Someone controlled you
February 9, 2006 2:47 PM   Subscribe

While my guitar fiercely weeps Next on YouTubeFilter: Prince shares a stage with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and George Harrison's son Dhani, at Harrison's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. No, scratch that: Prince ain't sharin' with nobody -- that stage is all his.
posted by Artifice_Eternity (106 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
*whimpers, melts*
posted by rosemere at 2:52 PM on February 9, 2006


He floated!! He FLOATED!!
posted by dash_slot- at 2:52 PM on February 9, 2006


Prince kicks ass, and looks cool doing it. Clapton would have dropped a large wet turd and then waited for the applause.
posted by doctor_negative at 2:55 PM on February 9, 2006


Also impressive: Prince's performance on SNL last week -- his first in 25 years.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:55 PM on February 9, 2006


YouTube: The New Google Video! (which isn't a bad thing considering I found Nick Burns there). That said, Prince has always been an accomplished guitar player. Not that he's breaking any new ground with his wheedelee-wheedelee-weeeeing but man, great dynamics. Rock guitar playing is 10% skill and 90% attitude.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 2:59 PM on February 9, 2006


I saw Built to Spill do a ten minute version of that once--I'll take Prince and his hat any day of the week.
posted by hototogisu at 3:00 PM on February 9, 2006


Also, when he tossed his guitar in the air, where the fuck did it go? This Prince; he's Magic!™
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 3:00 PM on February 9, 2006


prince: one of the all-time great motherfuckers

i mean that in the miles davis sense


and holy crap does harrison's son look like him, even in that tiny video
posted by gottabefunky at 3:01 PM on February 9, 2006


KevinSkomsvold, I was thinking the same thing! While my guitar gently, but very very quickly, vaporizes.
posted by bachelor#3 at 3:01 PM on February 9, 2006


The world would be a much better place if Prince did a lot more of this and a lot less singing and dancing.
posted by majick at 3:03 PM on February 9, 2006


What's also really cool about his playing is his staying with style and sound of the original song, and leaving the planet from there. It was a true tribute.
posted by Eekacat at 3:11 PM on February 9, 2006


Prince is just retardedly talented. Where the fuck did that guitar go, anyway?
posted by jon_kill at 3:12 PM on February 9, 2006


All these years, I never quite got the Prince thing. Now I do. Wow.
posted by mojohand at 3:18 PM on February 9, 2006


Wow... just amazing. Thanks for this!
posted by Corky at 3:27 PM on February 9, 2006


Great video. Although I've never been a huge Prince fan, I truly admire his talent. I have heard that he puts on quite a live show, running from piano to guitar, singing, jumping around... here is a haiku I wrote for the great entertainer.

tiny little man
a guitar virtuoso
why pants with no ass?

posted by super_not at 3:29 PM on February 9, 2006


The arts were invented to make us short folks more formidable and sexy.
posted by kid ichorous at 3:31 PM on February 9, 2006 [2 favorites]


I'm so happy that post-2000 Prince has been justifying my allegiance to him during his 1990s fallow period.
posted by ktoad at 3:31 PM on February 9, 2006


Prince is one of the few musicians who (whom?) I think could really revolutionize the music industry.

He's got the bucks and the chops to create a startup that would provide production seed money to bands, and a iTunes-style music webservice that would ensure the band gets a good cut of profits while Prince gets a good — and not grotesque — profit on his investments.

RIAA needs to be wholly eliminated from the picture. Between the various semi-intelligent "if you liked X you'll like Y" recommendation systems, reasonably-priced recording and production services, and web delivery, I see no reason why a decent band should not make a good living off their work.

Unlike the current model, where RIAA fat-cats make a good living off their work, while the band sinks further into debt.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:35 PM on February 9, 2006


Also impressive: Prince's performance on SNL last week -- his first in 25 years.

Wow, that SNL performance was fantastic!
posted by 327.ca at 3:38 PM on February 9, 2006


I was lucky enough to see it when it was broadcast last week -- totally by accident, b/c I never watch SNL these days.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 3:40 PM on February 9, 2006


I feel like I've just been hit by a Mack truck made out of rock!
posted by brundlefly at 3:42 PM on February 9, 2006


Tom Petty got pwned.

He's so badass on guitar that I get the impression he's almost embarrased by it--his 90's reliance on synths was kind of an f.u. to rockers everywhere. Hopefully he'll continue to wail in his inestimably gender- and ethnicity-fucking way, Jehovah willing.

And man, Prince has been using that Telecaster for years.
posted by bardic at 3:44 PM on February 9, 2006


I caught the SNL appearance, and was just completely blown away by his guitar playing on the first song -- I had no idea he could DO that.

It made the second song they played that night seem even more lame by comparison
posted by davejay at 3:45 PM on February 9, 2006


brundlefly yes!
posted by leftoverboy at 3:45 PM on February 9, 2006


holy.
fucking.
shit.

who knew?
posted by I Love Tacos at 3:46 PM on February 9, 2006


Damn, just watched it again. Gotta get an mp3 of this sometime!
posted by ktoad at 3:48 PM on February 9, 2006


Yo - "Let's Go Crazy", anybody? What was that - 1984? Prince is B A D.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 3:49 PM on February 9, 2006


I have a WMV version (better quality) here if anyone would like to take a peek.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 3:53 PM on February 9, 2006


Damn, thank you for posting this, Artifice _Eternity! I never would have caught that performance. That was amazing, and this comes from someone who manages to take personal offense when one of my favorite songs get covered.

Prince is outstanding. (gottabefunky: Didn't he!? I got chills!)
posted by Space Kitty at 3:56 PM on February 9, 2006


If you can get your hands on it, the Sign o' the Times concert movie is amazing. The best I've ever seen him was at an aftershow where he left his ego (largely) out of it and just become part of this incredibely tight funk outfit. I remember a huge Erotic City. It was quite something.
posted by muckster at 3:57 PM on February 9, 2006


A buddy of mine used to work at Warner Brothers, in the 90s, when a Hendrix tribute album, Stone Free, was being put together. Living Colour, Eric Clapton, Pat Metheny and others covering Hendrix tunes (The Cure did a version of "Purple Haze"--a trip). They thought Prince would be a natural for it--Dude can Play.

Turned it down. He said "Jimi had his thing, I've got mine." Oh well.
posted by toma at 4:01 PM on February 9, 2006


That was from the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction wasn't it? That was the year Prince and Harrison were both inducted. Nothing against Prince, but Clapton should have stood on that stage reprising his work on that song.
posted by ?! at 4:07 PM on February 9, 2006


Well, ahem, we in the Twin Cities have known since the early '80s that he kicked serious ass with guitar. Not always with thigh-high, high-heeled boots and a see-through rain coat, but always with skill and passion. His midget majesty is the real deal: a certified musical genius as composer, lyricist, and performer. He is weird, though.
posted by Mental Wimp at 4:08 PM on February 9, 2006


Just watched the HDTiVo of the SNL performance for the umpteenth time. What made it best was it was live and raw and he nailed it. It's also a step back to his pop-rock roots with a stripped down band (no horns) and an emphasis on his guitar. He launched into all the RockStar™ nuances and grimmaces, threw in the obligitory one-handed arpeggios, hammer-ons and whammy bar manuvers. He added in some wah-wah, slides and delay at appropriate intervals. Then he stuck the landing with a perfect delay/distort/knock-the-mike-down, brash exit. He looses a couple of tenths of a point for cracking up at the very end though. Another great performance from one bad-ass entertainer.
posted by HyperBlue at 4:10 PM on February 9, 2006


prince: one of the all-time great motherfuckers

Amen. If I could find Miles' autobiography I'd properly quote the line about Davis calling someone one motherfucking stone cold motherfucking motherfucker.* As it is, I'll stick to swearing. That was great.


*I suspect that if jack_mo sees this anytime soon, he will (i) rhapsodise over Prince and (ii) be able to provide the direct quote ...
posted by Len at 4:11 PM on February 9, 2006


I guess I'll be the lone "meh" of the group. That kinda music bores me to tears. Someone sent me the SNL vid a couple days ago and I was equally whatever over it. Just seems like wankery to me (looks like Petty thought it wankery as well).

Different strokes...

The vanishing guitar trick was cute, though. :)
posted by Manhasset at 4:12 PM on February 9, 2006


Prince is the man. I've received a lot of flack from people I know for being an outspoken Prince fan, but fuck 'em: this guy is amazing. Get past the 80's stage antics if you're really that insecure and recognize a hugely talented and diverse pop star when you see one.

Great performance. Me and my brother replayed the last few seconds of the video about 6 times trying to figure out where the fuck his guitar went. We still don't know.
posted by kryptondog at 4:23 PM on February 9, 2006


I love YouTube. Do they even have a copyright policy?

Let's see, the Grammys were last night. Wonder if there's any videos up? Oh yes, 44 of them.
posted by smackfu at 4:24 PM on February 9, 2006


Holy crap. After seeing that video, I can't feel my legs. And I'm bleeding from three orifices.
posted by horsewithnoname at 4:27 PM on February 9, 2006


Maybe he just throws the guitar into the audience? He used that one guy to prop him up while he was playing leaning back, maybe that guy also caught the flying guitar.
posted by breath at 4:30 PM on February 9, 2006


It's been over 20 years since I saw Prince perform live, but it still stands out in my memory as the single most awesome performance I've ever seen.

The man is the very model of the consummate professional showman. And yeah, he can play guitar.
posted by trip and a half at 4:40 PM on February 9, 2006


Damn. Always knew the man could swing an axe, but.... damn.

He was playing faster and better than anyone there with the three fingers of his left hand.

Damn.
posted by elendil71 at 4:45 PM on February 9, 2006


Yeah, Tom Petty did not look amused. But Dhani Harrison was delighted -- like a kid in a candy store. It made Petty look... petty.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 4:49 PM on February 9, 2006


I read that as Petty's "you go, Prince!" face. His body language was all "hey everybody, look at that man shred over there." I could be wrong, but Petty seems to be something of a fan of musicians.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:53 PM on February 9, 2006


Prince Wilbury rocks!
posted by hal9k at 4:56 PM on February 9, 2006


Fuck. Me.
posted by ColdChef at 5:09 PM on February 9, 2006


Thanks for this Artifice_Eternity (both the HOF performance and the SNL) ...I think I enjoyed the jaws dropping in this thread almost as much as Prince's performances. That's about a half dozen fewer people looking at me (or anyone else) cockeyed when it's mentioned how badass Prince's playing is.
posted by edverb at 5:11 PM on February 9, 2006


Holy SHIT. Had no idea he could play like that.

Time to fire up BitTorrent..
posted by mrbill at 5:14 PM on February 9, 2006


I've been saying it for years: Prince is the only man in the universe who I'd let fuck me.
posted by afx114 at 5:31 PM on February 9, 2006


He tosses the guitar into the audience. You can see someone holding it up at the end.
And that was swet.
posted by oflinkey at 5:32 PM on February 9, 2006


Sweet. The was sweet.
posted by oflinkey at 5:33 PM on February 9, 2006


who knew?

well, gosh. me. i can't believe so many are so surprised by this. prince has always been a massive motherfucker on guitar. this clip was tame. yes, tame. yes, i'm serious. he's fucking... awesome.
posted by quonsar at 5:38 PM on February 9, 2006


Game.....blouses.
posted by A dead Quaker at 5:38 PM on February 9, 2006


Has anyone seen "An Evening with Kevin Smith"? In it, he tells a hilarious story about being hired by Prince to film a "documentary" -- apparently Prince is/was a big fan -- to accompany The Rainbow Children. (Here's a link to a video someone has ripped of the story.) If all facets of the story are true, then Prince is absolutely insane -- a total nutjob -- harmless, but completely bonkers. To me, somehow knowing that just makes him that much more interesting and cool . . .
posted by lazywhinerkid at 5:45 PM on February 9, 2006


Bah, back in my day our guitar heroes rocked out let me tell you... just... like this as a matter of fact, yeah. But isn't he supposed to be fat and playing Vegas lounges by now? Or shillin' Nexium?
posted by hal9k at 5:47 PM on February 9, 2006


What's the scoop about some album he made that wasn't promoted by Sony or something and then the Chili Peppers bought it or something and covered it? I remember there was a very small stink about it, but I would rather have heard Prince's version.
posted by snsranch at 5:57 PM on February 9, 2006


I'm not a fan of prince's music (with certain exceedingly rare exceptions) but if I saw a flyer for an all guitar wailing night of prince performances, I'd sell a nut to go. The man, when he wants to be, is simply inhumanly badass. Imagine being that full assed badness, and HIDING it, except for incredibly rare live performances where you just unleash the ass of badness on an unsuspecting crowd, just so you could be like, "Yeah, I got that, too."

I mean, I'm a straight guy and everything, but DAMN my panties got wet watching that.
posted by shmegegge at 6:02 PM on February 9, 2006


I'd watch it again, but I'm afraid I might die.
posted by horsewithnoname at 6:10 PM on February 9, 2006


When I was young -- very young -- I conflated Prince and Jimi Hendrix.
posted by cortex at 6:44 PM on February 9, 2006


Sure, that rocked and all, but the song is a lot better on the ukulele. Seriously. The uke link has been in the blue before, but if you haven't seen it watch it all the way through. Prince got nothing on this guy.
posted by The Bellman at 7:17 PM on February 9, 2006


Double meh. Guitar-wankery.
Extremely talented guitar-wankery, but wankery nevertheless.
posted by D.C. at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2006


Rock and Roll is long dead and buried but it was great for just a little while that Prince could be its zombie corpse walking the earth, playing guitar, and eating raw flesh. That fucking rocked.
posted by TimeFactor at 7:41 PM on February 9, 2006


Boner and a huge smile over here. Thanks, Artifice. Took Petty a little long to catch on to the fact that something really good was happening there, though, didn't it?
posted by mediareport at 8:05 PM on February 9, 2006


holy shit Jake Shimabukuro just stole the thread... it always pleases me too see talent from hawaii leak into the world.
posted by nearo at 8:12 PM on February 9, 2006


Let's keep the Prince haiku going:

nineteen ninety-nine
you sexy mother fucker
keep shakin' that ass

I bow to the awesomeness that is Prince. He tore up more floor on SNL than any band has in years.
posted by secret about box at 8:35 PM on February 9, 2006


Petty was too stoned to know anything was going on. Muuuuuch to focused on his fingers.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:47 PM on February 9, 2006


the Big P has based his whole damn career on stage Wankery. What a HAM. That's what makes him so fun to watch on the Telly. I laughed hearitly watching this video. Thanks for the post .

(P.s besides its a ROck and Roll Hall O' fame performance - those are historically dysfunctional)
posted by celerystick at 8:55 PM on February 9, 2006


Wow, anyone know of a hi-res copy of that performance? I spose I oughta just check the torrent sites, or do a google search. But... meh.
posted by newfers at 9:12 PM on February 9, 2006


I love his dramatic exits. Oh and his guitar playing too.
posted by adrober at 9:41 PM on February 9, 2006


After the comments in this thread I was expecting it to be better. Much, much better. *Shrug*
posted by markr at 9:46 PM on February 9, 2006


Who knew? I knew. But I was blown away. I love Prince, but i didnt know he was that great.
posted by subaruwrx at 9:49 PM on February 9, 2006


I saw this when it aired two years ago and I'm still talking about it on a reegular basis. If anyone wants the mp3, email me.
posted by euphorb at 9:52 PM on February 9, 2006


The actual solo was sort of monotonous, but I gotta say, the man has showmanship.
posted by speicus at 10:03 PM on February 9, 2006


I thnk the other thing we are realizing is that these guys practiced all week on this and Im sure Tom heard this several times.

If he didnt like Prince, he wouldnt have played with him. He was probably concentrating on his own game while Prince was owning the world.
posted by subaruwrx at 10:04 PM on February 9, 2006


Also, Marty McFly did it better.
posted by speicus at 10:07 PM on February 9, 2006


The day after this performance, the video took so damn long to load I eventually said to heck with it and forgot to check back. Thanks, A_E.

Damn heck Harrison's boy does look like his pop - and that grin of his was just beautiful. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably have the same look, just I'd be sitting crosslegged on the floor trying to remember how to breathe.

Prince is welcome to proselytize at my place any day.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:12 PM on February 9, 2006


Im sure Tom heard this several times

Sure doesn't look that way.
posted by mediareport at 10:12 PM on February 9, 2006


I saw this when it was aired, just happened upon it as Prince was beginning his solo. That's some high-octane RAWK.
posted by Ty Webb at 10:19 PM on February 9, 2006


Magic. Thanks, Artifice_Eternity
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:54 PM on February 9, 2006


I guess I'll be the lone "meh" of the group.

Not at all, Manhasset. Lead guitar masturbation bores me to tears as well.

I might be the only person in the whole world who thought that the best thing about Hendrix was his voice.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:13 AM on February 10, 2006


Okay, let's be honest: are there any girls in this thread at all?

After watching this video for the second time, I think I've figured out what it is we're all respoding to...Prince plays guitar the way we do whenever we daydream about being a guitar player. I swear I played that exact solo the other day waiting for my laundry to finish.
posted by Ian A.T. at 12:54 AM on February 10, 2006 [1 favorite]


"If that didn't melt your snatch hairs, you're a wuss!"
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:56 AM on February 10, 2006


WFMU recently hosted a video of Prince on American Bandstand in 1980 when he was 19, and (unlike Trent Reznor) Prince was still cool in highschool. Notice him giving a lesser fuck about Dick Clark.
posted by dgaicun at 4:00 AM on February 10, 2006 [1 favorite]


Awesome. Absolutely awesome.
posted by sprag80 at 4:39 AM on February 10, 2006


Okay, let's be honest: are there any girls in this thread at all?

*checks* I'm a girl! And that was fucking beautiful, god love that tiny, strange, talented man!
posted by zarah at 4:45 AM on February 10, 2006


Thanks Artifice Eternity for making me smile all over my face on my commute to work. A joyous performance.
posted by duncan42 at 5:46 AM on February 10, 2006


I think I'm in love with Dhani Harrison and Prince now.

Jesus, I need a cigarette now.
posted by piratebowling at 5:52 AM on February 10, 2006


I'm a girl AND I was impressed (see first comment). I don't have the guitar wankery gene -- I really don't. Most guitar noodling and posturing bores me silly. But I've always loved the solo in this song because there's a fucking point to it. The original was dynamic, melodic and purposeful, and this one surpasses the original.
posted by rosemere at 5:54 AM on February 10, 2006


Was that guy in the audience really holding him while he played or did Prince just lean back too far and need help up again? Looked like a perfect Spinal Tap moment to me.
posted by gfrobe at 6:09 AM on February 10, 2006


C'mon guys...it wasn't that good. I liked the American Bandstand clip much better. But props to the man for not getting fat, complacent and lousy.
posted by you just lost the game at 6:32 AM on February 10, 2006


Hey, what did Elvis ever do to you.
posted by dgaicun at 6:42 AM on February 10, 2006


Meh, that's pretty lacklustre by Prince's standards - you want to see him about five minutes into a ten minute solo during Purple Rain at an aftershow party.

What a HAM

Precisely! The last time I saw him, halfway through a ridiculously fiddly solo he picked up a transparent walking stick and started picking out notes on a Mini Moog with it, continuing to play the solo on the fret of his guitar. Then, he looked up at the audience. And winked. Prince's greatness was in that wink, I think.
posted by jack_mo at 6:43 AM on February 10, 2006


I liked this, and I think Prince is an excellent musician, but his best stuff is the raunchy funk stuff from the early 80s. Lady Cab Driver, Erotic City, Bambi, I Want to be your Lover, and of course Darlin' Nikki to name a few. I learned much more than I probably should have about sex from that music in my very early teens. But damn, I just couldn't help myself.
posted by hazyjane at 9:23 AM on February 10, 2006


I'm impressed that he didn't knock his hat off. Being of a Certain Age, that clip pressed many nostalgic pleasure buttons, wankery or not.
posted by cairnish at 9:51 AM on February 10, 2006


I think my Telecaster just rolled over in the closet.
posted by timsteil at 9:59 AM on February 10, 2006


timsteil - maybe pull your telecaster out of the closet and play it then...
posted by jimmy76 at 11:17 AM on February 10, 2006


Whoa. The American Bandstand vid is awesome. Was offered a recording deal when he was 15 and he rejected it 'cause they wouldn't let him produce it.

Good choice, too.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:26 PM on February 10, 2006


Eh. And I'm a big fan of the wanked guitar.

Originally, I thought the original poster was making the point "what a ham, making George's induction all about himself". Which is what I also thought Petty was thinking, judging byhis face.
posted by Dunwitty at 1:52 AM on February 11, 2006


Somebody link the SNL and American Bandstand clips? I'd like to see if I'm just sad about George.
posted by Dunwitty at 1:53 AM on February 11, 2006


Found the links, n'mind.
posted by Dunwitty at 1:55 AM on February 11, 2006


My favorite guitar wanker is and always will be Olga Toy Doll. [rm]
posted by milquetoast at 6:11 AM on February 11, 2006


Wow. Prince is a fucking badass on guitar. I had no idea. I remembered the wankfest at the end of "Let's Go Crazy", but I never thought too much about it as it seemed pretty pointless to moving the song, and didn't demonstrate any more proficiency/taste than the average metal guy that hangs out at Manny's on 48th street and demos guitars all day long.

I have heard, as we all have, the old "Prince is a musical genius" saw parroted for as long as I can remember, but it never meant much to me. I always associated him with lightweight, oversexed pop. Not my thing.

What he's playing on this link (as well as the SNL link) is extremely tasty. I'd even be convinced to pick up an album of his if it contained more guitar oriented stuff. Can anyone make a recommendation?
posted by psmealey at 8:36 AM on February 11, 2006


Wikipedia has a good writeup on Prince.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:07 AM on February 11, 2006


I'm afraid it's the Bandstand clip that cinches it for me. Age 19 and he's self-released a hit album? Played most of the instruments himself? Produced the thing himself? As a freakin' teenager?

He's a weird little fucker, but he's a genius little fucker. It's challenging music and certainly not to everyone's taste, but there's no denying it is talented, composed, and tight music.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:22 PM on February 11, 2006


Ah-ha. According to the Wikipedia, that AG interview was a little deceptive.

Gonna have to watch it again, decide if it's Prince screwing with Dick.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:27 PM on February 11, 2006


maybe pull your telecaster out of the closet and play it then

After watching this clip several times, I looked at the guitars in my closet (SRV Signature Strat, standard MexiStrat) and went out and BOUGHT a Telecaster. Need that twangy sound a Strat just can't quite duplicate.
posted by mrbill at 12:37 AM on February 16, 2006


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