Just a note to let Dopers know that Prince gets a few-page write-up in this week’s New Yorker. The occasion is to comment on his run of shows in Vegas at the Rio hotel.
He gets the full treatment - a full-face, full-page Martin Schoeller portrait - if you recall, that photog took photos of Dan Rather and Ah-nold which in both cases made them look like horror-show monsters. Prince looks like he is about 20 years old - the smoothest skin and clearest eyes you could imagine, given the photo technique used (and why do they use that photographer? ugh.)
And the write up is, IMHO, appropriately idolizing. The writer discusses Prince as the greatest performer working in pop and having the most varied and brilliant set of songs since the Beatles, both comments I agree with, so no prob there…
Interesting stuff about the guy all my pro musician friends refer to as the most respected man in music…
I have never understood all the Prince-adoration. To me he’s the epitome of meh.
The guy is extremely talented, can play a number of instruments, arranges all his own work, is very prolific and has been named by many influental musicians as being their influence. I’m not crazy about everything he does either, but you gotta give him props regardless.
And no, I don’t have cites for any of that. Just what I’ve picked up from many different sources over the last 20-some years since I first heard of him.
I’ll check out the article.
Yeah, I’m a fan – I’ll definitely check that out. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the heads up. Very little other music makes me feel it in the gut the way Prince does.
He is phenomenal.
Prince is great because he is so self possessed and unflinching. He does his own thing and does it well.
I think Prince at his best is very cool, but much of his work does nothing for me.
**Quid **- Sometimes - usually, actually - art is subjective: you like it, you don’t like it, cool.
Rarely, however, artists come along that, even if you don’t like them, they are worthy of a deeper understanding - they have made their mark in an unquestionably clear way, so even if you don’t like them, you should understand where they came from, what they did, who they influenced, why they are so respected, etc.
Prince is one of those guys. He is worth the investment of time, if you wish to have a good understanding of recent music, or claim to be a “music person who knows recent music.” I have watched a few conversations grind to a halt when someone who claims to know music disses Prince in front of music pros - and the pros have been metal, pop, jazz - many styles, which is why the person probably thought they could get away with the remark.
You’re welcome to your “meh” - but he is worth the time…