I've posted this to my friends in discord before! Prince was a great talent and so underrated. This performance came shortly after Rolling Stone left him off their top 100 guitarists lists. So he HAD to bring it. Of course he is on that list now 😂
RIP you mad scientist of a musician.
I watch it in full every time it comes across the timeline. Sheer magic. It’s an absolutely beautiful homage, and then, chills from the moment Prince hits his first note, the look on Dhani’s face. A perfect performance start to finish.
Whoever produced this segment of the ceremony deserved an award. You gathered some of the best guitarists, told them they had 7 minutes and then just let them go.
I hope you'll also introduce them to another Minnesotan, Bob Dylan.
I they're only into rock, there are a couple of belters on Blonde on Blonde... But Like a Rolling Stone on Highway 61 Revisited is another must...
I could go on, but really, his entire catalogue is exceptional.
Oh they're well aware. Dylan, Prince, Soul Asylum, the whole shebang.
Plus, we're a family of musicians. Kids 1&2 have played cello for 14 years (Kid 4 also plays), and Kid 3 (9yo pipe organist) is singing at Carnegie this June. It's in their blood. Likely also in the water.
If you ever find yourself in Cleveland, (after asking yourself how the fuck did I end up in Cleveland?) check out the Power of Rock at the RnRHOF. They play this on the big screen with tons of speakers. It's amazing. https://rockhall.com/power-of-rock/
I was reading the post and was thinking "Yeah lets see who they posted as the greatest". And then I saw it was Prince and that solo. And I was just like "YEP!"
Correct. My second Q would be about Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End at the George tribute at the Royal Albert Hall. He didn’t look remotely overwhelmed. I sobbed.
Crazy to think Olivia Harrison didn’t even want Price to perform for this. And then he comes on and shows everyone exactly why he was chosen to do it 💜
The solo is significant because Rolling Stone didn’t include Prince in top 100 guitarists of all time. This induction ceremony followed a couple days later and Prince took the opportunity to show them their huge mistake … and loved it❤️
It’s amazing guitar playing for one, but what I love most is watching the pure joy in Harrison’s son’s face (playing acoustic) while Prince is jamming.
Technical, it’s exceptional. The bends in particular are noteworthy and the “vocalise” nature of those bends is very Slash-esque- but as a whole, don’t think the form of it goes anywhere and its a lot of the same?
If you are trying to appreciate it as "Is the the most musically innovative / important solo" you won't feel it. Part of it is the mythos: Prince claimed to have not heard the song before Petty sent him a tape. At rehearsal Marc Mann took the solos. Then the addition of the Rolling Stone snub
The “not heard the song before” is moot to me - Prince is an exceptional musician and they’re not playing Zappa. I guess the Rolling Stone thing works but only with folklore. You’re right, not in terms of “the solo itself”
This song, appropriated from the Beatles, is a tale of woe with the world. It has been covered many times but my favourite version was done by Jeff Healy, a blind Canadian. He made his guitar weep every time her performed this song. It is a fitting song for today just as it was in 1968! Beautiful!
I love this so much. It's become more special because it's the last thing I remember my lovely dad being really excited by, at a time when he was dying and hard to reach. We watched this and dad was all "where did the guitar go?!! How did he do that?!"
Tom Petty had a fantastic story about Prince “sandbagging” it during rehearsals. They knew he was gonna bring the fire! But just how much, they were unaware and equally blown away as the rest of us. Classic performance!
This is one of my all time favorite performances. I love Dhani Harrison back there living his best life, so stoked to be sharing the stage with these legends.
I totally agree! Read something that Petty and band wanted to rehearse this with P but he either didn't show up or didn't want to and this is his unrehearsed masterpiece. Good grief that man could play guitar. He just showed up and played and blew everyone away.
Prince chills off to the side for most of the song, then when it’s his turn, steps up and annihilates everyone. After his face-melting guitar solo, he throws his guitar into the sky and walks off stage before anyone realizes what the hell just happened. A true music god. 10/10 aura.
@salihughes.bsky.social it's been 11 days since I saw you post this and I watched it for the first time. I'm now watching it for the 25th time. Prince is UNBELIEVABLE.
Prince was so gorgeous and I fell so hard for him at 14 that only now am I realizing what an epic guitar player he was. What a master of tone. An innovator of rhythm. Who was the lucky dog who caught that guitar, and did they send it to Paisley Park?
So many mind blowing clips of him on YouTube. I saw him live probably more than any other musician so far, and I’m still amazed with every new clip I come across.
Comments
RIP you mad scientist of a musician.
As staged as tossing the guitar to a plant in the audience.
Every step carefully planned and perfectly executed. There are few showmen like Prince.
Cheers 😊
💙
https://youtu.be/77ijPKhVrf4?feature=shared
I they're only into rock, there are a couple of belters on Blonde on Blonde... But Like a Rolling Stone on Highway 61 Revisited is another must...
I could go on, but really, his entire catalogue is exceptional.
Plus, we're a family of musicians. Kids 1&2 have played cello for 14 years (Kid 4 also plays), and Kid 3 (9yo pipe organist) is singing at Carnegie this June. It's in their blood. Likely also in the water.
My uncle raised a string quintet!
LET'S go CRAZYYY!
You have excellent musical taste.
😍🤩😍
Incredible performance!
Gone far too soon.
What do you make of it from a purely technical point of view?
This and Heart doing Stairway are two of my favorite live performance tribute pieces
And another little Classic he wrote🎵
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UelDrZ1aFeY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXiLzAw9dSQ
Crap records though.....
He was magic, dad, and so were you.
#PURPLEREIGN
Me, after watching Prince's solo: DUDE!
Prince was next level!!
I’ve had this one on a loop in my hippocampal music video library for over a decade.
gladly!
Goosebumps.