This article is dedicated to Prince Rogers Nelson who left us on April 21, 2016, at age 57.
"An idea is still yours even if you give it to someone."
"You have to respect your spiritual base. You have to respect the instrument. The volume and tone of an instrument is so important."
"I'm competitive, and I've definitely let my ego control me. But I've discovered that when it comes to music, ego has to sit down."
"I appreciate the time it took for someone to make an instrument. It doesn't matter if it's a guitar or a synthesizer."
On being an independent artist without a record contract:
"It's simply preposterous to me that someone is going to own your work in perpetuity."
"The benefit of having your artistic freedom is that there won't be anyone forcing you to do a remix or anything else you don't want to do. I don't believe in remixing songs that are in the key of Life."
"Bands break-up over contracts -- just talk to The Eagles about that."
On the recording process:
"I always know what the whole thing is going to sound like. It's all in here (taps his head), but it's in here too (points to recording console).
"(With analog tape) I use punch-ins and spot erasing as a compositional style. I'm quick enough with the Record button that I can shave a letter off a word."
"When I play all the instruments I'm not as greedy. I'm more greedy when we play live."
"Sometimes I use the band to get the rhythm down. In a way, it's more fun to get it out of people."
"A lot of times I'll sample a guitar that I've recorded, and then overdub the same (sampled) part with a keyboard. The attack of the keyboard gives guitar lines more impact and punch."
"Sometimes I record acoustic guitar and vocals live, just sitting here at the console. That's how I recorded Truth."
On the guitar, and sometimes playing all instruments himself:
"I'm always trying to work in the bass notes when I'm playing funk rhythms."
"A lot of cats don't work on their rhythm enough, and if you don't have rhythm, you might as well take up needlepoint or something."
"Pitch -- that's universal. You're either in tune or you ain't."
"Listen to singers for solo ideas -- especially women. Try to play one of the runs that Beyonce or Ella Fitzgerald does and you will surely learn something."
"On some songs, I just like the way I play drums and keys better than anyone I know."
"If you need a path to follow, a good place to start is by listening to Ike Turner, or James Brown, who is all about rhythm."
"God gives you everything, and one of those things is freedom."
