?uestlove Says His Blueprint Is Prince ’80-’88

It’s tempting to call the Roots latest album ‘Phrenology’ a departure record, but a departure from what? “My blueprint is always going to be Prince, circa 1980 to 1988,” Roots drummer ?uestlove explains to Matt Galloway of Now Toronto. “He’s pretty much the last figure in black music who can really get some good, impassioned remarks from music lovers — not hiphop fans — for each of his records. I was there when 12 of us decided to sneak out during lunch period to get Around The World In A Day, and all the newbie Purple Rain fans were totally thrown off. Those are the things I remember. I always said that if I had a career, I wanted people to buy each of my records and totally be taken aback. I just don’t want to sound typical. I’d rather be horrible than mediocre.” The full story at nowtoronto.com has since been removed.