Brownmark talks about Prince, The Revolution and going Solo

Brownmark sets the record straight on the song 'KISS', his days as a solo artist on Motown, The Revolution and more.
Check out the Prince Podcast on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Get exclusive content and to help support the Prince Podcast join our Patreon page: / podcastjuice
WORK IT LIKE A JOB!
www.podcastjuice.net
Like us on Facebook @ / podcastjuice
Follow us on Twitter @ / podcastjuice

[@dee1380]

BrownMark is too cool..legend.

[@nishani3]

Big respect to Brown Mark for speaking his truth. Sounds like Prince was a big rascal LOL One of the issues WB had with Prince is that Prince didnt keep the Purple Rain wave going. They felt like he should have maintained the momentum but Prince was way ahead, beyond and DONE...

[@cool_cat007smoove3]

nishani3 He could have road The Purple Rain train for 2 years.

[@kit-tea5088]

Being a Gemini, born 1 wk., 1 yr. older than 👁️🚶‍♂️👁️ PRINCE. I can just say our mind is always going & by the 🕖 U catch up we're way on 6 steps down the road. Onward & upward never wasting ⏳ l👀king back. + Gemini 's get bored soo easy, add a little Autism Spectrum / A. D. H. D. ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Deficits) We get by on very little sleep, rarely sit still & when we do sleep it's from pure exhaustion ; physically , mentally, emotionally, etc. I can't relax if my life depended on it. Add 2 that perfection, high standards, expected by all, no excuses 24/7 because that's what I do, always, daily, & we expect the same from everyone. Because, if U 💖 U'r work & what your doing, it's like oxygen 2 U. U, can't sleep till u complete it, & often tune in soo hard, U emotionally neglect other things( $$ $ due 2 others, 🕖, & attention 4 others.) Because we don't l👀k back & take 4 ever 2 say sorry, I f.. ked up. But when we🛑 Stop 🛐 4 a nano second, we can sincerely 🗣️ Talk & apologize 4 past ❎'s. 👁️ hope this gives you some possible enlightenment into the genius 🧠 Sage mind of o(+> 👁️👁️ T. A. F. K. A. PRINCE. Being dudes don' t 🗣️smooze like ♀️chicks, ⏳goes by & emotions unsaid simmer & cause pain⚡ & hurt. Good thing U wrote that book, it released a lot of pent up rage. I'd L💖VE 2 know when U'r publishing the book & what it's called? All 4 now, 😅, 😂, ha ha. 👁️ didn't ramble on 2 much! Take Care,✌️ Stay 👩‍💻🚶‍♂️👨‍💻💃Safe, 🙏 & don't 4 get 2 have fun, 🤹‍♀️⛹️‍♂️🚴‍♂️ every day & 👂 Listen 2 your gut, it's never ❌ wrong. If U get stressed put on some 👁️👁️ PRINCE, sing, laugh, dance, mellow out, play 🎶, make L💖VE, sleep. etc.... & repeat as needed 2 succeed & move ahead 2 🌞 HAPPIER TOMMOROW 'S.! 👍 🐾😽🐾🐈 🐾

[@labshot]

Well, that was a wave he should have rode, the album after Purple Rain was weird in comparison... I think he should have rode that wave just a little longer, Purple Rain was no small deal...

[@mattkaustickomments]

Wow, I really like that acoustic version of ‘Kiss’. Thanks for including it! Mark’s story about how he re-arranged the song sounds believable to me. He may not have gotten co-writing credits because he probably didn’t change the lyrics. But he should have gotten some type of arrangement recognition.

[@ROCKNROLLFAN]

there should be an unsung on Mazarati just because they were so funky especially as a live act...

[@inspectorbudget]

ROCKNROLLFAN Absolutely

[@mhbass]

True indeed. Mazarati came to Cleveland, and me being a big fan of all things Minneapolis, I had to go to the show. They blew the place up. Too bad they didn't last.

[@thetruthhurtsu]

*Unsung* huh? lol ok

[@RnB4Sure]

Thank you guys. This was so interesting. It cleared up a lot of things for me and substantiates some of theories about what level of knowledge Revolution band members had about protecting their own interests during that era. I bet a lot has been learned since then. I hope to see Brownmark back again for more. I can't wait to purchase his book too when it comes out.

[@coreabaoneintllinks4949]

Thanks for the update details! # we all miss Timeless treasure, legendary multi Talented prince forever Globally! Remain richly blessed as you learned a lot from him sir!

[@7deepbreaths.sounds]

This podcast was posted 2 years ago....but I must say...you have done marvelous work interviewing the key players involved with the Prince experience....and it still reverberates today and I'm sure will echo for times to come. Thanks.

[@silvermist1216]

I've heard a lot of people say that some unsavory things happened as far as pay goes. But otherwise I'm just speechless. Still a Prince fan though because he was an amazing musician.

[@devenidarock]

Looking forward to your book, Mark, you sound very genuine! I sincerely wish someone from the inside ppl tell us the truth and nothing bout the truth, about this man the world venerates as a genius. It is music history. Brown Mark is not the only one claiming credit for collabs. On the other hand, now Prince is gone, The Revolution is cashing back in. Only you guys in the band know if that is honestly well deserved. I love it, personally, I wish you guys keep on touring and get to Argentina, why not.

[@eileenpizarro1558]

Prince was a genius from the get-go. He was a creative man with every band he put together. And beyond. And Bobby Z did say that the Revolution became a pain in the ass. None of the individual members where successful and Prince was. He had hits with Sign o the Times, Alphabet Street, Batman soundtrack, Thieves In The Temple, Diamonds And Pearls.

[@Harlemblkboy]

LOVE this channel

[@rockssolid7471]

If Prince would have milked the Purple Rain experience, he wouldn't have been Prince. Prince had platinum, gold, top ten songs and albums from 1979 to 2014.

[@kcoolmuziq]

I’m sorry for my negative response. I’m still in the grieving process. Love4OneAnother

[@treydonan]

Way more informative than the previous interview you all did.

[@pinky8371]

A really good interview

[@Vincentedrawit01]

Another great view!

[@beehug7]

Very cool. Thank you.

[@mscapricorn-ce1pl]

Great interview.

[@shugr5833]

That was dope!👍🏾✨💯✨🤗💋

[@killahertz]

Its funny cuz even though he didnt have one line in Purple Rain.. i always remembered that looking at his watch scene as the only time anyone really stood up to Prince without being directly provoked as super brave.. i was a little kid the 1st few times i watched it.. but that little gesture in that movie showed me alot about this man's integrity.. and now he really stepped up to fill that void on stage and i was thoroughly impressed sir✊🏾😈

[@Rite1Global]

I chat with Mark he gives off nothing but real ness! So I’m sure he speaks truth! Let’s face it no one was going to out shine P unless they broke out on their own. Even then it wasn’t easy because they were expect P! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Annabee399]

Great interview way to go, Mike. Brown Mark is the real deal musician on the bass guitar.

[@StevieStitches]

I love the Prince original bluesy version of "Kiss"

[@kandikane923]

Brown Mark, spill the tea :-) Great interview. Prince was one badass, hardcore and stubborn when he wanted to be. I'm glad they reconciled their friendship. Rip Prince, still missing you.

[@kimsalama8064]

He says they were on tour only 3 months with Purple Rain. And P was two albums ahead already, moving on. I have to wonder if this was a good career move at the time ?

[@spinalcrackerbox]

Then he misremembered on the first part. The tour opened November 4 '84 w. seven nights in Detroit and ended April 7 '85 in Miami, so five full months.

[@RickSkiTV]

Cool Interview. Whats the Name of the opening Song?

[@funkiejunkiefreddy4670]

Classic interview Mr Dean and you got alot out of BrownMark in 30 mins.

[@rockssolid7471]

Here is David Z's account of Kiss. Prince did give David credit, and gave Mazarati credit for their vocals. Brownmark's claim that he wrote the music Kiss isn't true -- the key artistic elements are in its minimalism, falsetto, signature guitar, no bass. www.soundonsound.com/people/prince-kiss "Anyway, starting with a LinnDrum, I programmed the beat and began experimenting. Taking a hi-hat from the drum machine, I ran it through a delay unit and switched between input and output and in the middle. That created a very funky rhythm. Then I took an acoustic guitar, played these open chords and gated that to the hi-hat trigger. The result was a really unique rhythm that was unbelievably funky but also impossible to actually play... I'm sure that sound influenced the fabulous new Daft Punk song 'Get Lucky', because it uses the same trick, with the guitar gated to some sort of rhythm and sequencer. "Next, I remembered a little piano part from a Bo Diddley song called 'Say Man' and put it on there, and then Tony Christian sang the lead part, an octave lower than what Prince wound up doing. The background vocals I adapted from the Brenda Lee song 'Sweet Nothings' - good music is always taken from somewhere else - and that was that. The whole thing was done in a day.” Or David Z and the guys in Mazarati thought it was. The fact is, in this form 'Kiss' sounded OK - a so-so dance number. However, Tony Christian's lead vocal was a little soulless and uninspiring, and when Prince heard the track he decided to head in a different direction... with himself at the helm. "When I came back into the studio the next morning, Prince had already taken it off the machine, replaced the vocal with his own falsetto performance - which, I guess, he felt it needed - got rid of the bass part and added a James Brown 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag' guitar lick,” Z recalls. "'What happened?' I asked, to which he replied, 'It's too good for you guys. I'm taking it back.'” Boasting a four-octave range, Prince sang virtually the entire song in head voice, reverting to chest voice for the final line, as well as a single note before the last chorus. "At the time, I think he was into using a [Sennheiser MD] 441,” says Z. "We only used nine tracks for that song, including a bass drum on one track, the rest of the drums on another and the hi-hat on a separate track. As for the lack of bass guitar, we always ran the kick drum through an [AMS] RMX16 and put it on the Reverse 2 setting to extend the tail of the reverb. That served as a kick drum and a bass, and it was a signature sound that we used all the time with Prince. We didn't need a real bass. And there was no reverb on anything else; just the kick. The guitar was dry and gated, and everything else sounded kind of different to the corporate rock that was on the radio at that time.” The soundtrack album, Parade: Music From The Motion Picture Under The Cherry Moon, was the final record on which Prince was backed by the Revolution. He was reinventing himself, as evidenced by the new image that saw him dispense with his curly mane, purple outfits and ruffled shirts in favour of shorter, slicked-back hair and smoother-looking clothes. Accordingly, 'Kiss' matched the mood of the moment, yet it initially didn't impress the record-company honchos. "It was so different to everything else out there that the Warner Brothers executives freaked out when they first heard it,” David Z confirms. "I was going to get credit as the producer, arranger, everything, but when I talked to the Warners A&R guy he said, 'Oh man, Prince really screwed up. It sucks.' I thought, what? My heart just hit the floor. He said, 'It sounds like a demo. There's no reverb, there's no bass - it's terrible.' "I was shaken and really disappointed. At that time, however, Prince had enough power to go, 'That's the single and you're not getting another one until you put it out.' The rest is history. When he recorded 'Kiss', Prince was actually going down in terms of his popularity. He had already hit his peak and people were going, 'Ah, Prince is over with.' Well, that song, because it was so different, totally reignited his career and a year later Warners were trying to sign people who sounded like that.” By then, Prince's third US chart topper had earned him a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Yet, David Z - who now resides in Burbank, California, and recently produced Cyril Neville, the youngest of the Neville Brothers - didn't crow about this. "I remember speaking to that A&R guy about other things, but I never cornered him in terms of what he'd said about 'Kiss',” he remarks. "I didn't think it was my place to do that. The proof was in the pudding.”

[@Rite1Global]

Most ppl from Prince’s camp said they did t get paid

[@joeperso]

I've heard a completely different story about Kiss from the engineer working on the project David Z, Bobby Z the drummer for the Revolutions brother, after working all night he could not get something he was trying to work so he stopped to go home and get some rest when he came back Prince had taken the song and written it the way you here it now David Z. asked Prince where the song was and he replied that the song was to good for them and he was taking it back never a mention about working on it with someone else .

[@ROCKNROLLFAN]

I sure wish that his band "Mazarati" would have kept putting out albums and went much further with their success cuz they were VERY FUNKY......

[@BigBobbyBoLo]

Agreed! I was a little kid when they were at there peak and I always regarded them as a joke.. Long story short, I eventually and on accident heard players ball and 100 mph and thought, " what the hell?" .. Been a fan ever since

[@anndavis6053]

I wanta meet Mark Brown in Person b4 i die

[@misshelloareyouthere]

To BrownMark, some teachers stay forever and some teachers stay briefly.

[@SLEEPDOG01]

I GOT TO MEET BROWN MARK

[@anubischick]

1,999 views :) I am the lucky winner

[@dcplyr]

Did you get writing or co writing credit for kiss????

[@thetruthhurtsu]

Judging from the acoustic version prince originally wrote for the song *KISS* It doesn't sound like MB co-wrote it. I'm trying to figure out what he co-wrote because if you listen to the original song, its Prince doing the composing, arranging and everything else. Just because you added some effects on it, basically tells me that you did a remix version of it. Kind of reminds me of how *DNA* added a beat to Suszanne Vega's song called *"Tom's Diner".* I think that, since *KISS* became such a big hit that, Mazaratti and BM just wanted some credit for a song that was organically written and arranged already from ground up. also, for those who know Prince, he NEVER gives an Artist/Group the *best version* of a song that he's written. Prime example would be *SHHHH* by Tevin Campbell. Tevin's version sounds like a late night slow R&B mix. Prince's version sounds like a highly explosive rock/pop/ ballad that blows Tevin's version out the water. Plus Prine's version sounds far more sexy and adult. Tevin's sounds like a little school boy crush version.

[@C-Lyfe85]

I think he wrote the 2nd verse. Because the demo is only one verse.

[@Rite1Global]

As it should of sounded! He was a young boy and he wrote it appropriately

[@jonsmind]

Hahah! I never heard that version of Kiss before! It’s surreal, with his baritone vocals, in place of his falsetto.

[@jacquelineperry8740]

You have to understand prince had becime a business and sometimes the business cruel.you would no none of these people if it were not from prince.he was a professional and knew what he wanted from the sound of his music on.some of the musicans may complain about him but he helped them put money in there pockets.all if us have good and bad in us.stay positive when talking about prince his good out weighed his bad.his death was cause it was just his time.nothing with how he treated folks.his bands were part of his business and that meant sometime they would have to see his bad side.

[@danube466]

PArade album. , I was get the impression that prince was inspired by france, allot of european overtones... the minimalistic performing media is classic like the film under cherry moon and superb,... classic songs are simple and not over written.... and this album's consistent performing media was a hallmark to prince..... the colour and vibruations got wilder after sign o the times..sign o the times retained that sense and conscious classic tune and quality.....elephant and flowers is an underrated song.... and batman was a gem....

[@ROCKNROLLFAN]

I cant find his Motown albums NOWHERE especially good feelings cuz my relative wore that cassette tape OUT in the car during the summer of 89....

[@Jsimm100]

ROCKNROLLFAN Likely still in The Motown Vault with a lot of other gems that haven't been released.

[@Star-Mac10]

If you bumped heads with Prince, you got bumped out. Nice interview. P love

[@AJSouthpaw]

Ooh trip, you’re really neat

[@kenh.5848]

Emcee Moniker : maybe you and me we can dance to the beat, maybe you and me we can feel each others heat, tell me baby- shall we dance

[@Reprodestruxion]

So thats what happened to prince, you scare all the cool collaborators away then its hard to get that unique sound. Something similar to Depeche Mode snd Trent Reznor

[@mustafahajj]

Brownmark goin' solo was a fool's move. He didn't have it. "You can dance with me" the name of the his single. The record had me laughing my ass off. Solo Brownmark was a no no.

[@jazzbquick389]

Did you comprehend the interview? He left the Revolution to produce other artists. When he signed with Motown, they convinced him to do a solo album. He never had the intention of being a solo artist.

[@mustafahajj]

@@jazzbquick389 Allow me to educate you on something. "They Convinced him" MAN stop it!!! Nobody can make you do anything you don't want to take part in. Do you understand that? Brownmark got bit by the PRINCE & REVOLUTION entertainment bug plain and simple. Once he realized he didn't have it he decided to get in where he fit in. Nothing wrong with that.

[@mrtoles8692]

Nice interview but one problem I have is about the song "KISS" David "Z" Rivkin tells a different story about the in song in a different interview

[@TPHIN]

I haven’t heard shhhh From Any Revolution

[@technicolorrose5549]

While I think this is a pretty good interview, I can't help but notice something. All these ppl, all these associates of Prince, now that he's gone; all of a sudden want to pour out all this shit about him that you didn't hear a damn thing about when he was alive. And not to mention the fact that lots of people want to take credit for a lot of shit they sure didn't (& probably wouldn't have, had he been alive) seem to have a claim to otherwise.

[@thetruthhurtsu]

Jill Jones spoke on exactly what you've posted. Now that he's gone, everyone wants to take credit for something that they didn't do. They could have easily spoke about these things when he was alive. Also its funny how arrogant and cocky Eric Leeds is about how he disliked what Prince was doing.

[@walterjarrett9969]

ALICE YOU ARE SO ON POINT!!! Not necessarily Mark, but others who were on the Purple train have been literally talking shit about P! He was not being a cool person all of the time, but he put everybody on the map regardless of how good they may have been!

[@lovesexy71]

@the truth hurts ...my sentiments exactly! Jill Jones & Jerome Benton are the only people from that Purple Rain period that is keeping it real! The rest of them are revisionists historians! They would never state what they are saying because they knew they would be summoned to Paisley Park to account for their actions or words!

[@plmitch]

A lot of people had issues with him for years and just NEVER said anything because PRN wasn't unlike Orange Hitler or even Hitler himself-----he developed a cult of personality around himself and many of his "fans" are blind followers and sycophants who will NOT accept hearing anything negative about him. It's DISGUSTING to watch, actually. Unfortunately, it's actually worse these days than it's ever been in entertainment period---try disagreeing with the Beyhive, for instance....🙄🤮 Just because someone is/was talented and is a genius, doesn't mean they aren't flawed and that they can never be wrong or aren't fallible like all the rest of us. In fact, the probability of them being an even WORSE human being is much higher because they most likely will develop higher levels of narcissism from that type of treatment....

[@beoverwait]

@@plmitch this is the realest statement I've seen. My thing is you can still be a fan of someone and not like everything that they've done

[@Tiras504]

Sounds like Prince let him hear a rough draft of the song. Brown Mark added stuff to it. Prince didn't like it. Prince asked them if they were leaving, changed what they did and added better ideas to it. So how did he come write it if his additions to the song were cut out?? Then he has a woman come on the line rudely, an says he has to go. Wow.

[@C-Lyfe85]

Not really, I heard the Mazarati, version. It's practically the same as the one Prince released. Just with the the Bass-line intact. Prince kept everything, even the background vocals. He added the guitar riff. You tube it, its on here. The acoustic demo was just one verse. Brownmark added the 2nd verse. I think that's what he meant by Co-Wrote.

[@starrcompany3275]

Stokley ?🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@chrismorgan7902]

Prince stole the song then got mad when Tom Jones did it. DON'T STEAL FROM A THEIF PEOPLE.

[@spinalcrackerbox]

Whoa, shit just got real in this interview. That sucks that Prince first agreed to give Mark a co-writing credit and then didn't do it.

[@chrismorgan7902]

What about Prince stealing KISS from you?

[@margi6035]

Prince has passed and can’t defend himself but David Z has talked about what he and P did. That guitar action that Mark talks about that he did, David mentions that he and P did it. He really needs to shut up with the jealously.

[@chrismorgan7902]

That's why he died the way he did

[@chrismorgan7902]

Prince was so EVIL to Black folk

[@margi6035]

He was pissed with you Mark, you were only a hired musician in his dream. As far as Kiss, the record is set straight by Bobby Z’s record producing brother. He says Prince arranged it more from when he took it back from Maserati. Your ego is so blown up it is dangerous. As for Prince Podcast, you are mud scrappers and need to stop disrespecting Prince. You podcast is getting to be crap.

[@margi6035]

I thought money wasn’t important to you Mark. You contradict yourself constantly. I don’t like you at all.