I refer, of course, the upcoming release of Planet Earth with the inclusion, therein, of the 'single' Guitar. I thought that Prince's embracing of the internet meant he would not erlease music and then re-release it. I thought his embracing of this technology would allow us access to the music as he recorded it. Surely that was what he implied all the way through the WB argument, etc. Restraint of trade was occurring and Prince's fans deserved to hear his music as and when. Now we get a release, we pay and then we buy a CD and we pay again... (now who's the fool?)... The manner and fashion in which he has dealt with his money-handing-over public over the last few years regards release of music smacks of huge hypocracy given the toys-out-of-pram manner in which he behaved 1993-99.

Release stuff, sure, but at least let us know this is a track that is going to feature on a future album... otherwise, why would we bother... oh... I get it now...

yeah u do know now...it should be that much of a suprise..but ... there's still enuff to feel privelidged about...not so much these days...but when u could

Hypocrisy. Sorry. Shit, I teach this subject.... awful, awful, awful...

Plus the NEW guitar is a totally different version...sooooo.....

but I do must admit, I reallllly miss the days when outtakes were literally immediately available.

I'd give a left nut to hear some TRC, Musicology, 3121 ect outtakes....

BoySimon said:

it really almost is as if P was Sold out a LITTLE..but hey....in a nutshell....why not!!

Prince thought at one time that he could control the world wide web, I think he has found out that it is a lot bigger than he thought it would be. What's kind of funny is that the things he's tried to have removed from one site is popping up on another or gone today and back next month, it kind of cracks me up! If there's something tthat you've seen of Prince's on the net and he's had it removed, look around, be patient it'll be back, I've seen it!
[Edited 6/2/07 5:20am]

And you just now realize that he doesn't use the internet as he (allegedly) promised over a decade ago?

I don't get what you are complaining about, buying the guitar as a download and then getting it again when you buy the album is no different to how most fans have been doing it since year dot - buying a single whether vinyl or cd because they just have to have that tune ahead of the album release which can be months later.

Prince's involvement with the internet was always about getting music direct to those who want it - which certainly he accomplished with his various websites in the past. Now he has a middleman in the Verizon deal, but even so, you can't get much more direct than straight to your mobile, so I would argue he is still pursuing that dream of music straight to the customer.

metalorange said:

And now, we'll have two versions of Guitar -- the "work in progress" download and the version on the CD. Ain't a damn thing wrong with that!

HA! They should send out an email:

We are never opening NPGMC again. 4u'r Njoymnt New Prince "Guitar" song..Available to verizon cell phone owners.

Now that's a pimp

Any kind of way Prince is getting his music to the customer: Prince is getting paid!!!
That's what matters to Prince. I find it comical that some people still think he is playing his music just out of the goodness of his heart and to please his fans. With the exception of some charity gigs of course. Most celebs do stuff for charity, it makes them look good.

GiGi319 said:

This I do know. Prince does much more for charity and often it doesn't go to press.

But he defo likes the highest standard of living.

realm said:

You're right about that one. He's always done charity gigs, even before he became a household name. Don't get me wrong: I do give him credit for that!!!

GiGi319 said:

He likes to get paid, that's for sure, but on the other hand he could just follow the basic pattern to releasing music and get paid a huge wad, instead he constantly experiments with new ways which are surely riskier than than the established path.

metalorange said:

And where does Prince stray from the basic pattern? Please, do explain!
Internet, fan-sites, using the name of big companies like VERIZON has been done before...that's old news. IMO Prince is getting more desperate by doing things like selling perfume and stuff. WTF!? The Prince that I remember from back in the day never had to resort to selling perfume to make money. Nobody questions his ability of making great music, but how low can you go? What's next. Selling his clothes, like MJ!?

GiGi319 said:

-----
Some of the profits from the perfume are going to charity.

metalorange said:

Prince really isn't experimenting THAT much, HOWEVER, he hasn't been able to produce large sales via an 'established path' for over a decade. He needs to do things a little differently in an effort to rake in the $$$ he loves so well.

If 'Guitar' is anything to go by then this new cd is gonna be the dogs bollocks...mark my words.
[Edited 6/2/07 16:21pm]

jtfolden said:

Prince could make far more money by simply signing upto a record deal and releasing albums on CD as standard, as 99% of other pop acts do. So why is he avoiding doing the usual and obvious? Clearly it isn't all about getting the most bucks, he likes to be a pioneer. He was selling music on the internet before most others and people thought he was crazy. Now there is this unique deal with Verizon and people are calling the idea crazy. But who knows, perhaps in 10 years everyone will be following Prince's business model like they did with his internet pioneering.

The person who leads the way is not usually the one making all the money, those who follow benefit from someone making all the first moves and mistakes. And this deal with Verizon IS new, or can someone point out a deal similar that has been done before?
[Edited 6/2/07 17:12pm]

WTF is wrong with some people?

I really don't know what all the bitching is about. If releasing a single
in advance of the album is "ripping people off" then 99.9% of ALL bands
EVER have been ripping people of since singles and albums were invented!
If you're surprised or shocked by this form of promotion, then exactly what
planet do you live on? (cuz it sure ain't the same one as the rest of us).

Anyway, the concept of the 'single' aside. Prince has just done EXACTLY
what you're complaining about him NOT doing. He recorded a song (Guitar)
and within days, made it available to download (isn't that what you wanted,
Prince releasing stuff as and when he records it?). Of course, by the time the
album has been put together Prince has re-recorded the track for inclusion.
So UNLIKE 99.9% of the bands, we find that the track we downloaded is
actually DIFFERENT to the finished song (so we WON'T have bought the
same thing twice!). Sounds like a BETTER deal than the average taken-from-
the-forthcoming-album single you get from almost every other artist.

Besides, you KNOW that if that demo version of Guitar had leaked on a
bootleg, everyone would be hailing it as a classic! So Prince's crime is
releasing his own 'bootleg track' before the official release, and (shock
horror) charging a reasonable price for it. Quick, call the cops!

BorisFishpaw said:

metalorange said:

How can I break this to you gently? Prince isn't leading the way anymore. After being in the business for over 30 years, to mainstream-America Prince is not such a hot act anymore. These days Prince's fan-base consists mostly of die-hard fans and some new-be's. Compared to the fan-base he used to have, it is now almost non-existent. Prince had his day in the sun. His music doesn't sell anymore the way it used to, whichever way he is trying to sell it. That's a fact. And after the WB disaster I don't think there are to many companies that would want to sign him.
Being a die-hard fan myself, I still like his music and think he does well for someone who has been out there for so many years. Sadly, nobody I know likes his music and his name doesn't pop up in the charts anymore. And only the oldie-station on the radio plays Prince. That's just the way it is...

Yeah, I have to say -- GET OVER IT.

The song you bought a couple months ago was essentially a "demo" of the finished album version, well worth the $1.99 price tag. Would you have paid $1.99 for "early" versions of Kiss or Raspberry Beret when they were to be later released as lead-off singles for upcoming albums? I'm not saying "Guitar" is the new "Kiss" but separate your head from your bum for a moment and think about it. What you paid for is essentially an unreleased track straight from Prince. What he's giving away to Verizon customers is something that "real fans" will get on the album anyway when it's release in just over a month. So what is the problem here exactly?

GiGi319 said:

Yeah, his non-existent fanbase made him the highest grossing live act about 2 years ago, and his extreme unpopularity and fading fame cursed him with the largest stage in the world just three and a half months ago.

BorisFishpaw said:

well said.
This is no different than us getting the Guitar "outtake" either before or after the buying the album. I for one am more than happy to pay him $2 for it, especially since new outtakes have pretty much dried up over the last few years.

GiGi319 said

:

so exactly the same as every other act thats been around the charts for more than 5 years then , brilliant


nope , its a figment of your imagination , in his heyday in the mid to late 80s most of his albums sold around 2-4 million , and Musicology and 3121
have both sold around that mark too



3121 entering the charts at no .1 slipped your mind has it dear
Nice try though at trolling
[Edited 6/2/07 20:06pm]

moonshine said:

OK, I give up. Prince is the greatest. Prince is the best. He has more fans than ever before. His music sells like hot cakes. Did I forget anything? Isn't this what some people on this site want to hear, happy now?
Forgive me if I ever said anything to offend you, sunshine!

GiGi319 said:

No need to be bitter about being wrong Prince gets dissed all the time on this site - the posters here do not sit around in Purple-colored glasses.

The fact is that while it's true Prince doesn't do well on the singles chart (what artist with any staying power DOES well on the singles charts these days? Very few outside of Madonna, and even her singles don't do close to what they used to), his albums are selling better than at any time since the 80's, his tours the last few years have been monstrously successful, and his TV appearances - at some of the biggest and most prestigious events, period - have been well-received and have caused lots of excitement and attention.

Prince is enjoying a career resurgence now. Let's enjoy it while it lasts

Doozer said:

yep .. Forbes said he was the highest paid act of the year (54 Million) out beating Madonna, Rolling Stones, etc ..(any band) .. not to mention.. he also took home the best concert award of the year (outbeating Usher).. so brother must be doing something right..

Flowerz said:

All I'm saying, Prince has seen better days. Nobody's is debating that he's doing remarkably well after being in this business for over 30 years now. And I still think he is the best live-performer ever but there are artists out there that suck on stage and do better on the charts.