his 80s work basically is his best because he incorporates it into a unique hybrid (when he started moving into more pure r&b, funk facsimiles, or *shudder* hip-hop to kind of 'blacken' up his sound in the 90s is when he started losing steam).

I'm just saying that he can play in their playground in spots far better than any of the rockers could approach the vast assortment of other places he does.

That's what makes his little moments that surprise the 'rockists' so amusing to me.