Prince's Paisley Park Records started off promisingly,with top-notch releases by The Family,Sheila E. and Mazarati.But by the late 80s,the label was struggling and most of the releases were flops.In 1992,when Prince signed that massive deal with Warners,it was reported that Warners were gonna start pumping alot more money into the label but a few years later,they shut the label down.

What went wrong? What do you think Prince should have done differently?

Like most vanity labels, Prince got bored with it and didn't want to put much of his own money into it. With Warners giving the label to him to keep him happy, they weren't particularly bothered with stumping up cash for promotion/marketing.

Would you fund the vanity label of an artist who was writing "slave" on his face and bashing you in the media?

Prince didn't really want the Artists on PP to succeed and do better than him.

carlcranshaw said:

Prince didn't really want the Artists on PP to succeed and do better than him.

Two words: boredom and competition.

Adisa said:

carlcranshaw said:

Prince didn't really want the Artists on PP to succeed and do better than him.

yep. One thing you can give to Madonna- she didn't mind Alanis Morrisette kicking her ass on her owm label- casue she got PAID. It really showed Princes failure as a business person. I heard he spent MILLIONS on Carmen's album and WB simply did not want it.

^ You saw how he treated The Time? He was scared the band could've kicked his ass in the studio hence why he only used Morris and his own backing band to front on the records.

SoulAlive said:

What went wrong? What do you think Prince should have done differently?

Did you post these two releases on purpose to illustrate why the label tanked?!

As everyone said - it was a vanity label, there was little or no promotion put into the releases.

This does not take away from the quality of the music - it started out with great releases - The Family, Mazarati, Jill Jones, Madhouse, but turned to mush pretty much the same time Prince's music started to decline. There were few interesting releases later on - the George Clinton albums are rubbish. The exception is Ingrid Chavez which is one of the most interesting releases on the label.

A wasted opportunity, but how much did Prince really want it to succeed? He wanted to put the music out, but obviously he wasn't too bothered about it getting heard by the biggest audience possible.

carlcranshaw said:

Prince didn't really want the Artists on PP to succeed and do better than him.

Yep.....U SAW what happened w/The Time!!!!! The Family COULDA been next & Mazarati SHOULDA been next!!!!!

Y'all can say what U want about Rick James- at LEAST He gave HIS artists the spotlight & shine w/out all those SUCKA moves. Bottom Line: LET 'EM SHINE!!!!! U GETTIN' PAID ANYWAY!!!!!

BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Here are some things that Prince could have done to make Paisley Park Records a successful label:

***Utlilize the talents of Andre Cymone---Paisley Park Records needed some great in-house producers/songwriters.Andre should have been offered a position like this.We all saw what he did with Jody Watley...imagine if he had been allowed to produce Jill Jones? Her album might have had a few hits.

***Keep up with what's going on in the industry---In the early 90s,R&B boy groups were a big deal.Groups like Boys II Men and Jodeci were selling millions.Where was Paisley Park's boy group?

***Sign truly talented,interesting artists---Great artists like Tony Toni Tone! and Meshell Ndegeocello came very close to being signed to Paisley.Instead,Paisley signed artists like T.C.Ellis,Carmen Elektra and Good Question

Genesia said:

Would you fund the vanity label of an artist who was writing "slave" on his face and bashing you in the media?

Very good point.I knew that when Prince started dissing Warners in 1993,they were gonna retaliate somehow They shut down Paisley Park Records in March 1994.

NouveauDance said:

SoulAlive said:

What went wrong? What do you think Prince should have done differently?

Did you post these two releases on purpose to illustrate why the label tanked?!

As everyone said - it was a vanity label, there was little or no promotion put into the releases.

This does not take away from the quality of the music - it started out with great releases - The Family, Mazarati, Jill Jones, Madhouse, but turned to mush pretty much the same time Prince's music started to decline. There were few interesting releases later on - the George Clinton albums are rubbish. The exception is Ingrid Chavez which is one of the most interesting releases on the label.

A wasted opportunity, but how much did Prince really want it to succeed? He wanted to put the music out, but obviously he wasn't too bothered about it getting heard by the biggest audience possible.

Yeah,it was a "vanity label".Such a shame,though.The first few years (1985-87) showed alot of promise.Things went downhill after that.

Zannaloaf said:

Adisa said:

yep. One thing you can give to Madonna- she didn't mind Alanis Morrisette kicking her ass on her own label- casue she got PAID. It really showed Princes failure as a business person. I heard he spent MILLIONS on Carmen's album and WB simply did not want it.

over $2 million was spent on the Carmen Elektra album.When her CD flopped,Warners said "enough is enough" and shut the label down.I think they were getting tired of wasting money on questionable projects.

Here's Entertainment Weekly's review of the 1-800 New Funk compilation:

1-800-New Funk

Reviewed by David Browne | Aug 19, 1994

Prince makes a few cameos as arranger and writer on 1-800-New Funk, a compilation of artists formerly known as Paisley Park contractees before that label collapsed last fall. The album amounts to unintentional evidence of why the company failed. Except for vets like Mavis Staples, none of the new blood, including his latest protegee, Mayte, distinguish themselves; they could just as well be secretaries and bodyguards at his compound. Knowing what we do about (Prince symbol appears here), they may just be. 1-800-New Funk: C+

This review brings up an interesting point.With few exceptions,Prince wasn't signing "real" artists to his label.He was signing girlfriends and close friends.He did this in the 80s as well,but by the time the 90s rolled around,I think people were getting tired of that act.Radio programmers ignored the Carmen Elektra album,thinking "she's just another Vanity...just another chick that Prince is sleeping with",lol.

When Paisley Park Records was shut down in early 1994,there were a few albums that had been planned for released but were now cancelled:

*Rosie Gaines 'Concrete Jungle'

*Tyler Collins' album

*Belize (the debut album from this reggae band)

from Wikipedia....

Paisley Park Records

Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota

Paisley Park Records was Prince's record label, associated with and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain. The label shares its name with Prince's recording complex Paisley Park Studios and the song "Paisley Park" on his 1985 Around the World in a Day album.^[1]

[edit] History

The studio was designed by architect firm BOTO Design Inc, of Santa Monica, California, and was completed in 1988. It contains a recording and stage complex, and covers 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²).

Artists who recorded for Paisley Park include The Time, Sheila E., The Family, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Rosie Gaines, Carmen Electra, Jill Jones, The Three O'Clock, Ingrid Chavez, Dale Bozzio, and Taja Sevelle.

While Prince had great chart success in the 1980s, the success did generally not transfer to other acts. With the exception of Sheila E.'s 1985 album Romance 1600 (also the label's debut non-Prince release), Tevin Campbell's single "Round and Round", and The Time's 1990 release, "Pandemonium", the label never had any commercial successes by artists other than Prince. In 1994, amid Prince's feud with Warner Bros., Warner ended its distribution deal with Paisley Park, effectively closing the label. Prince later started NPG Records.

Paisley Park Records also released albums by Mazarati, Good Question, Madhouse, Eric Leeds, and the late Tony LeMans, whose debut album was produced by David Gamson of Scritti Politti. Also of note, the President of Operations for the label was Alan Leeds, brother of saxophonist Eric Leeds, who played sax in Sheila E.'s band, The Family and also toured with The New Power Generation. Alan won a Grammy for writing the liner notes for a James Brown album, and at one point served as Prince's tour manager on several tours. Craig Rice also served as President shortly after Alan Leeds left.

Prince's management firm at the time, Cavallo, Ruffalo & Fargnoli, affectionately known as the "Spaghetti Bros.", began signing artists to the label, at times even without Prince's knowledge or permission. That precipitated the beginning of the end to a successful partnership. Shortly after firing the management team, lawsuits ensued and it was discovered that the label was mismanaged from the outset, with Warner Bros. taking heavy losses due to exorbitant advances paid to Prince and his management team for the label. Warner Bros. also helped to pay for the recording studio built in Chanhassen, a US$10 million world-class recording facility that also was a soundstage. Warner executives insisted on a return on their investment, which resulted in several major artists recording their albums at Paisley Park Studios, at times even against Prince's wishes.

Paisley Park Records folded with Prince retaining the masters of all artists, artists advances that were kept by the company, and no support from the label. All releases are out of print, including releases by George Clinton, whose albums recorded on Prince's label are the only recordings of his that are currently out of print.

There were catalog numbers for both the original pressing of The Black Album (25677) and for Camille, but they were canceled and abandoned and, therefore, it can be said that both of those albums (which showcase the Camille alter ego) and certainly the numerous unreleased music and full length films and video work that are known to have been created in Prince's state-of-the-art Paisley Park studios are among the rarest of the Prince catalog on the Paisley Park record label.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Prince albums

• 1985: Prince and The Revolution: Around the World in a Day
• 1986: Prince and The Revolution: Parade
• 1987: Prince: Sign "☮" the Times
• 1988: Prince: Lovesexy
• 1990: Prince: Graffiti Bridge
• 1991: Prince and The New Power Generation: Diamonds and Pearls
• 1992: Prince and the New Power Generation: Love Symbol
• 1993: Prince: The Hits/The B-Sides

[edit] Other albums

• 1985: Sheila E.: Romance 1600
• 1985: The Family: The Family
• 1986: Mazarati: Mazarati
• 1987: Sheila E.: Sheila E.
• 1987: Taja Sevelle: Taja Sevelle§
• 1987: Jill Jones: Jill Jones
• 1987: Madhouse: 8
• 1987: Madhouse: 16
• 1988: Dale Bozzio: Riot in English
• 1988: The Three O'Clock: Vermillion§
• 1988: Good Question: Good Question
• 1989: Tony LeMans: Tony LeMans§
• 1989: George Clinton: The Cinderella Theory
• 1989: Mavis Staples: Time Waits for No One
• 1989: Kahoru Kohiruimaki: Time The Motion^[2] (Japanese release only)
• 1990: The Time: Pandemonium§
• 1990: Kahoru Kohiruimaki: Time The Motion Live (Japanese release only)
• 1991: T.C. Ellis: True Confessions^[3]
• 1991: Eric Leeds: Times Squared
• 1992: Ingrid Chavez: May 19, 1992
• 1993: George Clinton: Hey Man, Smell My Finger
• 1993: Carmen Electra: Carmen Electra
• 1993: Mavis Staples: The Voice
• 1993: Eric Leeds: Things Left Unsaid

SoulAlive said:

Here are some things that Prince could have done to make Paisley Park Records a successful label:

***Utlilize the talents of Andre Cymone---Paisley Park Records needed some great in-house producers/songwriters.Andre should have been offered a position like this.We all saw what he did with Jody Watley...imagine if he had been allowed to produce Jill Jones? Her album might have had a few hits.

***Keep up with what's going on in the industry---In the early 90s,R&B boy groups were a big deal.Groups like Boys II Men and Jodeci were selling millions.Where was Paisley Park's boy group?

***Sign truly talented,interesting artists---Great artists like Tony Toni Tone! and Meshell Ndegeocello came very close to being signed to Paisley.Instead,Paisley signed artists like T.C.Ellis,Carmen Elektra and Good Question

You do know that Prince is a control freak, right? All he really had to do was hire a seasoned vet to run the company and get the hell out of his/ her way. But PP's demise was not unlike the demise of all the other vanity labels given mostly to hot producers. LaFace was the only one doing big things for a while...and Quincy's label, kind of.

Adisa said:

SoulAlive said:

Here are some things that Prince could have done to make Paisley Park Records a successful label:

***Utlilize the talents of Andre Cymone---Paisley Park Records needed some great in-house producers/songwriters.Andre should have been offered a position like this.We all saw what he did with Jody Watley...imagine if he had been allowed to produce Jill Jones? Her album might have had a few hits.

***Keep up with what's going on in the industry---In the early 90s,R&B boy groups were a big deal.Groups like Boys II Men and Jodeci were selling millions.Where was Paisley Park's boy group?

***Sign truly talented,interesting artists---Great artists like Tony Toni Tone! and Meshell Ndegeocello came very close to being signed to Paisley.Instead,Paisley signed artists like T.C.Ellis,Carmen Elektra and Good Question

You do know that Prince is a control freak, right? All he really had to do was hire a seasoned vet to run the company and get the hell out of his/ her way. But PP's demise was not unlike the demise of all the other vanity labels given mostly to hot producers. LaFace was the only one doing big things for a while...and Quincy's label, kind of.

Yeah,I know he's a control freak but if he had been willing to put his ego aside for the good of the label,Paisley Park might have thrived.Prince was spreading himself too thin....doing movies,tours,and his own albums.He needed to hire some in-house producers and there was no lack of talent around him.

Timmy84 said:

^ You saw how he treated The Time? He was scared the band could've kicked his ass in the studio hence why he only used Morris and his own backing band to front on the records.

Live, maybe.

Prince had no intentions of letting anyone else interfere with HIS vision that is The Time regardless of their live prowess. It was his project - they just happened to be the vehicle and he largely left those groups to their own devices with little input.

If The Time had wanted to leave and make a new record by themselves, they woulda/coulda/shoulda, but they simply broke up and went their separate ways. I am not convinced The Time, as a group, are anything to pay attention to when it comes to the studio and composition.

But they make pretty good session musicians.

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

^ You saw how he treated The Time? He was scared the band could've kicked his ass in the studio hence why he only used Morris and his own backing band to front on the records.

Live, maybe.

Prince had no intentions of letting anyone else interfere with HIS vision that is The Time regardless of their live prowess. It was his project - they just happened to be the vehicle and he largely left those groups to their own devices with little input.

If The Time had wanted to leave and make a new record by themselves, they woulda/coulda/shoulda, but they simply broke up and went their separate ways. I am not convinced The Time, as a group, are anything to pay attention to when it comes to the studio and composition.

But they make pretty good session musicians.

You're right but it just weirds me out that he was so intimidated by them as live musicians.

Timmy84 said:

Spinlight said:

Live, maybe.

Prince had no intentions of letting anyone else interfere with HIS vision that is The Time regardless of their live prowess. It was his project - they just happened to be the vehicle and he largely left those groups to their own devices with little input.

If The Time had wanted to leave and make a new record by themselves, they woulda/coulda/shoulda, but they simply broke up and went their separate ways. I am not convinced The Time, as a group, are anything to pay attention to when it comes to the studio and composition.

But they make pretty good session musicians.

You're right but it just weirds me out that he was so intimidated by them as live musicians.

I think it's insecurity. On one hand, he had them in his pocket. They were contracted, singing/playing his songs, HE was doing the records all himself and thus getting the praise (indirectly or not), and yet... They weren't just some cruddy band off the street playing dress up. They were the real deal.

Prince must have known he was the eye of that storm. Without him, they all just flew off in different directions. Without him, they have yet to truly become whole again.

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

You're right but it just weirds me out that he was so intimidated by them as live musicians.

I think it's insecurity. On one hand, he had them in his pocket. They were contracted, singing/playing his songs, HE was doing the records all himself and thus getting the praise (indirectly or not), and yet... They weren't just some cruddy band off the street playing dress up. They were the real deal.

Prince must have known he was the eye of that storm. Without him, they all just flew off in different directions. Without him, they have yet to truly become whole again.

True.

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

^ You saw how he treated The Time? He was scared the band could've kicked his ass in the studio hence why he only used Morris and his own backing band to front on the records.

Live, maybe.

Prince had no intentions of letting anyone else interfere with HIS vision that is The Time regardless of their live prowess. It was his project - they just happened to be the vehicle and he largely left those groups to their own devices with little input.

If The Time had wanted to leave and make a new record by themselves, they woulda/coulda/shoulda, but they simply broke up and went their separate ways. I am not convinced The Time, as a group, are anything to pay attention to when it comes to the studio and composition.

But they make pretty good session musicians.

Yeah- That Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis never could write worth a damn....

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

You're right but it just weirds me out that he was so intimidated by them as live musicians.

I think it's insecurity. On one hand, he had them in his pocket. They were contracted, singing/playing his songs, HE was doing the records all himself and thus getting the praise (indirectly or not), and yet... They weren't just some cruddy band off the street playing dress up. They were the real deal.

Prince must have known he was the eye of that storm. Without him, they all just flew off in different directions. Without him, they have yet to truly become whole again.

You mean after he fired two members and constantly demoralized the band?

Zannaloaf said:

Spinlight said:

I think it's insecurity. On one hand, he had them in his pocket. They were contracted, singing/playing his songs, HE was doing the records all himself and thus getting the praise (indirectly or not), and yet... They weren't just some cruddy band off the street playing dress up. They were the real deal.

Prince must have known he was the eye of that storm. Without him, they all just flew off in different directions. Without him, they have yet to truly become whole again.

You mean after he fired two members and constantly demoralized the band?

I suppose it didn't matter much whether he fired them or not. The rest could've left. They didn't.

And yes, Jimmy and Terry are decent writers. Definitely knew how to make a hit.

However, The Time (as a band together) were not equal to the sum of their parts.

SoulAlive said:

Adisa said:

You do know that Prince is a control freak, right? All he really had to do was hire a seasoned vet to run the company and get the hell out of his/ her way. But PP's demise was not unlike the demise of all the other vanity labels given mostly to hot producers. LaFace was the only one doing big things for a while...and Quincy's label, kind of.

Yeah,I know he's a control freak but if he had been willing to put his ego aside for the good of the label,Paisley Park might have thrived. Prince was spreading himself too thin....doing movies,tours,and his own albums.He needed to hire some in-house producers and there was no lack of talent around him.

But that also led to the demise of a lot of vanity labels and production companies. The label and production companies finds some decent talent, that talent scores a hit, the labels throw ridiculous money at the labels and production companies, lots of irons are placed in the fire, label and company folds, owner or producer's career crashes big time and/or face financial woes. Teddy Riley? Michael Bivins? DeVante? That fool was sitting of a gold mine and blew it big time. These artists and producers believe they have the Midas touch. Probably a good mix of ego and manic episodes at times.

Seems like the failure had to do with no great singles coming out of the label outside of Prince's own albums. No product = failure.

ufoclub said:

Seems like the failure had to do with no great singles coming out of the label outside of Prince's own albums. No product = failure.

I think it was that and a lot of other things. It added more to Prince's failure in trying to create a business that wasn't successful. He could've had an empire in the '80s if you think about, he had hits with other artists he either simply wrote (with others producing as was the case with the Bangles and Sinead O'Connor) or writing and producing (most of the acts that worked with him in Minneapolis), I think if he wasn't so in tune with HIS own music, maybe he could've cultivated on it but I'm realizing that even most of the songs he had for other people even within the Paisley Park label were mainly his records but with other artists singing it in the way he commanded it. Hardly no one he worked with literally was allowed to interpret unless you was a legend like Mavis Staples or Chaka Khan or even Larry Graham. Most of the others simply sung the way the way Prince had sung it on the demos without much imagination to it (songs from the Family's album could've been better had it not sound like a Prince record sung by another act, same with the Time's songs though I loved most of them).

In fact, I think Prince's troubles were similar to that of later artists like R. Kelly and previous artists like James Brown and Sly Stone (and even Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye). They all had hits with other artists but it was more related to the artist than the group/solo artist with exceptions. In which they find a reputation writing and producing a big hit but struggled to continue with the trend as more personal issues led to them creating their own music. In the case of Prince with his label, I think he just plain gave up plus with his ongoing problems with Warner Bros. it was impossible.

[Edited 8/3/11 15:30pm]

lack of talent