Jump to content
DVDVR Message Board

RIP, Prince

Gonzo

By Gonzo
in MUSIC

 Share

Recommended Posts

Greggulator

Greggulator

Posted
Posted

Maybe the thing I love the most in the world is basketball. They used to have a highlight video on ESPN set to "Let's Go Crazy" that aired non-stop when I was a kid. They played the song and had clips of Bird, Magic, young Michael, Isiah, Mailman, etc. doing their thing. It was as big an influence on me developing a gripping, lifelong passion as anything. Years later, we'd all learn in that classic Chapelle Show sketch that Prince was actually a decent baller himself.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SirSmUgly

SirSmUgly

Posted
Posted

I grew up on this dude's stuff.

I even like some of his post-peak Artist stuff like Gold, The Greatest Romance Ever Sold, etc. 

Selfishly, this sucks in part because I bet he had another album or two in him at least. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Burgundy LaRue

Burgundy LaRue

Posted
Posted

I've mentioned this before, but I like to repeat stories. . .

I was the kid who was going to run away from home and make her way to Paisley Park to be with Prince and become the new, improved version of Vanity.  With my wannabe fast ass. Fuck that I was only 7 or 8 years old, I was going to make it happen!  I couldn't even spell Minneapolis at the time, let alone find it on a map.  But I had dreams of purple grandeur.  A poster of a small man wearing a ruffled blouse sitting on a purple motorcycle, giving me the sexy eye over my bed.  Memories of staring open-mouthed in front a TV screen as he shimmied around in black bikini underwear and thigh-high boots.  Some half-baked concept of Morris Day being my new best friend.  It was totally over the top, too mature for my growing mind--and I LOVED every moment of it.

I appreciated Tina Turner and Whitney Houston. I liked bands such as Ready for the World and Tears for Fears. I loved Michael Jackson.

Prince was who I saw when I went to sleep every night, who I dreamed about, who I idolized without realizing it.

I saw someone who was being his full self with no apologies. For a kid who wore boring clothes and had boring parents and for whom penny-an-ounce fountain drinks after school were exciting, seeing Prince being so--Prince--was akin to living in a fantasy land with him as the cool-ass Willy Wonka type of mayor.

Prince was what a simpleton like me needed to see to realize that the world was full of wonderful and delightful people, places, and things. That even if I never get in a position to be around any of it, I know it exists.  And that's a victory in and of itself.

No dream ever really dies because I still get a laugh at being the would-be Paisley Park Princess--but people do.  That's life, in cruel irony.  But it still hurts.  It really does.

  • Like 16
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChrisM

ChrisM

Posted
Posted

First off, can we please stop cursing the year? It's silly. Secondly, Prince was far more talented than Michael Jackson, but never quite reached that level of superstardom because he didn't play it safe like MJ did. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Web Conn

Web Conn

Posted
Posted

This fucking sucks. Prince was my Bowie if that makes sense. man redefined himself musically with every album. Dude was incredible, Purple Rain no joke my favorite movie.

Purple Rain (Super Bowl Halftime Performance)

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Curt McGirt

Curt McGirt

Posted
Posted

That Super Bowl performance was awesome to see with my folks. If something was gonna make me stick around for any halftime (or any part of any Super Bowl really), it was Prince absolutely ripping it on guitar. 

And hot damn it's unbelievable that MTV is actually showing Prince videos right now. Somebody gave a serious edict from on high there. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
NikoBaltimore

NikoBaltimore

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, ChrisM said:

First off, can we please stop cursing the year? It's silly. Secondly, Prince was far more talented than Michael Jackson, but never quite reached that level of superstardom because he didn't play it safe like MJ did. 

I'm very guilty of doing it this year.  You're right that in that it's not like it's some strange act of God that declared all these famous people would die.  But when remembering what 2016 brings one of the main things people will think about is that all these famous people died.  Silly, yes.  Understandable, I'd believe so.

That said, this really hurts.  I had a chance to see Prince a block away from my work yet was busy with the family.  It was soon after the Baltimore riots and his theme was that of elevating spirits as much as possible.  He talked about the riots and put on a fantastic show.  Now I sit here with a ton of regret wondering why I didn't go to the show.  First song I heard from him was the song he did for the first Batman movie and I just loved that song so much.  Not long after I heard his other hits and the guy was absolutely tremendous.  It's amazing how he changed his name to a symbol as an FU to the company he was with at the time.  After going on his own the amount of albums he put out is staggering.  He made some very ballsy moves and with his talents it worked out wonderfully for him.

It all feels like a big shock right now, just having a hard time processing this right now.  It takes me back to when Michael Jackson died and I was at computer school.  During class break everybody was in the hallways talking about it, and during class people were going on Youtube watching his videos.  Now I sit her at work and with not much going on will stream MTV to watch his videos.  RIP, Prince.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pipGofern

pipGofern

Posted
Posted

I wasn't a big music fan growing up - comics and wrestling were my jams - but the first CD I ever bought was Prince's Batman soundtrack. I'd still argue it's gotta be among the best soundtracks ever - certainly best by a one artist. As I grew older I began to appreciate Prince more and more until I began to grasp what a unique unfettered genius he was. With all due respect to MJ, I think its hard to argue he was the most musically gifted performer to come out of the 80s. He'll be sorely missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RIPPA

RIPPA

Posted
Posted

I am not super into Prince so I will not pretend that I am a Mega fan (though I definitely recognize his importance on music) but he definitely has some songs that are insanely great.

I also remember the time my wife and I were going to a concert - I wanna say it was Eve 6, Everclear and Matchbox 20. We were walking to the arena from the parking lot and had to stop to wait at a light to cross the street. There was a group of probably 30 of us waiting (clearly all going to the same concert and presumably not being held against our will). The security guard thought he was being all funny and  goes "HAVE FUN AT THE PRINCE CONCERT!!!" because I guess he thought everyone would be all "ewww.... Prince"

And the entire group responds "That would be a million times better than this show"

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
NikoBaltimore

NikoBaltimore

Posted
Posted

I wouldn't listen to anybody that hated on that, that got a lot of play on my tape player.  Might have to find that and give it another playthrough, I'm sure I have a tape player somewhere.

Aw, man, just thought about the halftime show with him in the shadow.  When he raised the guitar and it looked like a huge member my family got a huge kick out of it.  I just stood there thinking "That is an incredibly gutsy move, and I love him for that."  Greatest halftime show  ever is an understatement, unless proven otherwise nothing comes close.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JLSigman

JLSigman

Posted
Posted

I can remember having Prince albums since 1999 came out. I have just about every CD he ever made in a box over there. I'll have to get them all out and listen again.

 

11 minutes ago, (BP) said:

I never got why the Batman soundtrack was so maligned. It rules. 

That Batman soundtrack was my best and only friend the year I spent in rural Ohio 1989-1990. I listened to it on the hour long school bug trips in the cold dark and knew that I would get back to people who actually liked music. "Electric Chair" made me want to play a bass guitar. "Batdance" was way too fun to be real.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SirSmUgly

SirSmUgly

Posted
Posted

What I think is significant about Prince is that, unlike MJ (and many other folks), he came out of the '80s and adapted his sound. He did some great '90s slow jam-style stuff even when he'd kinda lost his way a bit as The Artist and then ended up putting out Musicology when I was in college, which is a great album and showed that he still had it. 

He's on a short list of popular '80s artists who figured out how to forge his own sound in different eras when so many others (again, love you MJ, but MJ as prime example number one) struggled to do so. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...