What would be the benefit for us fans? Would we see some sort of reissues/remasters quickly come to market? Might I FINALLY get a remaster of SOTT (so I could FINALLY quit whining about it)?

Might we even see remasters come out as some sort of deluxe edition, like the "Special Edition" route they took with MJ's albums? Or maybe even something like what Marillion did with their remasters: two-disc sets, with disc 1 being the original album remastered, while the second disc featured demos, remixes, etc.

Or, might we see some sort of half-baked/half-assed reissue occur (perhaps without even remastering)?

Or worst of all, would the masters disappear into the vault, never to be seen/heard from again?

1. Thank you for saying 'Marillion'.

2. I wish they'd do just that. Disc One, just the album ('cause I hate having bonus tracks screw up the end of an album, A la the Rocky Horror Picture Show or Ryko's Bowie & Costello remasters). Then, on Disc Two, give us the extended versions, full-length B-sides, and any outtakes P cares to share.

Oh god, I'm drooling. But the way Prince seems to downplay his back catalogue, he would never do this. Probably he'd just give us 'newer, phatter' remixes of the tunes (So Dark, anyone? )

Bleaacchhh! it'd be like finding a McDonalds at the top of Mount Everest...

CandaceS said:

THAT WOULD BE SUPER DUPER COOL!

Hi CandaceS! You're here! Yippie, now i have you here and at the Quake.

:O

Bleaacchhh! it'd be like finding a McDonalds at the top of Mount Everest...[/quote]

wow u say that like its a BAD thing...after climbing the mountain, id b all hungry and a mickey dee's at the top would b a treat!!!

eyewishuheaven said:

You're most welcome! Not many of us Marillion fans in the states...I got turned on to them by a friend back in the mid 80's, even saw them live once in California in '87 (while Fish was still with them)!



LOL, I love this analogy!


Maybe we won't see anything at all from his back catalog (remasters, stuff from the vault, etc.), since it's from his pre-JW days (and doesn't glorify Jehovah, etc.)?

CandaceS said:

Sadly, I think this would b the case.

He mentioned in an interview that in 2003 he would start 2 regain ownership of his albums 1 by 1. I wonder if this has happened with "For You", "Prince" and "Dirty Mind"?

npgmaverick said:

On another thread, someone stated the ownership begins to revert to him 30 years after the release of each album; I can't say for sure if that's correct.

CandaceS said:

Actually, I believe it is 25 years.

It is 25 years and he should be in possession of For You and Prince, Dirty mind is a possibility as well.

This is a great thread!

I bet Prince would re-release them with some kind of remixes (like some of you guys have pointed out.)

I'd love to hear P's demos like Michael did with "Special Edition." However, a part of me thinks they would just disappear into "The Vault" knowing P's attitude about his back catalog (so I've heard.)

npgmaverick said:

OK, this leads to another question: if he plans to simply "bury" his older work, why was/is it SO important to him to get back those masters??

Is the ownership of them simply an irrational obsession for him? A "control freak" thing?

Or is he actually so eager to bury his past that he wants control of them so there won't be any greatest hits albums, reissues, etc.?



P.S. Hooray for me, this is my 1,000th post!

CandaceS said:

Congrats on the 1000th post.

I think it's always been the principle 4 him. I never thought he wanted his masters back so he could re-release them or alter them in anyway he saw fit. I think he just wanted ownership of something that rightfully belongs 2 him. It wouldn't surprise me at all (espescially now that his religeous beliefs have made him shun his past work) if he never did anything with them after winning them back.

npgmaverick said:

I agree with you. I think he hates the idea of "popsicle salesmen" making money off of his creations.

Given that he loses interest in things so quickly, we as fans might be better off with WB keeping them. At least they will actually release some of the material in ways that we'd like to buy them. Prince probably wouldnt do anything with them... i think you're right about that.

Prince has stated in the past that he wants the masters to have a legacy if he should ever have children. I doubt we'd get remasters, and even if we did he would probably go in and change the lyrics, which I DON'T want him to do! I'd rather NOT have the remaster than see that happen.

JediMaster said:

As if he doesn't already have a legacy?! Over time (decades), won't these tapes just deteriorate and disintegrate? I know that's a problem with old films. Interesting, could you expand on that, or give me some idea when/where he said that?

JediMaster said:

JediMaster you are so right. Especially with Prince kicking the Jevohah thing Do Me Baby and Head could loose alot of the sexual mystic. To be honest I don't think Prince would release them.If he did, it would probably sound like that half-a$$ Motown Remix cd released recently to run against the Verve Remixed series. Damn, now I'm angry because all my life I just wanted Prince to release a Remix cd collection (runs out fo room crying)

CandaceS said:

He said it around 1994 or so. He referred to a conversation he had with Nona Gaye where she told him she didn't own Marvin's master tapes. He then stated he wanted to get his masters back so his children don't run into this problem.

Of course, Prince has the unedited original tapes, so he could probably do something with those, but they wouldn't be the edits we were used to.

Does P ever talk about buying his masters back? Do you think P has the loot to buy them back? I know Puff just bought is Bad Boy catalog back from Arista for $100 million. Do you think P would re-release any of the catalog? He is so protective that I'm not sure especially now that he is a JW - they might be edited.

Peace and Love ~ Prime

altavista said:

Right on! I feel the same but I still want my boy to get his stuff back.

prime said:

His masters were estimated to be worth, altogether, about $90 million in 1999. Not sure if he has that much cash just lying around, nor if WB is willing to part with them.

JediMaster said:

WB ain't partin' with nuttin' !!! You don't sell the family jewels. Artists like P come along once in a lifetime.