An international 3121 CD Tour has begun and we asked The NPG rep on the road 2 keep the Club in4med on how it's going. Check out their ongoing reports, more 2 come:

CD Tour, Part 1 - The Beginning
The story begins with a phone call:
"R u available 2 do some international listening sessions 4 the 3121 CD?" Wow, what an oppor2nity. Eye said yes right away, didn't need details. A few days later, a travel itinerary arrives: 3 continents, 6 countries and 20 listening sessions in 2 weeks. With Universal's help, all major media and music retailers in each region would get 2 hear the album b4 its release without being able 2 leak any priveleged in4mation. This project is completely under wraps: there's no tracklisting, no artwork, no background in4mation on any of the trax. The music will speak 4 itself.

This is huge.

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B4 catching a flight 2 Sydney, Australia, eye'm handed a CD-R of 3121. After testing a few seconds of each track in my CD player, eye package the cd in a sturdy case and sandwich it between other CDs in my bag. 3121 will b at my side at all times 4 the next 2 weeks.

Eye meet the Universal representative who's traveling with me on this whirlwind tour, and off we go.

CD Tour, Part 2 - Sydney
We meet some local Universal reps in Sydney and r driven 2 the offices of Sanity, Australia's largest music retailer. We scope out the conference room, disconnect all the teleconferencing gear. Security is xtra tight: no phones, no portable electronics, nothing that could possibly record any audio. We air the videos 4 Black Sweat, Te Amo Corazon and play 3121 straight thru. Everyone in the office is amazed with the CD, from the young, fresh-out-of-school folx on up 2 the senior staffers. This CD is going 2 b bigger than big and they know it; u could c it on their faces.

Eye grab the CD and later that day we're shuttled 2 a swanky niteclub rented specifically 4 two more listening sessions. The media, some mobile media folx and others at Universal who will work on album promotion will attend. A decent JBL sound system pumps the ahdio and the vibe instantly trans4ms in2 one of those slammin' all-nite afterparties even tho it's early afternoon. Heads r bobbing, folx r dancing in their seats as they take notes.

The videos and the CD get massive rounds of applause -- bear in mind most of these r journalists who wouldn't b seen clapping at an event they're reporting on. We hear nothing but positive comments from everyone. As one journo put it, "this album is positively sexy." Some ask us when Prince will tour Australia, and many of them r still raving about the legendary aftershow per4mance at The Basement jazz club back in '03.

The buzz begins. Next stop, Tokyo.

--- 2 b continued ----

Check the N.E.W.S. forum in the U TELL US message boards 4 all the latest updates.

cracktacular!

cranktastic, i LOVE it!