Prince shore did smoke at the R&R hall of fame induction ceremony. ...

I haven't been keeping up in the Prince newsgroups, but this tour is apparently in support of his new album "Musicology". The full page ad in the Detroit Free Press announcing the ticket sale date said that the album would be provided at the show to ticket holders (or wording to that effect.) Personally, I have not heard any word on what the new album is supposed to sound like, and it seems odd to hand the thing out, but if that helps it reach an audience....

The ad also said this is the last time Prince is playing the "hits". Fat chance, but at least it is indicating that this show is not going to be a complete performance of say, "The Rainbow Children". (Not to knock that album, I like it, it just is just another in his increasingly long line of albums devoted entirely to his dwindling diehard fan base, and no one else.)

 

Go ahead and knock the album - I hated it. That album's part of the reason I've almost dwindled out of his fan base. 10 years ago I ADORED Prince - now I don't even know if I'll bother to see him live. He's really worn out his welcome over the last 10 years. I don't expect - or want - "Purple Rain" parts 2 through 12, but I'd like music that sounds like he spent more than five minutes working on it. And enough with the extended James Brown style jams! All of Prince's sound the same, and I was sick of them in 1986...

 

I got off the wagon after, I think, "New Power Generation" (the first album with his new...ummm...symbol/name). And to be honest, other than "Diamond and Pearls" (which was a decent pop album), lately, I haven't had any desire to listen to anything past "1999" anymore.

 

Recently, I've rediscovered the "symbol" album. I hate the rapper on that one (and on "Diamonds and Pearls") but there are some great songs... and that band is TIGHT. When it came out, I thought two things: 1) it's too slick, and 2) there are too many songs... he needed to edit a little bit. I still think those two are true, but the highlights are excellent songs... "Sexy MF," "Love 2 the 9s," "Morning Paper," "Blue Light" among others. At least there isn't a song like "Jughead" on it!

 

Sorry if I'm making a left turn here, but it is Prince RELATED.

On Monday night I got the opportunity to meet Sheila E. She was very sweet & had time for everyone who wanted to talk to her. Seemed very down to earth & genuine. Needless to say she's very beautiful in person.

-BZync

 

I know Ringo Starr got on famously with her, when she toured with him as part of the All-Starr band.

I met a guy years ago who used to play drums in her band(when she wasn't playing them).

Evan

 

Totally agree. Actually, when it came out, Gary Graff's review in the Detroit Free Press called it a landmark set, one of the albums that Prince will be remembered by, like Purple Rain. While history has not been that kind to it, I still think it is in his top tier of albums. I think the songwriting is good, the styles are varied, and the sound/production is accessible. I don't think we are the only one feeling this way, I find myself hearing bits and pieces of Graffiti Bridge being borrowed (e.g. the exact rhythm of "Release It" can be found on a tune in Kelis' new album).

I never cared to see the movie, so the soundtrack stands on its own for me.

 

If I had to pick one underrated Prince album, it's The Gold Experience. One of my faves.

I'll check if Prince tix are available in NY, but I doubt it...

 

Well he did add a second show to MSG, not sure if there are tickets left for either. I also see that he added a second show to the Continental Airlines Arena (I believe it goes on sale this coming Sat. 3/27), since the first show is sold out. He also just added a show at the Nassau Coliseum also going on sale this coming Sat. 3/27.

 

I think Prince's 3-CD set, EMANCIPATION, is horribly underrated. It's the most new material anyone has delivered in one fell swoop, to my knowledge: that had to be close to a 5- or 6-LP set, more killer than filler. But instead of praising Prince for his seemingly boundless talent, or at least his chutzpah, critics seemed to talk about its length like it was just another manifestation of his weirdness. And due to its poor publicity and distribution, you can get a sealed, sawcut copy of EMANCIPATION for less than $10.

Incidentally, curiousity got the best of me, and I bought the beleaguered vocal-less N.E.W.S. album from last year, the one that topped THE ONION's "Least Essential Recordings" list. It's actually very well-played funk-jazz, and several people in my store asked who was playing when it came over the speakers. Of course, as soon as you hear the guitar you know who it is! I like it quite a bit.

 

Before NEWS, he released an MP3-only album to his fan club, called Xpectation. I kind of like it better than NEWS... more variety and the tunes are good. On NEWS, he made a point of 4 tracks that are 14 minutes each. Sometime I thought they were padding it a bit....

 

Well, got shut out of Prince tickets for the first night in Detroit, but they added a second show, for which I got a pair of lower bowl seats. There had to be a TON of tickets held back for the first show - I got through ticketmaster.com exactly at the noon onsale time and got very poor upper bowls seats and tossed them back. By 12:10, there were no seats coming up as available.

 

Not surprising his tickets would sell out--he always had a big following in Detroit.

 

I honestly can't recall if Prince has even played the Palace before...when he played the Detroit area, it was usually at Joe Louis Arena. I am curious as to what the crowd at these shows will look like - who really is Prince's fan base these days? (With the Palace being in the heart of surburbia, I am picturing mid-thirties and older, white collar, albeit decked out to party like its 1999.)

 

Well he's added a third show in St. Paul and the reviews of his opening night in L.A. are really positive. As an aside years ago me and my friends were going to a club in Mpls. called First Ave. and we couldn't get in because Prince was filming a movie and we all said that'll be the death of his career, boy were we proven wrong

 

I'm not familiar with Kelis' new album, but if you're talking about the drum part in "Release It," that is actually an uncredited sample from Tower of Power's "Squib Cakes."

 

I really enjoyed Steve Winwood's guitar playing on "Dear Mr. Fantasy"