httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ
Was it a wink, a right back atcha to Dave Grohl’s band covering “Darling Nikki,” the song that two decades earlier had inspired Tipper Gore to go after the music industry? Did he just love the song?
As the rain started pouring down, Prince was making an argument for the interconnectedness of all music, and doing it at a time when the music industry continued a trajectory toward fragmentation.
Shortly after hearing the news of Prince’s death, I drove up the coast of California, listening to my favorite of his albums, 1987’s Sign O’ The Times.
From the very beginning, he counted women not just as backing singers, but also as instrumentalists within his bands, with many of whom enjoying solo careers of their own: Wendy and Lisa, Sheila E. Aside from a Christine McVie , a Maureen Tucker t, it’s stunning how few bands broke out of that boys club rut until Prince came along.
Before the rest of the band is done, he frees himself from his guitar strap, tosses the Telecaster to a roadie in front of him, and just struts off the stage.
The way I’ve always heard it, Petty and Lynne included Steve Winwood as part of the band, but they wouldn’t let a game Prince join in the tribute.
At the last minute, someone at the Rock Hall realized, for the love of God, put Prince in t.