although how would you say your own music repertoire stacks-up to his?  From his more meager beginnings to his present cash-rich-every-means-of-equipment-&-avenue-rich condition?  This is not in any way to take away from your own blood-swet & tears years of higher s

What the fuck is up with you?  Do you think my musical repertoire can even be compared to Prince, who is a full-time, lifetime,working musician, showman??  I am a hobbyist and never pretended otherwise.   It's an absurd comparison and I wasn't even going there.  I simply said I didn't like the guy (his music...I don't know the man, but from his movie Purple Rain he seemed likeable) and what I found "boolshite" about him was what I perceived as the Hendrix-oid ripoffs. That is all.  Many (yourself included) feel he is a musical giant and I would agree that he is, in terms of his recorded output and concert performances;  just what he puts out doesn't appeal to my ears.

My blood/sweat/tears (if you want to call it that) in years of higher learning have come at a price certainly equal to any musician or artist and not all of my years of "higher learning" have been just devoted to medical study.  I have studied music and art both formally at the University level,  on my own, and attending continuing education classes. I study Architecture and design, Philosophy, Anthropology etc..and whatever else I have time for in the little spare time that I have.  I am proud of whatever little musical creations, or ceramic pieces that I have time to assemble, but I have never insinuated in any way that I could be compared to someone of Prince's calibre.  Did I?  That assertation (yours) is ridiculous.  I think you are way out of line with your thought process on this one.  I am, by virtue of being a musical observer, entitled to my opinion as to the music I hear, and I believe you are entitled to yours.  As Ornette Coleman once so wisely stated, "All listeners are equal in their opinions".  So if I find someone's music to be of "no value" or whatever and you think the guy's a genius.....so be it.  Chacun a son gout.

Does someone have to possess talent beyond an artist to critique them?  There are plenty of music critics out there that can't play a note, and art critics that can't draw a line.