>the term "rock" is a bit of a general term.... I mean if Def
>Leopard or Poison had made the song Purple Rain it would be
>like a classic power ballad....

Absolutely nothing Poison has done is considered "classic" today and I honestly don't think Purple Rain would have helped their cause. The general perception-rightly IMO-seem to be that they were a joke more or less. Def Leppard has fared slightly better but that's because they were innovators and also did two of the biggest rock-albums of the 80's; still their status is not exactly Rolling Stones today and they are frequently clowned as well...

>But Prince doing doesn't speak
>to his ability as a "rock" musician???? whatever being a
>"rock" musician means.... When it's probably as much of a rock
>song as my guitar gently weeps..

I never said "Purple Rain" wasn't a rock-song. In fact, I specifically said it was a rock-song; IMO, it's actually one of the most pure rock-songs he ever made...

>
>Prince is in the Funk tradition of making music that
>encompasses a lot of different styles... Prince could bring it
>on the guitar.... I'd rank others ahead of him..... but he
>does his thing.

I don't really consider Prince a funk-artist after "1999"; before that I think he was, after that in the 80's, I would honestly say he was just as much "rock" IMO...