Biography

Born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958, and known as the formerly known as Prince, or simply the artist, Prince is one of the most popular and influential musicians of our time.

There is not one genre that Prince could be attached to as, his music has ranged from R and B, Funk and soul and has taken on new wave, pop, rock, blues, jazz and hip hop. One of the most distinctive things about his music is the use of synthesier riffs, which became best known as the Minneopolis sound.

Considered a prolific artist, who has released hundreds of songs, whether he has sung them or written them for other performers, it is believed he has also recorded many more songs that remain unreleased.

Regarded as a perfectionist, he has a reputation for being difficult to work with and more than a little eccentric. He is also highly protective of his music, and produces, composes, arranges and performs nearly all of the songs on his albums.
He is considered a music genius by some because of his versatility, vocal skills and profieciency.

Discography

For you (1978)
Prince (1979)
dirty mind (1980)
controversy (1981)
1999 (1982)

Purple Rain (1984)

around the world in a day (1985)
parade (1986)
sign o the times (1987)
lovesexy (1988)
Batman (1989)
graffiti bridge (1990)
Diamonds and pearls (1991)
Love symbol (1992)
The hits/B-sides (1993)

The hits 1 (1993)

The Hits 2 (1993)

Goldnigga (1993)
The beautiful experience (1994)
1-800 new funk (1994)
Come (1994)
The Black album (1994)
The gold experience (1995)
exodus (1996)
Girl 6 (1996)
Chaos and disorder (1996)
Crystal ball (1997)
newpower soul (1998)
1999: The new mater (1999)
The vault: old friends 4 sale (1999)
The very best of Prince (2001)
The rainbow children (2001)
One nite alone (2002)
One nite alone...live (2002)
xpectation (2003)
c-note (2003)
NEWS (2003)
the chocolate invasion (2004)
the slaughterhouse (2004)
musicology (2004)

3121 (2006)

Ultimate (2006)

Links

official site

Reviews

Prince-Purple Rain Record Label: Warner Bros Year: 1984 Track listing: 01. let’s go crazy 02. take me with u 03. the beautiful ones 04. computer blue 05. darling nikki 06. when doves cry 07. I would die for u 08. Baby I’m a star 09. Purple rain

Review by Janine Macdonald

This was the album in 1984. Based on the film that really was made to well…showcase Prince’s career and songs, it is a classic album that should definitely be in the CD collection.
The album starts with Prince strangely introducing let’s go crazy, which to this day is one of my all-time favorite songs, and just gets stranger from there.
I still think some of Prince’s best work was with the Revolution, and this album is evidence of the fact that Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman emphasised the talent that is Prince in their own way.
The album is full of blistering guitar solos and riffs that showcase Prince’s guitar skills at their best.
It is sex, it is rock n roll, it is pure Prince. Prince experimented a lot on this album, and some of the music genius that is displayed on his later albums, is evident on here.
As per usual his writing talents are varied from sex, a splash of romance with when doves cry, and rock. It also shows a slighter darker side to Prince.
I don’t think there is one song on this album that I hate.
I give this 5/5

Prince-The hits 1 Record Label: Paisley Park Year: 1993 Track listing: 01. when doves cry 02. pop life 03. soft and wet 04. I feel for you 05. Why you wanna treat me so bad? 06. When you were mine 07. Uptown 08. Let’s go crazy 09. 1999 10. I could never take the place of your man 11. Nothing compares to u 12. Adore 13. Pink cashmere 14. Alphabet st 15. Sign o’ the times 16. Thieves in the temple 17. Diamonds and pearls 18. 7

Review by Janine Macdonald

I’m not an enormous fan, but I’m smart enough to know that Prince is probably one of the most talented songwriters and musicians of our time.
My first experience with Prince was in the eighties, and hearing when doves cry for the first time. It got me hooked, and aided in my appreciation of music.
This Hit package probably highlights the sexual tracks of Prince and chronicles his hits from 78-1993.
There’s nothing particularly special for the die-hard Prince fans, but for newcomers to his music, it is a delight.
It has some of his greatest hits on it, starting with When Doves Cry, and ending with his newer music of that time, 7.
One of the things you do have to admire about Prince is that he has packaged a CD that shows how much his music has progressed, and developed in the past 15 years.
Definitely one that should be in your collection if you grew up on Prince, but for those who already own all his albums, then it’s not so worthy.
Personally it’s one I could not do without in my collection. With the classic tracks of when doves cry, let’s go crazy, 1999, sign o the times, and his newer music thieves in the temple, diamonds and pearls and 7.

One thing that should also be noted about Prince is that his song sign o the times was done at a time when AIDS was still only just being talked about. Prince gave us a politic statement that seemed an unsafe choice for a single but one that worked out well.

I give it 4/5

Prince-The hits 2 Record Label: Paisley Park Year: 1993 Track listing: 01. controversy 02. dirty mind 03. I wanna be your lover 04. Head 05. Do me baby 06. Delirious 07. Little red corvette 08. If I was your girlfriend 09. Kiss 10. Peach 11. U got the look 12. Sexy M.F 13. Gett off 14. Cream 15. Pope 16. Purple rain

Review by Janine Macdonald

Out of the Greatest hits package that Prince brought out simultaneously, this is probably my favourite, as it has all the tracks I grew up and grew to love and tracks I had never heard of, but fell in love with automatically.
A very sexed up album, this album is definitely a must into anybody’s CD collection, who claims themselves to be a music lover.
It is Prince at probably his best, and the songs such as Little red corvette, raspberry beret, sexy M.F, Cream and Kiss are Prince at his dirtiest, and are masterpieces.
And what is a Prince Greatest hits without purple rain, his smash hit that just blew the world away? Not one apparently, which is why it made the cut.
The album is provocative, sensual and listening to it for the first time in about two years, I forgot how much I love some of his music, and definitely need to add him to my ipod again.
Must listens are: Controversy, peach, head, little red corvette, purple rain, raspberry beret, cream and Kiss.
His music is experimental, mixed and Prince is a songwriting genius. What more is there to say? Other than it’s a 5/5 for me

Prince-3121 Record Label: Universal Year: 2006 Track listing: 01. 3121 02. Lolita 03. Te Amo Corazon 04. Black Sweat 05. Incense And Candles 06. Love 07. Satisfied 08. Fury 09. The Word 10. Beautiful, Loved And Blessed 11. The Dance 12. Get On The Boat

Review by Janine Macdonald

Prince took another step forward towards his comeback last year with the release of 3121. Although he'd stayed out of the spotlight for a period of time , musically he never really left. He still continued to churn out album after album throughout the 90’s until 2000, obligating his contract with Warner Records. However the albums were never heavily promoted, and many believed that Prince was stretching himself thinly in an attempt to, finally, cut ties with Warner, with whom he had an on-going feud.

3121 sees Prince signed to Universal Records. Released in 2006, there was much hype about 3121. Many believed Prince would return to the sound that made him a star.
To me, Prince is a musician that is able to continually evolve, while still managing to keep his own unique sound. Listening to the album I can see similarities, but I also see Prince experimenting heavily with new sounds, while remaining true to himself.

“Lolita” certainly has aspects of his Purple Rain era with the heavy usage of synthesizers and that same old rock-funk on 3121 that we associate with Prince, mixed with modern technology.
Prince’s distorted vocals on the psychedelic track "3121", remind me of his alter-ego Camille, who was appeared prominently on "U Got The Look".
Even “Fury” has shades of old Prince, reminding us that while Prince is well known for his vocal capabilities, he can also hold his own with an electric guitar. A highly energetic track, it is reminiscent of the guitar-playing style of Hendrix.
The album also sees Prince experimenting with pitch correlation effects, Latin-inspired tempos and beats, and jazz. So, while he does keep in touch with his old-school style, Prince continuously looks for new ways to experiment and entertain.

It’s no surprise that the album’s main themes are sex and religion. They’ve been constant themes for Prince throughout his thirty-year career. They’re themes that have been a success for him, and he knows it. He up to his same tricks with “Black Sweat” delivering the first line, “I don’t want to take my clothes off/but I do” and “Lolita” in which he proclaims, “Lolita, you’re sweeter/but you’ll never make a cheater outta me”
The tracks are in your face, sex-fuelled, and simply two of the best on 3121, not just for their well-delivered lines, but for their rock-funk sound.
While “Black Sweat” and “Lolita” are the strongest on the album, “Te Amo Corazon” is the weakest. A Latin-tinged ballad, it seems more like a filler, sandwiched between the two latter tracks. Prince has never really been a great one for ballads, and this it’s no different. In fact, the song is just plain dull.
“The Word” has religion written all over it. While it mentions repeatedly about “getting saved”, there's nothing new and inspiring about it. In honesty it’s more likely to put you to sleep rather than inspire you.

Despite some of the weaker tracks, there is a true feel of Prince strutting and pouting, as he delivers his lines. It is pure sex delivered through honeyed lines in the form of “Incense And Candles”, “Black Sweat” and “Satisfied”.

In essence, it is Prince well…being Prince and that’s when he is at his best. I’m the first admit I would prefer to listen to Purple Rain, or even Diamonds And Purples, but this album is a more than fair decent attempt by the Purpled One.

Tracks not to miss: “Beautiful, Loved And Blessed”, “Black Sweat”, “3121”, “The Fury” and “Lolita”.

I give it 3/5