Like everyone I'm always interested in hearing the outakes/other songs etc from Prince's career but should we be listening to them?

I'm pretty sure Prince wouldn't approve of us hearing unfinished ideas or sketches-I know as a musician too,I wouldn't want anyone hearing my unfinished or unpolished material.

I do what's called production music for a living-basically music for tv and film and i'd say I write about 90-100 tracks a year for that but there's also another 40 or so that don't get used beacause I don't think they're good enough.

Now I know that's not the same as actual songs-they're even more personal but there's definitely a reason why all his other songs got left off the albums.

I really love that the albums are getting remastered because I want to hear Prince with the best possible sound and am intrigued by the outakes/demos(although I do think there's only a handful that come anywhere close to being as strong as the released material) but at the same time it doesn't quite sit right for me.

Anyone else or is it just me?!

When asked about the vault Prince said, he wouldn't release it, but somebody would some day. So yeah, in terms of Prince's wishes, it's fine to be listening to the releases.

Yes but not on Spotify.

I think a certain amount of adjustment is required because the Prince myth is that he had albums of finished work, but in fact most of it is not finished. The songwriting is finished, and the recording process is finished enough for a decent mix, but the final tweaks/overdubs and mixing decisions will never be known.

TheEnglishGent said:

When asked about the vault Prince said, he wouldn't release it, but somebody would some day. So yeah, in terms of Prince's wishes, it's fine to be listening to the releases.

He said alot of things!

I just wonder if, had he made a will, there would have been a stipulation about which songs or who would work on them etc

jaawwnn said:

Yes but not on Spotify.

I think a certain amount of adjustment is required because the Prince myth is that he had albums of finished work, but in fact most of it is not finished. The songwriting is finished, and the recording process is finished enough for a decent mix, but the final tweaks/overdubs and mixing decisions will never be known.

Which were often the things that took an ok Prince song to being a great one

i mentioned the same thing awhile back... it seems so sinister to go through this man's personal files and tapes and paperwork, and start selling all his shit ...theres a bunch of vultures and snakes and vampires in the music/entertainment industry...its always been that way when artists die

mrjj71 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

When asked about the vault Prince said, he wouldn't release it, but somebody would some day. So yeah, in terms of Prince's wishes, it's fine to be listening to the releases.

He said alot of things!

I just wonder if, had he made a will, there would have been a stipulation about which songs or who would work on them etc

If Prince wanted any stipulations made about what should or shouldn't be done, then he would have made a will. If he really wanted to, he could have erased songs he didn't want released. He didn't though, so from my point of view it is fine.

Obviously people can make their minds up for themselves though. If you aren't comfortable listening, then don't listen. I know I'd rather keep hearing music from the man than for everything to just have stopped when he died. For me it's just enhancing his legacy.

dumb thread.

lustmealways said:

dumb thread.

to honor prince's wishes, anytime i want to listen to movie star, i force myself to listen to jam of the year first. it's how he would've wanted it.

lustmealways said:

lustmealways said:

dumb thread.

to honor prince's wishes, anytime i want to listen to movie star, i force myself to listen to jam of the year first. it's how he would've wanted it.

do u yell "the christ" really loud over the cross so as not to hur princes feelings when listening to your bootleg sott deluxe box set?

mrjj71 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

When asked about the vault Prince said, he wouldn't release it, but somebody would some day. So yeah, in terms of Prince's wishes, it's fine to be listening to the releases.

He said alot of things!

I just wonder if, had he made a will, there would have been a stipulation about which songs or who would work on them etc

The fact that he didn't make a will suggests he didn't have any strong feelings about it.

Yes. Yes, we should. Every chance we get.

i wonder this too, but dyou think prince didnt listen to james brown or hendrix bootlegs or unreleased/unofficial material? i doubt it! so he would understand.

lustmealways said:

dumb thread.

Just 'cos you don't agree doesn't make it dumb!

TheEnglishGent said:

mrjj71 said:

He said alot of things!

I just wonder if, had he made a will, there would have been a stipulation about which songs or who would work on them etc

If Prince wanted any stipulations made about what should or shouldn't be done, then he would have made a will. If he really wanted to, he could have erased songs he didn't want released. He didn't though, so from my point of view it is fine.

Obviously people can make their minds up for themselves though. If you aren't comfortable listening, then don't listen. I know I'd rather keep hearing music from the man than for everything to just have stopped when he died. For me it's just enhancing his legacy.

I agree re.the will.

From a musician's point of view...no-one erases material really.

And is releasing sub-par material really enhancing his legacy??

Let's be honest there's perhaps 15 or so real gems,the rest are curiousities/sketches/demos/jams

mrjj71 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

If Prince wanted any stipulations made about what should or shouldn't be done, then he would have made a will. If he really wanted to, he could have erased songs he didn't want released. He didn't though, so from my point of view it is fine.

Obviously people can make their minds up for themselves though. If you aren't comfortable listening, then don't listen. I know I'd rather keep hearing music from the man than for everything to just have stopped when he died. For me it's just enhancing his legacy.

I agree re.the will.

From a musician's point of view...no-one erases material really.

And is releasing sub-par material really enhancing his legacy??

Let's be honest there's perhaps 15 or so real gems,the rest are curiousities/sketches/demos/jams

I want to hear the curiousities/sketches/demos/jams though. They're really interesting and often very good.

His legacy is intact, it ain't going anywhere and a few demos aren't going to tarnish it. No one outside the devoted is interested anyway.

[Edited 9/24/20 9:26am]

mrjj71 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

If Prince wanted any stipulations made about what should or shouldn't be done, then he would have made a will. If he really wanted to, he could have erased songs he didn't want released. He didn't though, so from my point of view it is fine.

Obviously people can make their minds up for themselves though. If you aren't comfortable listening, then don't listen. I know I'd rather keep hearing music from the man than for everything to just have stopped when he died. For me it's just enhancing his legacy.

I agree re.the will.

From a musician's point of view...no-one erases material really.

And is releasing sub-par material really enhancing his legacy??

Let's be honest there's perhaps 15 or so real gems,the rest are curiousities/sketches/demos/jams

Sub par? 15 gems? Opinions, we've all got them.

TheEnglishGent said:

mrjj71 said:

I agree re.the will.

From a musician's point of view...no-one erases material really.

And is releasing sub-par material really enhancing his legacy??

Let's be honest there's perhaps 15 or so real gems,the rest are curiousities/sketches/demos/jams

Sub par? 15 gems? Opinions, we've all got them.

We do!

But yep...in my opinion.

A difference of opinion is always healthy though and I hope you have a great weekend!

You can't be "pretty sure" about anything because you weren't there, nor were any of us in Prince's mind. He said someday someone would release his music. And that's exactly what's happening.

TrevorAyer said:

do u yell "the christ" really loud over the cross so as not to hur princes feelings when listening to your bootleg sott deluxe box set?

yes. i've also gone through all of prince's songs containing swear words and removed all of them using audacity.

mrjj71 said:

LoveGalore said:

Wasn't there an interview from 1999 with kurt loder or whoever it was in which he said that he's planning to release stuff from his vault and that one day someone else would have to do it because he can't do it all by himself in his lifetime?

mrjj71 said:

Just 'cos you don't agree doesn't make it dumb!

sorry. you're right. i just saw your question at a time when i was almost in tears listening to the official release of all my dreams thinking how much i love this guy and his music so i responded in a reactionary way.

like others have said, he knew it would all come out some day, and if he wanted control over the process he should've gotten his affairs in order prior to his passing.

mrjj71 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

If Prince wanted any stipulations made about what should or shouldn't be done, then he would have made a will. If he really wanted to, he could have erased songs he didn't want released. He didn't though, so from my point of view it is fine.

Obviously people can make their minds up for themselves though. If you aren't comfortable listening, then don't listen. I know I'd rather keep hearing music from the man than for everything to just have stopped when he died. For me it's just enhancing his legacy.

Let's be honest there's perhaps 15 or so real gems,the rest are curiousities/sketches/demos/jams

Aight, nevermind, I think the discussion really ends here.... 15 or so real gems. Have you listened to everything inside the vault? No? then how can you post something like that?

lustmealways said:

ThatWhiteDude said:

mrjj71 said:

ThatWhiteDude said:

Aight, nevermind, I think the discussion really ends here.... 15 or so real gems. Have you listened to everything inside the vault? No? then how can you post something like that?

Out of everything in circulation.. Not the entire vault

Then your comment and the whole thread makes even less sense tbh.

ThatWhiteDude said: