:

SoulAlive said:

Seriously? You never heard "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Innocent"? Those are great songs.

No, I live in New Zealand, obscure R and B is not promoted here. We only hear the big pop smashes.

Oddly, Alex hit big over here in the UK with "Criticize". It crossed over to the top 10 pop and still gets played alot on mainstream radio to this day! It did better here then in the US.

I love the fact that "Criticize" is about the only hit single Alex had that was not written by Jam and Lewis. Alex and Jellybean wrote that one. Lisa Keith's backing vocals are like butter too.

thesexofit said:

Adorecream said:

Okay maybe people like Morris, Lisa and Wendy contributed more, but the rest merely played his music and from what I have read, he was a good employer, people staying on the payroll long after they had left groups (Bobby Z, Dez) and yes he was hard, but he had to be. Prince wanted people who could play well and meet his high standards. He also at least before the 2000s expected total professionalism, no distractions like drinking, groupies and drugs and good habits. Strange for most drugged out rock and rollers but normal for Prince.

The lead singer of the Stokes was like that too, so I've heard.

Alex pissed off too as his career never went beyond a few R and B hits in the mid 80s, few people outside of the music cognoscenti and African Americans have heard. The only song of his I have heard is Fake and I don't even think it is very good.

Alex was on a lot of drugs too, from what I heard, and that may have messed up his career.

Alex was on a lot of drugs too, from what I heard, and that may have messed up his career.

No doubt about that, it was mentioned in the Unsung ep dedicated to him (and Cherelle).

Wintermute1 said:

Adorecream said:

Okay maybe people like Morris, Lisa and Wendy contributed more, but the rest merely played his music and from what I have read, he was a good employer, people staying on the payroll long after they had left groups (Bobby Z, Dez) and yes he was hard, but he had to be. Prince wanted people who could play well and meet his high standards. He also at least before the 2000s expected total professionalism, no distractions like drinking, groupies and drugs and good habits. Strange for most drugged out rock and rollers but normal for Prince.

The lead singer of the Stokes was like that too, so I've heard.

Alex pissed off too as his career never went beyond a few R and B hits in the mid 80s, few people outside of the music cognoscenti and African Americans have heard. The only song of his I have heard is Fake and I don't even think it is very good.

Alex was on a lot of drugs too, from what I heard, and that may have messed up his career.

He ruled with an Iron fist

5,2 and could make most people step down with an eyeglance if he wanted

Blows my mind to think how much Power Prince had in his possession.

Lovejunky said:

Wintermute1 said:

Alex was on a lot of drugs too, from what I heard, and that may have messed up his career.

He ruled with an Iron fist

5,2 and could make most people step down with an eyeglance if he wanted

Blows my mind to think how much Power Prince had in his possession.

Exactly, as much as I loved Prince and his music, I would never want to go on his payroll as he was known to be a hard ass, who took no crap from anyone, his word was law and Prince spoke to you, not you to him. Also all of these books talk about how even Wendy and Lisa had to put up with disarmingly friendly Prince one minute and then the "Okay, shut up, go over there and play your instrument as directed" Prince the next.

JoeyC said:

Criticize..It's funny and cool at the same time... I'm torn.

I was shocked when I learned that Lisa Keith was Caucasian.

"I'm fed-up cause all you wanna do is Criticize!!"

That video is hilarious

"If You Were Here Tonight"

Slick-back shag...

They would've been "The Bed-Time"

Adorecream said:

.

Alex pissed off too as his career never went beyond a few R and B hits in the mid 80s, few people outside of the music cognoscenti and African Americans have heard. The only song of his I have heard is Fake and I don't even think it is very good.

Yuppie Caucasians in my section sang every lyric to "Saturday Love" when Alex was Cherelle's surprise-guest a stadium when I was a boy.

They sang-it to each other.. They danced, and screamed the loudest when he appeared on the stage after her opening set back then.

The end part....I could hear nothing..it was too loud. the crowd.

He was huge in England.. Wasn't he?

This guy is STILL crying about this decades later? FOH. The man should be proud that he had the decent R&B (yet short lived) career that he had and move the fuck on. These ex-affiliated bandmates with axes to grind need to either get over their themselves or use their insurance to see a therapist. Anything to quit their silly whining.

[Edited 10/17/17 5:57am]