I'm a huge fan of Prince's earliest recordings and demos as well as the bands around Minneapolis and the unique scene developing then. So I'd like to share/trade images and information with U who dig it 2.



Minneapolis Genius ALPHA Studio 4.1979 LA
I Wanna Be Your Lover rel 8.1979
PRINCE 10.1979
When We're Dancing Close & Slow (Joni Mitchell Coyotte Hejiia1976)
the Capri Theatre Minneapolis
Jellybean Johnson Lincoln Junior High classmate
Andre Anderson, Morris Day
Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me
$150.00
SOUND 80
Grand Central, Flyte Time,
5215 France Ave. 1978
Jamie Shoop Sue Ann Carwell David Rivkin
Gayle Chapman Tommy Vicari Kim Upsher Bobby Z
Matt Fink Dez Dickerson Lisa Coleman
Warner Brothers We Can Work It Out
Leaving 4 NY
4 U overdubbed 46 times
"I was a physical wreck when I finished that record" -Prince Musician Mag
Oberheim synthesizer
Make It Thru the Storm -Susie Stone


http://pepemusic.com/web2...cbeg02.htm

The following is the story of how the recordings on the 2-CD set, 94 East featuring Prince; Symbolic Beginning came into existence. It also reflects the intimate involvement that Pepé Willie had in the early development of the Minneapolis Music Scene. It's fairly lengthy to read, but worth it!

When you play these recordings listen very carefully. You don't know what we went through to get these tapes and we don't want you to miss a thing. What you have in your possession is a collector's dream. These songs are very special because they feature the performances of Prince when he was just 16 years old. The songs which are referred to as the Cookhouse Five are Better Than you Think, I'll Always Love You, If We Don't, If You See Me, and Games. The name "Cookhouse" refers to Cookhouse Recording Studios where these recordings took place. The performances in these songs mark the very first time Prince was ever in a recording studio and the beginning of Prince's illustrious recording career. These recordings are a must for all Prince fans.

This rare opportunity has been brought to you courtesy of Pepé Willie and 94 East. As the leader and founder of 94 East, a group based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pepé began and developed a close relationship with Prince in the 1970s. Prince played with 94 East on their demo recording sessions during this time and on several other recordings with Pepé. From this relationship came these historic recordings.


Six of the songs on this album were first released in 1986 on the Minneapolis Genius/94 East: The Historic Recordings album featuring Prince, Pepé Willie, and André Cymone. The album was produced by Pepé Willie and Tony Sylvestre (a popular producer in the music industry and member of the group, Main Ingredient). The album included four songs written by Pepé (Games, Dance to the Music of the World, Lovin' Cup, If You Feel Like Dancin'), one song written by Tony Sylvestre(One Man Jam) and one a collaboration between Pepé and Prince (Just Another Sucker). These six songs were taken from the original recordings, updated with additional instrumental parts and remixed. We refer to this collection as Minneapolis Genius I: The Historic Recordings. They were actually recorded after the Cookhouse Five songs.


A few years ago, while searching through some old boxes of tapes, we found recordings of the Cookhouse Five songs. Songs we had forgotten. These are the one and only, first professional recordings of Prince. After listening to these tapes, we couldn't rest until we found the masters. We literally tore the house apart; we searched high and we searched low and then we searched some more. We still couldn't find those masters! Where could they be? The last place, the last hope, was Cookhouse Recording Studios. We called Cookhouse and asked if they had any master tapes from the 1970s under the name of Pepé Willie. Cookhouse referred us to another location in the Twin Cities where they archived all their old tapes, and also told us that after a certain number of years they destroy them. That's when we started to panic. In the meantime, an engineer friend from Cookhouse (who did not know we were looking for the masters) happened to find a master tape labeled

"Pepé Willie, DO NOT USE - 1975". He found it in a storage closet at Cookhouse. Imagine that! He called us and asked if we wanted the tapes or did we want to get rid of them. Get rid of them? You can imagine what was going on in our minds at that moment, but we didn't let on. We nonchalantly told him it was OK, we'd just come down and pick the master up. If he only knew what he was leaving at the front desk for us.

The eight additional songs on this album are the Cookhouse Five PLUS three additional recordings: You Can Be My Teacher and Love, Love, Love, which were recorded on four track recorders and Dance To the Music of the World which is a practice session recording. (Done the night before we went into Sound 80 Recording Studios with Prince). They are presented on this album in their original form. We refer to this collection as Minneapolis Genius II: The Historic Recordings (a.k.a., Symbolic Beginings).

"I remember it like it was yesterday", recalls Pepé, "everybody working together for a common cause."
You can imagine what a thrill it was to find those tapes! These tapes weren't exactly stored under high tech conditions (ha, ha), but they were in good enough condition to be transferred to DAT (digital audio tape). We are surely blessed that all the tapes were in good enough condition to make a few go rounds on the 2" studio reel-to-reel when we transferred to DAT. We were extremely nervous watching the tape as it turned around and around on the tape machine, dreading the thought that at any moment it might fall apart. As it was, our expert engineer, Tommy Tucker Jr. (thank you Tommy), handled it with extreme care, cleaning the tape heads repeatedly as the tape was shedding. After all, these tapes were over 20 years old.

In any case, we were able to bring to you a truly extraordinary piece of work that not only reflects the incredible talent of Prince, but also several other teenage musicians from the original group 94 East. What makes these recordings so incredibly valuable is that they reflect an important part of the development of Prince and the history of the "Minneapolis Sound." Prince was born with a gift for creating music, but somehow, somewhere, Prince had to learn the business. Someone had to have given Prince the inside information he needed to become so successful so quickly. Therein lies the importance of the relationship between Prince and Pepé Willie.

"Let me tell you a story
From a long time ago
Let me tell you, man
I was there,
Livin' in Brooklyn
Round the start of rock n' roll
There are things to remember
And stories to be told."
"Let me tell you how I used to
Run up and down the stairs
Playin' gopher to all the stars
Performing' there."
"Man, I can tell you about
Murray the K
How he and Clay Cole
Could put on a show,
They had acts from all over
Man, let me tell you,
The Shirelles, the Chantels
Chiffons and Ray Charles;
Little Anthony and the Imperials,
Johnny Mathis, the Coasters,
Chuck Jackson and Chubby Checker.
Man, I can tell you
I could go on forever."
"The Paramount Theatre closed
and we moved to the Fox
that's when it all broke loose
And things really got hot."
"These groups did five, maybe
Six shows a day
Back to back, Saturdays
Sundays and holidays.
The Temptations, The Vibrations,
The Marvelettes, were all there.
Ruby and the Romantics, The Four Tops
Gladys Knight and the Pips
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Timi Yuru and Wayne Newton
The Ronnettes, Dionne Warwick
And of course, The Five Satins,
Dion and the Belmonts
And a young Stevie Wonder
Man let me tell you,
I could go on forever." Copyright Pepé Willie 1987


Pepé Willie wrote this poem about his actual experiences as a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, New York, hanging with the hottest rock n' roll R&B artists of the 60's. Pepé's Uncle, Clarence Collins, is one of the original founding members of the legendary group, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and he was also Pepé's educational avenue to the music business. Pepé started as a valet for Little Anthony and the Imperials when he was only 16 years old. It kept him off the streets of Brooklyn.

So, what's this got to do with Minneapolis Genius? First of all, you have to understand that Pepé had the presence of mind to watch, listen and absorb everything he saw and heard. He observed how people worked with one another – what worked and what didn't. He learned about the business – managers, agents, studio recording, performing, record executives, songwriting, contracts. He gained THE KNOWLEDGE. It was this priceless information that he brought with him to Minneapolis. It was this same information that he passed on to Prince.

How did Pepé and Prince initially get together? Pepé recalls . . .
I was introduced to Prince in 1974 by my fiancée', Prince's cousin, Shauntel. She was excited about Prince because he was a very talented musician. She knew I really knew about the business of music and she wanted me to talk to Prince. He was playing at a ski party in Minnesota when we met. I remember thinking,"Boy, he's got a big Afro."

Pepé moved to Minneapolis and began working with Prince in 1974-75. It wasn't long before he realized that Prince was more than good, he was a phenomenal musician, and a singer as well. He also showed a deep desire and serious determination to make it. It was at this point that Pepé committed himself to passing the THE KNOWLEDGE to Prince; and Prince listened and listened.

Like Prince and the group he was in, Grand Central (a.k.a. Grand Central Station), most local musicians were performing cover tunes and not even thinking about writing and recording original material. Prince was about to change all that. He was about to start the ripple in the water that eventually grew to become internationally recognized as the "Minneapolis Sound."
Pepé had been working with Grand Central on a regular basis. He remembers some of the rehearsals they held in an attic in South Minneapolis:

Prince was on guitar, André Anderson (now known as André Cymone), was on bass, Morris Day (later of The Time) was on drums, Linda Anderson (André's sister) was on keyboard and William Doughty was on Percussion. I remember asking them to play one of their original songs. It was a disaster. Of course, there was raw talent there, but when they began to sing, everyone was singing something different. Prince was singing "she", André was singing "he", the rest of the group was singing something else; and the name of the song was You Remind Me of Me (written by André). I couldn't believe they didn't take the time as a group to learn the words. So I had them put down their instruments and start learning the lyrics. You know , it was like Song Construction 101 had begun. Of course, my No. 1 student was Prince.

Prince and Pepé spent the next several months working intensely with Grand Central. As Pepé recalls it . . .

I taught them about song construction, singing together, the best ways to rehearse together, but I didn't have to tell Prince anything more than once. Even though the members of Grand Central were talented musicians, they were still 'kids' and they often acted like it. These guys would laugh and tell jokes all the time. Prince would show-off doing gymnastics in our living room. Man, that was great! They especially loved to tease Wendell Thomas, the bass player from 94 East by writing funny little names and comments about him on the chalkboard.

Grand Central had made quite a bit of progress when Pepé decided to bring them into Cookhouse Recording Studios in 1975. Prince was so excited! Arrangements had been made for Grand Central to play for a co-owner of Cookhouse. He was fairly impressed with their original material, but then asked them to do one of their cover songs, an Earth, Wind and Fire tune. Unfortunately, they played Earth, Wind and Fire better than they played Grand Central. They were not ready. Back to practice


In the meantime, Pepé had begun recording his own demo material at Cookhouse. Pepé decided to hire Prince to record with him. Prince was very eager to participate (plus getting paid, too!). Pepé describes him as being 'like a kid in a candy store'. Prince recorded lead and rhythm guitar along with the musicians who later formed the group, 94 East. From this came the five songs referred to as the 'Cookhouse Five'.


All the members of 94 East except for Pepé were from Minneapolis and St. Paul. Wendell Thomas, bass player, had been a long time friend of Pepés. He was essentially in from the very beginning. His younger brother, Dale Alexander, was recruited to play drums and Pierre Lewis joined as keyboard player. Dale and Pierre were both as young as Prince AND blessed with a great deal of talent for such a young age. Later, Dale Alexander became drummer for Prince's group, Madhouse.>

Kristie Lazenberry, background vocalist, met Pepé while they were both performing in a musical in St. Paul. Kristie introduced him to her good friend, Marcy Ingvoldstad. It was pure coincidence that one day they were all riding in Pepés Volkswagen Beetle, singing to the radio – in harmony. Pepé had found his background singers.
The Cookhouse Five songs were written by Pepé in 1975, and were all personal reflections of his own experiences. Better Than You Think was co-written with Kristie Lazenberry. It turned out to be one of Pepés favorite songs (most likely yours, too, once you hear it). "Write what you feel," he instructed. Pure and simple.

If You See Me, one of Prince's favorites, gives a simple picture of Pepés feelings at that time: "Now I'm alone feelin' free/Freer than a butterfly, flyin' high now, yea, yea baby/...If you see me/Walk on by, girl/Don't say nothin'/...". What's interesting is that Prince took such a liking to this particular song, he recorded it himself. As Pepé remembers . . .

One evening in 1982, Morris Day and I were sitting in my car outside a mutual friend's house, when Prince came up and handed me a cassette through the window. He told me to check it out. There was Prince's own funked up version of If You See Me (a.k.a. Do Yourself a Favor). It was a fairly long version of it and Prince had added some pretty humorous vocalizations. You could tell Prince had a lot of fun doing it.

Sorry we couldn't share that one with you!

The Cookhouse Five recording sessions were, as Wendell Thomas remembers, "spontaneous and went very quickly". There were probably two reasons for that. One, 94 East did a tremendous amount of practice prior to going into the studio and two, they had very limited funds! Most importantly, the sessions were a great deal of fun. Pepé loved having Prince involved in the project. Pepé recalls that Prince was very dependable, eager to please and inspiring in his performance...

I remember, Prince would call me up and tell me that he wanted to redo his tracks. I trusted Prince enough to let him go into the studio by himself and redo the track(s). I mean, that's how talented he was at 16.
> If we really listen to the contributions Prince made to the Cookhouse Five songs, it's hard to imagine that he was just 16. If you pick out the guitar parts in Games you'll hear how talented the really is. Listen to the verses. His riffs are enough to make you bow and shake your head. In fact, if you listen very carefully to Prince's guitar and Pierre Lewis' keyboard during the music break (after the 2nd chorus) you'll hear Prince play a riff that is so "bad" (meaning good) it seems to literally freak Pierre out and he ends up hitting some unwanted notes.


Here's an extra treat for all you Prince fans. Listen to the beginning of I'll Always Love You. You can hear Prince saying, "Wait a second" before the song begins. (We guess he wasn't ready, yet.) The rhythm guitar licks are impressive to say the least.

We know you'll love Better Than You Think not only for the beautiful ballad that it is, but also the melotron string parts by Teddy Randazzo, the solo lead guitar by Prince and Pepé's acoustic guitar. When you listen to the solo lines Prince plays at the middle and the end of Better Than You Think, it's so full of feel that it sends chills up and down your spine. If you listen real carefully in the last verse, you'll hear the special effect Prince adds on guitar. It sounds like a light switch. Was he thinking that at the time? Who knows.

With the completed Cookhouse songs in his possession, Pepé and Wendell, the bass player for 94 East, flew to New York in April of 1976 and literally beat the pavement until 94 East was signed with Polydor. 94 East had to prepare to go in to the studio and record a single. By this time, Dale Alexander had lost his position as drummer with 94 East and was replaced by Bobby "Z" Rivkin. Bobby later became the drummer for Prince's first band, the Revolution. When Prince began working on his own demo recordings at Sound 80, André Lewis, Pierre Lewis' younger brother was given the task of learning all of Prince's guitar parts.

Even though the Cookhouse Five songs got 94 East the deal with Polydor, two other songs were actually recorded for the single. They were Fortune Teller and 10:15. These two songs were co-produced by Pepé and producer, writer, A&R man, Hank Cosby. Hank Cosby wrote Fortune Teller and Pepé wrote 10:15. Hank Cosby brought in a singer by the name of Colonel Abrams to do the lead vocals. In an unfortunate turn of events 94 East's contract was cancelled and their single was never released. It was devastating to the group and what struck Pepé was how personally Prince took this loss. Prince was upset and the only retaliation we had was to go right back in the studio and do some new recordings. That's when we rehearsed and recorded Dance To The Music Of The World – the practice session on our own 4-track recorder. The very next day, Prince, André Cymone and Pepé were in Sound 80 Recording Studios, recording new material.

From these sessions came Dance To The Music The World, Lovin' Cup and Just Another Sucker (the song Pepé and Prince co-wrote). If You Feel Like Dancin' and One Man Jam were recorded at a studio in New York. That trip proved to be an excellent experience for Prince and André (Cymone). They got the kind of professional studio exposure that would prove invaluable to them in the future.

These five songs really show the fast-growing maturity and versatility of Prince since the Cookhouse Five recordings. On Just Another Sucker, Lovin' Cup and Dance To The Music Of The World, Prince not only played guitar, but also drums, keyboards, and did vocal work. André Cymone played bass and Pepé played rhythm guitar. On If You Feel Like Dancin', Prince is on keyboards and guitar. One Man Jam, André Cymone is on bass and Prince "went crazy" playing everything else. Pepé added synthesizer parts in the overdub. We guess Prince really wanted to "show them" for Pepés sake.

The songs, Love, Love, Love and You Can Be My Teacher are from our 1/4" tape collections. The music tracks were done on a 4-track tape recorder. The beat was done on a Korg rhythm machine (this was before there were drum machines). On Love, Love, Love, Prince is playing bass and guitar. Pepé is playing keyboards. Marcy Ingvoldstad is singing vocals. On You Can Be My Teacher, Prince is playing bass and Pepé is playing guitar. Pepé talks about their collaboration . . .

It was great how Prince could play off my style of writing. We worked well together.

We decided to add Dance To The Music of the World – the practice session – to give you an indication of how intense practices could be. After 94 East's contract with Polydor was cancelled, the only remaining members were Pepé, Marcy, and Kristie. So in this practice tape, you'll hear Prince on guitar playing bass parts. Pepé on rhythm guitar, and Prince, Pepé, Marcy, and Kristie on vocals. You'll enjoy hearing Prince cracked a joke before they start to play ("I was out with my old lady and she said jive sucker I'll kick you too."). Everyone laughs, of course, and in Prince's characteristically shy way of speaking, he responds, "I'm embarrassed." (Yeah, right.) Really listen to Prince's falsetto note in the harmonies. He has an amazing vocal range.
By now, Prince had started his association with Owen Husney, whom he later hired as his manager. Soon after, Prince was recording his own demos at Sound 80 with the financial support of Husney and the engineering skills of David Z (Bobby Z's brother).

The demos Prince recorded at Sound 80 landed him a contract on the Warner Bros. label. Pepé continued his close relationship with Prince, advising and assisting Prince and Owen Husney when needed. Not surprisingly, Prince auditioned his first band members and rehearsed them for six months in the basement of Pepé's home. His first concert as a professional took place at the Capri Theatre in North Minneapolis in January 1979 and was produced by Pepé's company, Pepé Music Inc. The rest, shall we say, is history.

We the members of 94 East recognize that we were extremely fortunate to have played and worked with a musician like Prince. We think these historical recordings are a classic addition to anyone's music library. We sincerely hope you will enjoy these recordings as much as we do, especially when we dusted them off and listened to them for the first time after all those years. It was a once in a lifetime experience to have been the first to have worked with a phenomenon like Prince at such an early age.
Congratulations!! You made it!! The END!





94 East -- Minneapolis Genius - The Historic 1977 Recordings (1987)

Incredible piece of Jazz/Funk/Disco from Prince and his bestest childhood buddy André Cymone. Recorded one year before Prince's solo debut, For You, at the tender age of just nineteen this record has that definite Minneapolis sound.


Track Listings
1. If You Feel Like Dancin'
2. Lovin' Cup
3. Games
4. Just Another Sucker
5. Dance to the Music of the World
6. One Man Jam

Track Listing side 2
1. If You See Me
2. Games
3. I'll Always Love You
4. Better Than You Think
5. If We Don't
6. You Can Be My Teacher
7. Love Love Love
8. Dance To The Music Of The World
9. If You See Me First
10. Better Than You Think







[Edited 9/3/09 16:41pm]

Andre Cymone and the early days of the Minneapolis scene
Andr Cymone was born Andre Simon Anderson, and his contribution to Prince¡¦s early career should never be underestimated. They had long been friends ¡V Cymone¡¦s father had played bass in Prince¡¦s father¡¦s band ¡V and after running away from home at age 12, Prince moved into the Anderson¡¦s family home. Prince and Cymone would practice playing their instruments in the basement for hours; Cymone¡¦s mother recalled, ¡§It sounded like a lot of noise, but after the first couple of years I realized the seriousness of it. Girls were crazy about them¡¨. In 1972, Prince¡¦s cousin, Charles Smith, invited them both to play in his band, with Prince on guitar and Cymone on bass, and Smith noted how they had already developed a twin-like sixth sense when playing together. Cymone¡¦s sister Linda Anderson soon joined on keyboards, and with Terry Jackson and William Doughty on percussion the band Grand Central was formed.



Grand Central: (clockwise from left) Morris Day, William Doughty, Andrˆm Cymone, Linda Anderson
By the time Prince started high school in 1973, Smith had left and Prince replaced him with drummer Morris Day. The ¡§uptown¡¨ Minneapolis scene was starting to generate heat and included rival bands like Flyte Time (consisting of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir and vocalist Cynthia Johnson) and The Family. Unrelated to Prince¡¦s future side project of the same name, The Family was bassist Sonny Thompson¡¦s group, and Prince and Cymone would jam with him at his home, improving their techniques. The local scene was largely improvised; Linda Anderson recalls, ¡§We just made our own gigs. We would go around and just play in neighborhoods, set up our equipment in the park and play, and have people gather round¡¨. Grand Central soon attracted the attentions of a Brooklyn-based musican called Pepˆm Willie, and when he moved to Minneapolis he worked with the band to improve their sound. At the same time, Willie was working on material for his own band, 94 East, and invited Prince to perform on the recordings.
In 1976, Prince, who was already recognised as a precocious talent, was interviewed in his high school magazine and he bemoaned the lack of studios and record companies in the Minneapolis area, saying ¡§I really feel that if we would have lived in Los Angeles or New York or some other big city, we would have gotten over by now¡¨. A couple of months later, Willie took his 94 East recordings to New York and he signed a one-off single deal with Polydor. By this time, Bobby Z had joined the band on drums (he would later be in Prince¡¦s band, The Revolution) and Andrˆm Cymone on bass. Polydor brought in vocalist Colonel Abrams and two songs were recorded, ¡¥Fortune Seller¡¦ and ¡¥10:15¡¬. However, due to a number of problems, the contract was cancelled and those two songs weren¡¦t completed. Returning to Minneapolis, Willie, Prince and Cymone set to work on some new recordings, but these only found release in instrumental form in 1985 on Hot Pink Records, once Prince had achieved solo success.
By 1977, Prince was working more and more on his own, and Grand Central (which by this time had been renamed Champagne) disbanded before the group had made any professional recordings. After the critical success but commercial disappointment of his debut album for Warner Bros, Prince brought back Cymone to play on bass; Cymone was an important contributor on a number of songs on the follow-up album ¡¥Prince¡¦ and in the sleeve credits Prince refers to both Bobby Z and Andrˆm Cymone as ¡§heaven-sent¡¨. Additional members of Prince¡¦s band were Gayle Chapman and Matt Fink on keyboards, and Dez Dickerson on guitar. They had their first show in 1979 at the Capri Theatre in Minneapolis, but Prince hadn¡¦t yet developed into the unstoppable showman, and it was Dickerson and Cymone who worked the crowd.
Prince¡¦s manager at the time, Owen Husney, recalled in an interview for Billboard magazine that he, Prince and Cymone used to stay up all night working out the gameplan that would eventually lead to the ¡¥Dirty Mind¡¦ album. Prince and Cymone also began making plans for a side group that would have more of an R&B sound, leaving Prince free to explore other musical styles for his own albums. They approached the Flyte Time members about making up this new band, The Time. Flyte Time¡¦s vocalist was now Alexander O¡¦Neal, but he dropped out of the plans over pay disputes. In the meantime, Morris Day had joined a group called Enterprise, which featured Sue Ann Carwell on vocals. Carwell was friends with Prince, Cymone and Flyte Time, and even though Prince and Carwell made no recordings together she is often referred to as ¡§Prince¡¦s first protˆmgˆme¡¨. Carwell auditioned for lead vocalist with The Time, but Day had given Prince an Enterprise track called ¡¥Partyup¡¦ for the ¡¥Dirty Mind¡¦ album and in return Prince offered Day the frontman role. Day suggested two other Enterprise members join the new group, guitarist Jesse Johnson and hype-man Jerome Benton.



Sue Ann Carwell performing with Terry Lewis in Flyte Time
Carwell moved to Los Angeles where she worked on her debut solo album, produced by Pete Bellotte who had recently worked with Giorgio Moroder for Donna Summer. When Carwell returned to Minneapolis she regrouped Enterprise, replacing drummer Morris Day with first, Rocky Harris and then, John Morgan. Morgan recalls, ¡§One day I got a call from Sue Ann ¡V she said in an excited voice, ¡§Pack your drums and get your ass to the Met Center, we¡¦re opening tonight for Prince and The Time¡¨. I just about had a heart attack. This was Prince¡¦s ¡¥Controversy¡¦ tour¡K that venue was huge! It was my first big arena and, man was I nervous. I got to start the entire concert out by myself and Prince was running the soundboard. The Enterprise keyboardist Maridi Holmes has this video tape of us¡K I wish I could locate him¡¨.

Baby (alt. version) 1976 early version 3:13
Baby (Instrumental) 1976, instrumental version of released song 3:21
Baby Baby Baby 1976 For You outtake 2:52
Been Down A Long Lonely Road Early outtake 1:21
Broken (AKA Broken Lonely and Cryin') Dirty Mind outtake played on tour occasionally 3:03

Do You Wanna Ride? 1976 outtake 5:14
Donna 1979 outtake 4:11
Down a Long Lonely Road 1976 demo 1:21

For You #1 1976 demo 1:08
For You #2 1976 demo 0:45
For You #3 1976 demo 1:18
For You #4 1976 demo 1:21

Just as Long as We're Together #1 3:44
Just as Long as We're Together #2 5:47
Just as Long as We're Together #3 5:57

Leaving 4 New York 1976 demo to get record contract from Warner Bros. 5:52
Lisa Dirty Mind outtake 5:49
Loving u 1976

Make it Through the Storm 1976 demo later given to SueAnn Carwell 2:45

Nadeara 1976 demo 1:53
Nightengale 1976 outtake 4:16

We Can Work It Out written 2 Warner Brothers at the start of his contract
Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me #1 (1987)
Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me #2 (1980) 6:03

PRINCE
Warner Bros.

By Stephen Holden

Not only does Prince possess the most thrilling R&B falsetto since Smokey Robinson, but this nineteen-year-old. Minneapolis-bred Wunderkind is his own writer-producer and one-man band, playing synthesizer, guitar, drums and percussion. Whereas Prince's debut album (last year's For You) stressed his instrumental virtuosity, Prince teems with hooks that echo everyone from the Temptations to Jimi Hendrix to Todd Rundgren. But Smokey Robinson's classic Motown hits, in which the singer's falsetto signified his erotic thrall, are Prince's chief models.

The biggest difference between Robinson and Prince is the latter's blatant sexuality. Prince sings exclusively in falsetto. Instead of narrative ballads that trace the progress of relationships, Prince's songs are erotic declarations issued on the dance floor or in bed, virtually interchangeable arenas here. These compositions begin and end in sexual heat. The garish, synthesized textures of such tunes as "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" don't so much imitate a band backing a singer as enclose his voice in a feverish calliope of the mind, underscoring the urgency of lyrics like "I wanna be the only one you come for," "Sexy dancer, when you rub my body/...it gets me so hot" and "I want to come inside of you." The simplicity of Prince's words, hooks and rhythms are pure pop. With a trace more sophistication, he could become a solo Bee Gees of the libido.

ROLLING STONE

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL (1976)
What follows is a transcript of Prince's very first interview. It appeared in his high school newspaper on February 16, 1976. It is accompanied by a picture of a young afro-clad Prince sitting at a piano



Nelson Finds It "Hard To Become Known"

"I play with Grand Central Corporation. I've been playing with them for two years," Prince Nelson, senior at Central, said. Prince started playing piano at age seven and guitar when he got out of eighth grade.


Prince was born in Minneapolis. When asked, he said, "I was born here, unfortunately." Why? "I think it is very hard for a band to make it in this state, even if they're good. Mainly because there aren't any big record companies or studios in this state. I really feel that if we would have lived in Los Angeles or New York or some other big city, we would have gotten over by now."


He likes Central a great deal, because his music teachers let him work on his own. He now is working with Mr. Bickham, a music teacher at Central, but has been working with Mrs. Doepkes.


He plays several instruments, such as guitar, bass, all keyboards, and drums. He also sings sometimes, which he picked up recently. He played saxophone in seventh grade but gave it up. He regrets he did. He quit playing sax when school ended one summer. He never had time to practice sax anymore when he went back to school. He does not play in the school band. Why? "I really don't have time to make the concerts."


Prince has a brother that goes to Central whose name is Duane Nelson, who is more athletically enthusiastic. He plays on the basketball team and played on the football team. Duane is also a senior.


Prince plays by ear. "I've had about two lessons, but they didn't help much. I think you'll always be able to do what your ear tells you, so just think how great you'd be with lessons also," he said.


"I advise anyone who wants to learn guitar to get a teacher unless they are very musically inclined. One should learn all their scales too. That is very important," he continued.


Prince would also like to say that his band is in the process of recording an album containing songs they have composed. It should be released during the early part of the summer.


"Eventually I would like to go to college and start lessons again when I'm much older."

JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE 2GETHER

1976
Husney, Prince, and attorney Levinson got on a plane for Los Angeles and visited the swank offices of five labels: Warner Bros, CBS, A&M, RSO, and ABC/Dunhill. The manager and attorney made the initial pitch, after which Prince came in and said just a few words. The approach worked; after hearing the demo tape, the executives were curious to see the teenager who had pulled this off, and they were mesmerized by his oddly quiet manner. CBS then booked time at Village Recorders Studios and asked Prince to undertake an audition of sorts. He recorded "Just As Long As We're Together," one of the songs on his demo, as the executives looked on.

summer 1977
Ostin agreed, and Prince was flown to Amigo Studios in Los Angeles. Waronker and other officials discreetly drifted i and out as Prince recorded another version of "Just As Long As We're Together." As Husney recalled, "He thought these people were janitors." The executives, after watching Prince play every instrument as he constructed the song in the better part of a day, decided it would be folly to force a producer upon him; an artist this talented and headstrong would simply have to learn on the job. "Okay, we're going to have to burn a record on the guy," Waronker grumbled to Husney after the session.
-Possessed: the Rise & Fall of Prince

U can live your own life and I'll live mine
I will never try 2 keep U down
Even if I only see U some of the time
I'm just happy when U come around
Even if the sun don't shine
I'm warm enough when U're in these arms of mine
CHORUS:
Just as long as we're 2gether
Everything's alright (Everything's alright)
Everything's alright (Everything's alright)

There is nothin' that will overcome the love we share
Nothin' that will break us apart
Girl, I got 2 always have U in my hair
Gotta always have U in my heart
Ooh baby, your place or mine
I'll get the music baby, U bring the wine

Just as long as we're 2gether
Oh girl, there ain't nothin' better (Just as long as we're 2gether)

CHORUS

Just as long as there is U
I'll be around doing what U want me 2
Just as long as there is me
I'll be around singin' your melody, sugar
Just as long as we're 2gether (Everything's alright)
Oh baby, everything's alright
Just as long as we're 2gether (Everything's alright)
Oh girl, everything's alright
Just as long as we're 2gether (Everything's alright)
Oh girl, everything's alright
Don't U know there ain't nothin' better (Everything's alright)
I really want U baby in my life, U know

© 1978 Ecnirp Music Inc. - BMI


[Edited 8/18/09 11:06am]

We Can Work It Out
Singing in his regular voice, Prince sells himself to Warner Bros. Records as the lyrics "Making music naturally, me and WB" indicate. Ironically, 20 years later, is now free from any contract with Warner Bros. It's likely he recorded this outtake after signing a contract for his first 3 albums in June, 1977.
http://prince.org/msg/7/316353 We Can Work It Out
by theBanishedOne

But before making his final decision, Prince voiced an important concern directly to Warner Bros. officials:He didn't want to be pigeonholed as an R&B artist. "I'm an artist and I do a wide range of music," Prince insisted. "I'm not an R&B artist, I'm not a rock n roller. At a time when most labels, including Warners, had seperate "black music" departments, Prince dreaded the idea of limiting his appeal in any respect.

The executives said all the right things, and Prince signed a three-album contract with Warner Bros. on June 25, 1977, just weeks after turning nineteen. An association began that would become one of the most fruitful and lucrative-but also one of the most frustating and embarrassing - in the company's venerable history. For the moment, Ostin and Waronker felt nothing but confidence-they had an artist who might be a once-in-a-generation talent. Had they paused, however, the executives might have wondered about the darker side of Prince's passion and ambition, and they might have wondered how such a fiercely independent figure would react to the constraints that inevitable arise from working within a major U.S. corporation. For an artist like Prince, how much control would be enough?

At a celebration luncheon with company executives, he seemed shy and awkward. After the fete, though, he recorded a song that represented his own way of communicating with his new patrons. Called "We Can Work It Out," the unreleased song's lyrics can only be interpreted as an expression of hope that the Prince-Warners partnership would be a happy one. It ended, though, with the sound of an explosion.

-Possessed: the Rise & Fall of Prince

We Can Work It Out

Now that I know your name and U know mine
Ain't it just about time that we got 2gether?
We should make such beautiful music 4ever
Oh, 2gether 4ever

Put your trust in me, I'll never let U down
Cuz I know I can count on U 2 help me make it
Ain't no doubt about it
We can work it out, work it out
I know we can work it out
Work it out, work it out
Ooh wee!

CHORUS:
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
(Everybody sing) Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
(Everybody sing) Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out

Makin' music naturally, me and W.B. (CHORUS)
Music 4 the young and old, music bound 2 be gold
Work it out

Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out {x2}

Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out (Can we work it out?)
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out (I want 2 work it out)
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
(Everybody sing) Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
(Everybody sing) Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out
(Everybody sing) Hope we work it out, I hope we work it out

Makin' music naturally, me and W.B.



[Edited 8/18/09 11:27am]

PRINCE: Well, you know, it's like...I worked a long time under a lot of different people, and most of the time I was doing it their way. I mean, that was cool, but ya know, I figured if I worked hard enough and kept my head straight, one day I'd get to do this on my own...and that's what happened. So I feel like...if I don't try to hurt nobody...and like I say...keep my head on straight...my way usually is the best way.

MOJO: Growin' up in Minne-wood, as it's been now called, simply because that is the hot point on this planet right now.

PRINCE: Well, it's been called a lot of things, but it's always Uptown to me.

MOJO: Uptown?

PRINCE: Yes.

MOJO: What was it like growin' up Uptown?

PRINCE: Pretty different. Uh, kinda sad, to be exact. (laughs) I mean, the radio was dead, the discos was dead, ladies was kinda dead, so I felt like, if we wanted to make some noise, and I wanted to turn anything out....I was gonna have to get somethin' together. Which is what we did. We put together a few bands and turned it into Uptown. That consisted of a lot of bike riding nude, but ya know...it worked. We had fun. That's why I wanted to come here on my birthday...'cuz I wanted to give them a little taste of where we live and get a little taste of where you all live. To me, this is like my second home. If I could spend the night at somebody's crib, I would...'cuz this hotel.... They're real nice to us, but, this bed is hard!

Electrifying Mojo Interview with Prince 1985

Thank Heaven's Prince's past was the foundation for the music we have 2day.

Tame said:

pre cyberspace age was a good time to develope as an artist, your not bombarded with so many influences that shape U,

For U 4.7.1978

All of this and more is for you.
With love, sincerity and deepest care,
my life with you I share



1. For You
For You #1 1976 demo 1:08
For You #2 1976 demo 0:45
For You #3 1976 demo 1:18
For You #4 1976 demo 1:21
2. In Love
"What more do I have 2 say? I really wanna play in your river."

3. Soft And Wet
Soft & Wet #1 (1976)
Soft & Wet #2 (1976)
Hey lover, All I wanna see is the love in your eyes
And all I wanna hear is your sweet love sighs
Hey lover, All I wanna feel is your burning flame

4. Crazy You
U got a strange way about cha
Kinda crazy, but I love U just the same
Cuz U, oh U make me wanna do
Oh, everything
I'm just a crazy fool
Lost in a world of love I get from crazy U
Oh, I'm so strung out thinking 'bout the crazy things U do
Crazy U

5. Just As Long As We're Together co-lead:Andre Cymone
Just as Long as We're Together #1 3:44
Just as Long as We're Together #2 5:47
Just as Long as We're Together #3 5:57
Nothin' that will break us apart
Girl, I got 2 always have U in my hair
Gotta always have U in my heart

6. Baby
Baby (alt. version) 1976 early version 3:13
Baby (Instrumental) 1976, instrumental version of released song 3:21
Baby Baby Baby 1976 For You outtake 2:52

I hope our baby has eyes just like yours

7. My Love Is Forever

U're the wind and the rain
And U've got a river that takes away my pain
U're the sky that's oh so blue

8. So Blue

Baby, don't U know?
I spend my nights all alone talking 2 myself
I am so blue

9. I'm Yours
And naughty things that we could do danced within my head

Anyone who has this album/or the song If U Feel Like Dancin' noticed the keyboard melody is the same used for the Times the Walk?

If U C Me by 94 East Prince took the words and did the 1999 outtake Do Yourself a Favour

Anyone who hasn't heard these songs should, it's a must, for those interested in Prince and music/times that influence the Prince's music and the 1st 2 album especially

Track Listings side 1
1. If You Feel Like Dancin'
2. Lovin' Cup
3. Games
4. Just Another Sucker
5. Dance to the Music of the World
6. One Man Jam

Track Listing side 2
1. If You See Me
2. Games
3. I'll Always Love You
4. Better Than You Think
5. If We Don't
6. You Can Be My Teacher
7. Love Love Love
8. Dance To The Music Of The World
9. If You See Me First
10. Better Than You Think


[Edited 9/3/09 16:40pm]
[Edited 9/4/09 7:46am]

Leaving For New York
This is one of the most accomplished and interesting unreleased songs from the pre-For You years. Prince demoed the song on a cassette recorder in 1976 and recorded a version of it at Moonsound the same year. It is a gentle piano ballad with some very "Princely" lines, including probably what is his first use of the words "purple", "rain" and "dawn". The song is addressed to a lover, "a love extraordinaire", he is leaving behind as he is going to New York. She is in pain but he assures her that she will "overcome that misery". Oddly enough, the lyrics never specifies why Prince is going to New York.


Leaving For New York

Sitting there on the purple lawn
U've been there since dawn
Wonderin' why I've gone
And 4 just 2 long

U're sorry U gave into me
Giving up your virginity
U're so afraid that U will be
So alone away from me

Though I said I'd never leave U
This is something that I must do
But I never will forget U
Unless U forget 2 come into my dream

Leaving 4 New York in the morning
But I'm leaving behind a love extraordinaire
But I'm taking with me memories of when we made love
And all the other lovely feelings that we share

U overcome that misery
Passed up by life's complexity
Picturing your love around me
Only adds 2 your agony

U're undisturbed by the rain
Your pain must be 2 strong
And even though U wait in vain
U'll wait 4 me no matter how long

Though I said I'd never leave U
This is something that I must do
But I never will forget U
Unless U forget 2 come into my dream

CHORUS:
I'm leaving 4 New York in the morning
But I'm leaving behind a love extraordinaire
But I'm taking with me memories of when we made love
And all the other lovely feelings that we share

AMAAAAAZING THREAD!!!! I absolutely enjoyed reading every bit of it...woah!! Very interesting! Gotta bookmark this.


Thanx a lot OldFriends4sale

Bookmarked too!
amazing!

thanks old friend

OldFriends4Sale said:

The time had arrived, Prince believed, to begin shopping his music to labels in the hope of getting a contract. He had essentially outgrown the need for Moon as a colaborator, and asked him instead to begin serving as a manager. The Englishman declined, however. "The piece I don't do," he responded, "is booking your hotel, making sure you're wearing the right kind of clothes. I'm not interested in that."

Showing remarkable confidence, Prince decided to approach record companies on his own. Armed with a four-song demo tape he flew to New York, where he stayed with his his half sister Sharon Nelson. Predictably, labels were unwilling to meet with an unknown teenager. Frustrated, Prince called Moon and urged him to contact record labels. Moon relented and did as asked, although no one returned his calls either.

Moon then seived on a bolder approach. He contacted Atlantic Records and claimed to a secretary that he represented Stevie Wonder; moments later, an executive called back. Summoning all of the confidence he could muster, Moon admitted that he did not handle Wonder but claimed he had something better to offer. "I'm representing Princ," Moon said "If you like Stevie Wonder, you're gonna love my artist. He's only 18, he plays all the instruments, and he's not blind."

Moon's audacity landed Prince and audience with Atlantic records, but the label came away unimpressed with the tape. The Moonsound demo was simply not slick or professional enough for presentation to major labels. Disappointed but undaunted, Prince hunkered down in his sister's apartment and pondered his next step.

Leaving 4 New York & Soft n Wet were 2 of those songs on the demo

You
"You" is one of the most original songs recorded during The Rebels sessions: a hard, driving, guitar-fuelled rock tune with a fast pulse and playful synth effects. Gayle Chapman sings lead vocals in falsetto. The song was drastically updated in 1987 and re-titled "U". It was that recording from which Paula Abdul's version is based.



You
U, U got a sexy way about U baby, U
U, U get so hard I don't know what to do

CHORUS:
U
U

U, U drive my girls 2 rape U now, U
U, all the girls they go ape over U (Yeah!)

U!

U, if I should die it'd be because of U
It's true, I'd kill myself if I didn't make-up 2 U




[Edited 9/8/09 10:48am]

Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad?

One of my favorites and glad to hear this in his recent rehearsals

Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?

There's some talk going 'round town
That U really don't give a damn
They say U really put me down
When I'm doing the best I can
I gave U all of my love
I even gave U my body
Tell me baby, ain't that enough?
What more do U want me 2 do?

I play the fool when we're 2gether
But I cry when we're apart, yeah
I couldn't do U no better
Don't break what's left of my broken heart, baby

CHORUS:
Why U wanna treat me so bad when U know I love U?
How can U do this 2 me when U know I care?
Why U wanna treat me so bad when U know I love U?

U know I try so hard
2 keep U satisfied
Sometimes U play the part
Sometimes U're so full of pride
And if it's still good 2 ya
Why U wanna treat me so bad?
U used 2 love it when I'd do ya
U used 2 say I was the best U'd ever had

I play the fool when we're 2gether
I give U everything I can, yeah
And if it's still good 2 ya
There's just somethin' that I can't understand


[Edited 9/23/09 8:22am]