By Nick Friese
Ever since Prince’s performance last year on Saturday Night Live and at the Super Bowl on Sunday, my ears have opened up to his guitar playing. Prior to these gigs, I never studied his playing closely or gave much reverence to his guitar work. But now that’s all changed, and Prince has certainly hit my hi-def hero screen with his latest “guitar forward” performances.
I’m sure many of you are saying: “Come on! How could you miss this guy’s guitar skills over the past twenty or so years? Are you tone deaf? He’s been ripping it for decades!” O.k. for those who are yelling
epithets into your computer screens now, relax and take a deep breath. I recall having a similar conversation with one of my guitar teachers a few years ago about Prince’s playing and he was huffing and puffing too.
Hey teach, now you can say, “I told you so!”
Maybe I’m a late bloomer? Who knows? It’s possible that one day I’ll even develop an ear for Jeff Beck’s guitar playing. But right now I think I’m the only GJD reader who agrees with Larry’s Whammy Bar column a few months ago on Beck. Boy that Whammy column was a lightning rod! As I digress…
It has not slipped my purview that many of today’s top musicians attend Prince’s shows every chance they get and are quoted as “blown away” by his musical abilities.
Did I overlook Prince’s subtle skills on his albums back in the day? Have I heard stories from friends and mentors how he's ignited guitar “Eruptions” at his live shows? Sure I have. But I have to say that I wasn’t living under a rock either. Over the years (imho), Prince has been hiding his guitar chops under too much synth, drum machines, dancing, image, purple, lace, and other distractions - all of which never really allowed the guitar tones to cut through.
But now
Prince has grabbed my attention with his Hendrixian guitar performances on SNL (video taken down from YouTube) last February and at this year’s Super Bowl. He’s awoken to a new day where the guitar has become a vessel and is a centerpiece in his performances - here’s a look at his playing at the Super Bowl.
Call it a Prince “rebrand,” an awakening, or whatever you'd like to tag it, the simple truth is that Prince has certified guitar chops and is showing the “love” to his Tele, Strat, and Cloud guitars. And he's waiving them around like a big sticks that they are.
While Prince has always played guitar, his tone was hideous and his style sloppy and cheesy, so I ignored it too, but I'm with you, I saw the SNL performance and had a new respect for the man, the guy's a mega-talent for sure. He sounded great lastnight til he grabbed the 3rd guitar, that thing sounds every bit as bad as it looks! His voice is always perfect, he always seems so happy to be playing live, and the guy's gotta be close to 50, and he's in perfect shape. He's gonna be around for a long time, and history will remeber him well. Prediction? He'll try something bluesy/jazzy next, he knows he's getting new respect from guitarists, and I don't care who you are, that feels better than appreciation from non-musicians, we all want to be appreciated among our peers, even Prince. Enough gushing...
Posted by: john mcglasson | February 06, 2007 at 03:34 AM
The one thing that I kept thinking about was how hard it must have been to pull off that performance in the pouring rain.
Posted by: Jeff | February 06, 2007 at 07:56 AM
Prince has ALWAYS been an exciting guitarist, but you're rigt - he often hides his playing behind many production layers of synths & what not...what a glorious surprise to see him cut loose on his Hohner tele-style (in a monsoon, no less), lathering the neck with Hendrix-influenced riffs...I'll have to go back through the Prince catalog and mine for guitar "gems" - I'm sure there's plenty!!!
Posted by: Rick | February 06, 2007 at 11:56 AM
Prince rocks he is and has always been one extremely talented musician - he's the best
Posted by: Littlenicci | February 17, 2007 at 11:07 AM