The 5 Ways Prince Still Influences me Today
Updated: May 13, 2021
Written by: Ralph Varcoe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Summer 1990. The south of Spain. My musical horizon was about to be repainted. My life was about to change.
On holiday, with nothing more to do than crisp under the searing sun, we heard that Prince was due to play in Marbella a couple of days later. Pre-internet, you could leave it to the last minute to secure tickets. We got three. The location in the stadium was first come, first served.
Holy shit! With that monstrous queue, we’d be lucky to see more than a pinhead on stage. Phew! We found someone we knew and sidled in next to them, overacting the depth of our friendship in a futile attempt to cover the acute embarrassment of pissing 3,000 people off behind us.
Standing 50 feet from the stage, thoughts of our social crime vanished. The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention as a tiny electric flamboyance of color swooped onto the stage. I was transfixed.
A couple of months later, I rocked up to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to start a 4-year course. This was a place that was all about classical music. No one ever spoke about that third-class musical form of ‘Pop.’ Jazz was tolerated, but under no circumstances was ‘Pop.’ Being somewhat of a contrarian, in the first song class, in front of 30 new classmates, all of whom worshipped such classical luminaries as Callas or Pavarotti, I announced that my musical idol was…'Prince.' Weirdo.
When asked why, I break it down into these 5 areas:
Work ethic: This was astonishing. He learned to master every instrument (he produced, wrote, sung, and played every instrument on his albums). Such a work ethic meant he could be a little obsessive, even once demanding that a grand piano, on which he would practice, be craned through a window because the stairs and doorways were too narrow. His musical output was so vast that he even gave his songs to others. He worked and worked and worked until mastery was natural.
Balance: He knew when to perform and when to hold back. While he dressed in a way that drew attention (when Sheena E, his drummer, met him for the first time, he was wearing what can best be described as colorful speedos and a long coat. He spent the entire day, out and about, dressed that way), he also kept himself to himself, never pushing his ego onto an audience. On the one hand, he commanded the stage as the consummate performer; on the other, he was intensely private, hiding away, creating music in Paisley Park. One example of this perfect balance was his iconic guitar solo on George Harrison’s ‘While my guitar gently weeps.’ In 2004, while on stage with Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Steve Winwood, he blended beautifully into the background before lighting the entire room up with what must be the greatest guitar solo of all time. Perfect balance, where he judged to perfection the appropriate level of restraint mixed with passages of utter brilliance.
Confidence: People who exude confidence influence their surroundings. For a diminutive man wearing platforms to command everyone in the stadium was an amazing sight to witness and a privilege to be part of. When Prince lay down on the grand piano, playing the keys the wrong way up, I was dumbfounded while singing into the piano’s mic. His confidence washed over us, drawing us in, closer and closer. We were captivated. It was a confidence that never spilled to arrogance but one that had us in the palm of his tiny little hands. As the first chord of ‘Purple Rain’ rang out, like Pavlov’s dogs, we all reached for our lighters and bathed in what is for me the greatest song of all.
Innovation: Prince created new sounds, new styles, new ways to dress. He was the first black artist to become fully mainstream on the white-dominated MTV, with ‘Little Red Corvette.’ The electronic drum machine that became his staple backing track hadn’t been used by others before but, if you listen to many tracks from the 1980s (and onwards), you’ll hear the now familiar beats. He grew up in a world of Jazz-funk fusion which was heavy on bass and drums, amazing chordal changes, and a real groove. Prince dared to create tracks with no bass and no apparent chordal progression. Think ‘When Doves Cry.’ He created new sounds and new ways of presenting ideas, sounds, and emotions. He continually invented new things, including his own name, when he fell out with his record label over ownership of the rights to his recordings. Artists today can thank Prince for the security over their rights ownership.
Planning: Every detail of his performances was meticulously planned. On stage, it was a show, choreographed to perfection – every element executed flawlessly (work-ethic, confidence) to create the right impression for the audience in front of him. As an example, when a life-long fan and music journalist had the chance to spend a day with him as he released three albums of different types simultaneously (such was his prolific creativity), he played each album in a different setting (car, bedroom, limo). She didn’t think much about it at the time, but as the day drew to a close, she realized he had planned and executed a masterful performance to showcase his new works. She left more in awe than she had been when she arrived.
For me, it was never about the gorgeous tones and technique of the classical singers. You either have a beautiful voice, or you don’t. You can learn technique, but there is so much more that goes into creating an experience, whether musical or in any other sphere.
In anything you want to achieve, find someone whose results are what you aspire to, and then model them and their behaviors. Model the excellence of others to influence your chances of achieving your goals.
If you too choose to model some of Prince’s characteristics, then listen to his works, watch some videos (especially the 2004 guitar solo – the ‘Director’s Cut’ version) and have a lot of fun in the process.
Ralph Varcoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ralph Varcoe is a business leader, speaker, coach, and mentor, working with sales and marketing teams, enabling them to master the power of influence to get to 'yes' more often and quicker. He is qualified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and has written the best-selling book 'Accelerate Personal Performance' which encompasses the power of influence and persuasion for better self-management, management of teams, and customer interactions. His clients include individuals and teams from large global organizations to pre-seed start-ups and everything in between. His keynote talks inspire, inform and entertain audiences, taking them on a practical journey of discovery into the power of influence in their daily personal and working lives. He is also the host of the popular podcast 'Focus Action Results'.
