R.I.P Prince

[SteveValek]

There was also rap on Diamonds and Pearls.

To me Gold Experience feels similar to Diamonds and Pearls (although it isn't quite as good). Just like that album it feels like a strong affirmation of his strengths after some lesser received album(s). P. Control as opener feels like Thunder, just a forceful opener that seems to say that he's back in full force.

'The Most Beautiful Girl in the World' is the only track that feels like he's selling out, the rest is very good.
I remember getting it (on cassette at the time) and instantly loving it.

I wonder if Graffiti Bridge might have done better if the title song had been better. Overall it's a good album, but since it's the follow-up to Purple Rain you expect the title song to be a standout - but it is probably the weakest track on it.

It's funny how the "Gold Experience",is unavailable on streaming sites,and the hits albums don't include "The Most Beautiful Girl ..." !?!

Totally agree with you on "Graffiti Bridge",and I also wonder,that bringing in other artists,might have put people off ?
More expansive,in that his songs were performed by others,but then it can put listeners "off track",in that they bought a Prince album,and we'll..want exclusively Prince!

Does anyone remember "Love Signs"? and off the album 1-800?
Same sought of album,and if my memory serves me right,about the same time

 

[kingricefan]

I used to have the Gold Experience on cassette too, now I just see the case and wonder what happened to the tape? whenever I want to listen to 'Dolphin', the song from that album that most often pops into my head. Speaking of Zappa, I was just following along (yesterday, that is) with the MIDI to a PowerTab someone did of A Watermelon In Easter Hay .....

I wonder if Prince has come back as a dolphin? Wouldn't that be wild?

 

[kingricefan]

It's funny how the "Gold Experience",is unavailable on streaming sites,and the hits albums don't include "The Most Beautiful Girl ..." !?!

Totally agree with you on "Graffiti Bridge",and I also wonder,that bringing in other artists,might have put people off ?
More expansive,in that his songs were performed by others,but then it can put listeners "off track",in that they bought a Prince album,and we'll..want exclusively Prince!

Does anyone remember "Love Signs"? and off the album 1-800?
Same sought of album,and if my memory serves me right,about the same time

Most Beautiful Girl isn't included on any 'Hits' compilations because it was originally released independently on Prince's own label NPG Records.

 

[kingricefan]

It's funny how the "Gold Experience",is unavailable on streaming sites,and the hits albums don't include "The Most Beautiful Girl ..." !?!

Totally agree with you on "Graffiti Bridge",and I also wonder,that bringing in other artists,might have put people off ?
More expansive,in that his songs were performed by others,but then it can put listeners "off track",in that they bought a Prince album,and we'll..want exclusively Prince!

Does anyone remember "Love Signs"? and off the album 1-800?
Same sought of album,and if my memory serves me right,about the same time

There are some great songs on that 1-800-NEW-FUNK album!

 

[Ebdim9th]

I wonder if Prince has come back as a dolphin? Wouldn't that be wild?

 

[SteveValek]

I wonder if Prince has come back as a dolphin? Wouldn't that be wild?

Or as a reptile....TURTLE RAIN

 

[Gerald]

I used to have the Gold Experience on cassette too, now I just see the case and wonder what happened to the tape? whenever I want to listen to 'Dolphin', the song from that album that most often pops into my head..

I still have a cassette player, but it ate the last tape I tried. Maybe if I cleaned it (there used to be special tapes for that) it would still work, but I mostly play cd's and have bought many favourite albums anew on cd. Unfortunately Gold Experience is out of print as cd.
I don't know if they even still sell cassette players and accessories - I would guess not.

 

[GNTLGNT]

I still have a cassette player, but it ate the last tape I tried. Maybe if I cleaned it (there used to be special tapes for that) it would still work, but I mostly play cd's and have bought many favourite albums anew on cd. Unfortunately Gold Experience is out of print as cd.
I don't know if they even still sell cassette players and accessories - I would guess not.

...used to have a tape player "cleaning cassette"....one part sandpaper, 3 parts isopropyl alcohol.....they did more damage than good....try some q-tips and the aforementioned isopropyl alcohol.....it's what we did at the studio when the tapes started gumming up the works.....

 

[Gerald]

Totally agree with you on "Graffiti Bridge",and I also wonder,that bringing in other artists,might have put people off ?
More expansive,in that his songs were performed by others,but then it can put listeners "off track",in that they bought a Prince album,and we'll..want exclusively Prince!

It's possible that may have turned people off. On the other hand, Purple Rain the movie included songs from other artists, like The Time, they just weren't on the album. So that idea of multiple artists was always there. And it's not just some artists, it's The Time again and George Clinton, so for me it was always more of a bonus than a negative.
And it's all written or co-written by him, so it all has his sound anyway.

Of the three 'lesser' albums between Sign o' the Times and Diamonds and Pearls, that also include LoveSexy and Batman, it's my favourite of the three. I find it much better than it is generally perceived, it suffers most because of the comparison with Purple Rain.

 

[Gerald]

...used to have a tape player "cleaning cassette"....one part sandpaper, 3 parts isopropyl alcohol.....they did more damage than good....try some q-tips and the aforementioned isopropyl alcohol.....it's what we did at the studio when the tapes started gumming up the works.....

Yeah, I used to do that too, it's probably better. I still have such alcohol, which I had for years but I suppose you can basically use it eternally? I can't imagine such stuff dates or goes bad after a while.

I think the sound quality may disappoint of tape though, compared to cd.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Yeah, I used to do that too, it's probably better. I still have such alcohol, which I had for years but I suppose you can basically use it eternally? I can't imagine such stuff dates or goes bad after a while.

I think the sound quality may disappoint of tape though, compared to cd.

...no question that the quality of tape vs CD is a hands down win for the disc......and unless the alcohol is turning yellow, you should be good to go.....

 

[Gerald]

...no question that the quality of tape vs CD is a hands down win for the disc......and unless the alcohol is turning yellow, you should be good to go.....

It says Spiritus Ketonatus Dilitus on the flask I have (sounds kinda Harry Potter when you say it) and 70 % (which is how much is pure alcohol I think).
I've had it for more than 10 years though at least, because that's when I last still played tape. I'll see if it's yellow, but the flask is brown so it's kind of hard to see right now.

 

[GNTLGNT]

It says Spiritus Ketonatus Dilitus on the flask I have (sounds kinda Harry Potter when you say it) and 70 % (which is how much is pure alcohol I think).
I've had it for more than 10 years though at least, because that's when I last still played tape. I'll see if it's yellow, but the flask is brown so it's kind of hard to see right now.

...that would make it a mite difficult....

 

[Gerald]

I actually even still have cassette-singles, which is something that never really caught on, I think. Just like a vinyl single it has only two songs. Of course the problem with cassettes is that one side is always longer than the other, because of difference in song length, so you'll always have to fastforward on one side. With a single you have to do that after one song already, so I think that's why they weren't popular. Although the cassette-single of Cream (B-side: Horny Pony) I have has both songs on each side. I also have Batdance (B-side: 200 Balloons) and Pet Sematary from the Ramones (B-side: Sheena is a Punk Rocker) which is a tie-in with the movie, with the poster on the front.

I was wondering what is considered the best BOOK about Prince (his life and career), because there are so many. I only have the 21 Nights book, it's great but purely a photobook, and not about his work as a whole.
This one is translated and in stores here:

Prince: Life and Times: Revised and Updated Edition: Amazon.de: Jason Draper: Fremdsprachige Bücher

But I wonder what is generally considered the best book about him?

 

[kingricefan]

I actually even still have cassette-singles, which is something that never really caught on, I think. Just like a vinyl single it has only two songs. Of course the problem with cassettes is that one side is always longer than the other, because of difference in song length, so you'll always have to fastforward on one side. With a single you have to do that after one song already, so I think that's why they weren't popular. Although the cassette-single of Cream (B-side: Horny Pony) I have has both songs on each side. I also have Batdance (B-side: 200 Balloons) and Pet Sematary from the Ramones (B-side: Sheena is a Punk Rocker) which is a tie-in with the movie, with the poster on the front.

I was wondering what is considered the best BOOK about Prince (his life and career), because there are so many. I only have the 21 Nights book, it's great but purely a photobook, and not about his work as a whole.
This one is translated and in stores here:

Prince: Life and Times: Revised and Updated Edition: Amazon.de: Jason Draper: Fremdsprachige Bücher

But I wonder what is generally considered the best book about him?

I don't have any books about Prince other than the 'A Private View' which is mostly nice pictures of him with some personal stories here and there by the photographer. I have the 21 Nights book also. I'm waiting for his sister Tyka's book to be published and hopefully there will be the 50 or so pages published that Prince actually wrote down detailing his childhood.

 

[Dana Jean]

I don't have any books about Prince other than the 'A Private View' which is mostly nice pictures of him with some personal stories here and there by the photographer. I have the 21 Nights book also. I'm waiting for his sister Tyka's book to be published and hopefully there will be the 50 or so pages published that Prince actually wrote down detailing his childhood.

And you WILL own my advanced readers copy of

 

[kingricefan]

And you WILL own my advanced readers copy of

No pressure, luv. I'm a patient man.

 

[SteveValek]

It's strange,we are talking about cassettes.
I had most of Prince's albums on cassettes,apart from "Under Cherry Moon",and "Diamonds and Pearls"..
I wonder why the attraction to that format?
Did we associate the little man with a little format? Lol

 

[GNTLGNT]

It's strange,we are talking about cassettes.
I had most of Prince's albums on cassettes,apart from "Under Cherry Moon",and "Diamonds and Pearls"..
I wonder why the attraction to that format?
Did we associate the little man with a little format? Lol

...back in the day....cassettes were the big thing.....no brainer upgrade from an 8-Track tape.....most vehicle sound systems were either straight AM/FM or had a cassette deck upgrade....the fidelity was better than vinyl for a while and given the Walkman craze and such, they really made sense......

 

[Gerald]

I had a cassette recorder. It was just easier to go around with and put it anywhere, compared to a record player. And you could record songs from the radio, the disadvantage was of course dj's often talked through the beginning and the ending of the song. I remember always recording songs when they first entered the charts, because that's when they would play them the fullest without talking.