SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/842100
SXSW.COM | M A R C H 2 0 1 7 M U S I C | SXS W O R L D 2 1 to the Parental Advisory stickers that are now commonplace on retail albums (and that influenced the video game rating system, too). The list of artists who have covered or referenced Prince's songs run the gamut of music genres including the Foo Fighters, Cee-lo Green, Goo Goo Dolls, Kansas City indie rap giant Tech N9ne, Nicki Minaj and the irrepressible Tupac Shakur, among others. Dez Dickerson, guitarist for Prince's Revolution band from 1979 until 1983, is remembered especially for his backing and for tearing up the guitar solo on "Little Red Corvette." Dickerson had been a frontman for his own band for almost a decade when he took his guitar and joined Prince on his journey for a while. Dickerson explained that on the road with Prince, there were no drugs, little alcohol and even less debauchery. Music was the lifestyle and according to Dickerson, Prince expressed this belief through his "ever-present desire to play music." Competition also played a huge role in driving Prince's ambition to be the best. "From the beginning, it was 'If you don't know now, you know,' and we were convinced," remembers Dickerson. "We were com- pletely and fully persuaded … not that we were going to be the best ever, but that we were the best ever, and people just didn't know it yet!" The Minnesota musical ecosystem of Jam & Lewis, Morris Day and the Time, Jesse Johnson, Dez Dickerson and others flows as a mighty tributary from Prince's source, but so many from elsewhere have also benefitted from his pen or his musicality. Sheila E, Vanity 6, Apollonia, Sheena Easton, Sinéad O'Connor, The Bangles, Cyndi Lauper, Chaka Khan, Madonna, and Tevin Campbell are just a few acts to have ben- efitted from the Purple One's musical largesse. The eras that featured albums, tours and legendary Prince performances span five decades, stretching his DNA even further into the world of music. All of these things may qualify Prince for pop culture deification, but what really speaks to the pervasiveness of Prince rests with his fans, and the very real connections developed through the years. There are so many stories of pop-up shows where Prince showed up to jam unannounced. There were also so many times where his very presence at an awards show fueled a news cycle or served as fodder for Internet memes where his subtle, yet hyper-stylized presence spoke volumes without him even speaking a single word. And that is where you really see the legacy of Prince. He brought groups together, and he disbanded them to do something totally dif- ferent. He lent his mind, hands and voice to the projects of others, all in the name of playing the music. Many pop stars live for fame with the adulation and the notoriety, often fueled by ego and largesse. But for Prince, music was the lifestyle, and for both his fans and the land- scape of modern pop culture, his music served as primal deliverance from the mundane. Dez Dickerson will participate in the "Birth of a Purple Nation" session happening tomorrow (Friday, March 17) at 3:30pm in Room 16AB at the Austin Convention Center. "Trib- ute to a Friend - Celebrating Prince", with Wyclef Jean and members of the Revolution is tomorrow at the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake (Riverside Dr & S 1st St). "We were completely and fully persuaded … not that we were going to be the best ever, but that we were the best ever, and people just didn't know it yet!" HACKERS Who run the world? (sorry Bey) If you're planning a hackathon, growing your developer network, or hiring, Devpost can help you reach more software developers. We've powered over 2,000 hackathons and we know what developers are looking for. (Hint: it's not just ping pong and free beer) Talk to us at SXSW's Music Hackathon or visit sxswhackathon.devpost.com