This guest post comes to us from New Orleans raised bassist Blyss who currently calls San Francisco home while holding the bass chair in the band of legendary Meters drummer Zig.

That SOTT/BLACK/LOVESEXY era is so special to me personally because it was a time of serious change and transition. Oh man, the golden days when Prince was dropping a record a year… I was 17 in 87, my senior year of High School and that year we were also moving out of my beloved Treme, trading it for an area of New Orleans called Gentilly. Okay, I know I’m supposed to be saying something about these records but, damn, that whole era brings back serious memories!

“Lovesexy” is, in my opinion, one of the last great concept albums with it’s theme of struggle between good and evil. This record isn’t just a collection of songs and even the famously annoying early releases of the CD with all of the songs listed as one track let you know that Prince wanted it to be heard as a complete work. I ain’t mad at him. It really is a record that you can listen to from start to finish.

Prince hadn’t been in town since the “Purple Rain” tour and quite honestly he’d lost quite a few people…a lot of people. I remember camping out downtown to buy tickets from a Ticketmaster inside a department store downtown but not nearly as many people as I’d expected were there. The night of the show much of the Lakefront Arena was empty. You could see large sections of empty spaces but that didn’t bother me. The show was simply fascinating. It was like watching a Broadway musical, the quintessential Rock Opera.

Whenever I think of Lovesexy, I do not think of the album. I always immediately think of Lovesexy, the tour. I went two nights in a row in Atlanta, Georgia at The Omni on Oct. 13 & 14 of 1988. Lovesexy became the bar that I judged every Prince tour ever since. My first Prince tour experience was 1999 in Birmingham, Alabama at the age of twelve (Thank you, Mama, for letting me go, and thanks to my Aunt Net and Uncle Carl for taking me.) I am super jealous of anyone who had the opportunity to see him during the Controversy or Dirty Mind tours, but I would have only been ten:( I always wish I had been born a decade earlier just so I could have experienced these tours. My second Prince tour was for Purple Rain in Atlanta in January of 1995 also at The Omni. The Lovesexy tour was awfully important to me most notably because it seemed as though 4 decades had passed since I had seen Prince live even though it had been only 4 years. He hadn’t toured the states for ATWIAD, Parade, nor SOTT, so I was feenin’ to see Prince live again.

What was so special about this tour? First of all, the band. Sheila E. on a full drumkit was mind-blowing to witness. I had seen her open for Prince for the Purple Rain tour with her timbales setup and glowing drum sticks, but this was totally different. Boni Boyer on keys and vox was heavenly. The addition of Cat created mad energy on stage, and Eric Leeds & Atlanta Bliss together were a match made in heaven. Then, there was the stage–in the round–which I had never experienced before in my limited concert exposure at that point, and seeing Prince being truly mobile on stage was a treat. However, what was more phenomenal than the stage setup were Prince, Sheila, and Cat’s clothes adorned with letters and color blocking. Being a budding graphic designer I realized that design was everywhere. I often say everything I learned about design I learned from Prince, and this Prince period really cemented this for me. And don’t forget about Prince’s hair at this time. I loved how he rocked his long, curly locks–one of the reasons why “Alphabet Street” is one of my most beloved Prince videos to this day.

As for the album, if I only had one day to live, and I could only listen to one Prince album, Lovesexy would NOT be the one. In fact, if I had to choose between Lovesexy, which was released in place of the Black Album originally, I’d choose the Black Album every time. Whenever I want to listen to a song from the Lovesexy period, the first thing I listen to is the 12″ of “I Wish You Heaven.” I listen to Scarlet Pussy, and then I flip it over and listen to Parts 1, 2 & 3 of “I Wish U Heaven.” If I still need more Lovesexy songs I follow up with “Alphabet Street,” “Anna Stesia,” “Positivity,” or “Dance On.” However, when I want to listen to the Black Album, I want to listen to the Black Album in its entirety from start to finish. I still get goose bumps listening to “Cindy C.”, after hearing this literally hundreds of times. “Bob George” is the song that I knew Prince always wanted to record as Prince, as previously he would cloak his humor through tunes like “Tricky” by making it into a Time production. “Superfunkycalifragisexy” is a beast of song with that guitar chicken grease. There are no words that can even being to describe how amazing “Rockhard in a Funky Place” sounds with the beautiful Susannah on background vocals. In retrospect, I do find this kind of ironic being that Lovesexy was originally released as one single 45:07 track, when I wish that the Black Album would have been since it is sequenced so perfectly.

So for me, Lovesexy is more than an album. It is the tour. It is Prince’s image. It is the album that should have come out instead of Lovesexy at the time, The Black Album.

However, the one thing that is unforgettable about Lovesexy is the album cover… NO ONE will ever forget that cover… you know the one I speak of;) It is forever emblazoned on the retinas of Prince fans everywhere.

I have nothing but the utmost respect musically for Prince. His body of work is beyond incredible and his latest release “Screwdriver” I believe is just what the doctor ordered: Just good old fashioned music making stripped down to the essential elements. It may seem simplistic but it’s actually harder to do than some of the music created that covers everything up.

However, I must admit that I have to part ways with Prince opinion wise on his thoughts regarding: art/music. Recently, in the New Music Express Prince was quoted (in reference to Maroon 5 covering his hit “Kiss”): “Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what’s already there.” I don’t summarily disagree with Prince’s entire statement. In fact I’m definitely an advocate for forging and creating a new foundation for music, but at the same time how might one reach that level of ability? Perhaps by being intimately involved with what’s come before. Prince is Prince but there are a ton of influences that we can point to from James Brown to Sly Stone to Joni Mitchell that make up the foundation that has become Prince. Do I think the world needs another cover of “Kiss”? Probably not, but at the same time I realize that often the entrance point to the real art is through the commercial introduction.

In order to break the rules effectively, I believe that you must in fact know the rules first. To build something new perhaps we should acquaint ourselves with what came before and then make our departure to our new destination. Truth be told, there’s not an act (Prince included) playing popular music that doesn’t build on the foundation of the Blues… but that’s another blog for another day.

After donning the stage with his Royal Badness on the “Welcome to America” tour, there has been a stirring curiosity surrounding the Cameroonian-born guitarist and vocalist, Andy Allo. While some may be familiar with her face from television series like The Game and her 2009 debut album, Unfresh, Allo’s sophomore project, Superconductor not only grabs your attention but creates a remarkable declaration of her talent and individuality as a musician and songwriter. Without question, Superconductor is brilliantly styled in the garments of funk, soul and R&B with a fusion of vulnerability, sensuality and thoughtful inspiration. (more…)

Yes, it has happened, family!!! Prince, lovingly known as the “Purple Yoda” here at GFM, has released a new single from his treasured vault!!! In first listening to this new cut, Rock & Roll Love Affair, I can musically sense the faint aroma of his classic Purple Rain track, Take Me With You. While this song contains the customary Minneapolis sound, it seems to have an old school blues/rock & roll feel that could easily fit within the repertoire of Chuck Berry or Etta James which I enjoy. Another thing that stands out is Prince’s classic art of lyrical storytelling.  Knowing Prince’s thoughtful attraction to symbolically coloring a story at time, I wonder if the storyline is truly a theme of two people destined for each other or whether he’s portraying a personification of the “fantasy land of fame” and the “steady heart of rock & roll, jazz, blues and soul”. What’s great about Prince, as all great artists, is his ability to create conversation through the music even in its most simplistic appearance. Tell us your thoughts.

After watching the official video of Prince’s latest protégé, Andy Allo all I could say is, WHOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAA, this industry ain’t ready for no chick like dis!!!! This is the kind of introduction that will make you say, “who is DAT, where is she playing and when is the album coming out!?!?!?”  I love artists who are unapologetic in being themselves and with the single, People Pleaser, from her upcoming album Superconductor, Andy proves she’s the least bit repentant. In an industry filled with synthetic music, synthetic images and synthetic artists, the combination of NPG instrumentation, Andy’s enticing subtlety, Prince’s Midas touch and a massive funk/soul track all had me doing the “big mama church revival run”!!! If you don’t agree with me on this, auto-tunes has affected your taste more than you thought and you’ll need to reset your idea of excellence!

For more Allo, be on the lookout for her second album, Superconductor, November 20^th!! Matter of fact, I’m just gonna get the single on Amazon right now!

I have to say I’m really a lover of Mint Condition so when I heard the news that a new album would be released, I poured myself a glass of wine and toasted to the occasion. Anytime you have true musicians giving you real music like “Caught My Eye” and  “Not My Daddy” then “Walk On” to open for Prince aka The Purple Bandit for his “Welcome 2 America” tour, you need to break out your best china for this event. It’s like Linus awaiting the Great Pumpkin in the Charlie Brown Halloween special.

Their new CD, Music At the Speed of Life, scheduled for release September 25, 2012 will  include the funky head nodder “Girl of My Life,” which describes one of the band members’ experience as the odd man out in the search for love as he witnessed the rest of the band settling down. The track features DJ Jazzy Jeff and a riveting drum solo by Stokley. The unforgettable ballad “Completely” is a ballad about finally finding and accepting your place in life. “It speaks to how we’ve synched up both in our respective personal lives and as a working band,” explains Mint Condition. The inviting and free flowing “649 Changes” is another stand out and features Brother Ali and the M-Factory Horns lead by former Prince and Maceo Parker saxophonist Eric Leeds.

So if you’re a Mint Condition fan, join me as we raise a glass September 25th for the arrival of Music At the Speed of Life!!! 

And remember…….say thirsty, my friends! LOL!

Good to Your Earhole, from Funkadelic’s 1975 album, Let’s Take It to the Stage is a song sure to move you to a happy place. With a mixture of early rock and funk, the “put your hands together…” lyric along with a slice of Bernie Worrell’s keyboard brings a sliver of gospel to the pot as well. Emotionally, this cut can make you long for hot sticky summers, lounging on the beach with your favorite ice cold beer. When you place your ear to the music, it carries an appreciated distorted guitar played by Eddie Hazel and a fun funk sound of the vocals driven by the bass guitar. Overall, Good to Your Earhole playfully displays the relationship of rock and funk that we presently see in Lenny Kravitz , Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers and even rock group, Queen through the single, Another One Bites the Dust.