(posted elsewhere):

FWIW, on the banners they flash at the bottom of the screen on CNN:

"'One Nite Alone': title of first ever live album by Prince. Release date unconfirmed."

Good to see our guy getting some run on the national news that doesn't emphasize how wierd he is - or some such thing. Really, I can't remember the last time I noticed him being mentioned on the news at all since he changed his name back to Prince.

I smell at least a modest hit if he handles this right.

[Also thanks to 'joshmos' for sending this in (actually, first, but with a bit less detail. -Ben]

herbthe4 said:

What does "if he handles this right" mean?

BLACKMF said:

Promotes the disc a bit, adveritise some, hits a few talk shows, composes it of exemplary performances and stellar material, omits a lot of the filler that sometimes finds its way into his releases.

It's about time baby gets his props!

BLACKMF said:

What do you think it means? Go on, have a guess.
[This message was edited Sun Aug 25 10:57:46 PDT 2002 by pald1]

herbthe4 said:

He did all this stuff for Rave (Well besides the exemplary performances) and it wasn't a hit.

D

lovemachine said:

Yeah but if Prince throws in some of his major hits...and say releases and promotes a live version of Purple Rain or what have you, then the comparion with Rave is not a good one.

ANY IDEA OF A DATE?
A live LP is a great idea!
It would even be better if a video cassette followed, wouldn't it?

BLACKMF said:[quote]

herbthe4 said:

Well, 1) He doesn't do a repeat performance of the Crystal Ball Fiasco. 2) He promotes it by doing TV performances, maybe release a single with a B-side. 3) Actually releases something he advertizes unlike the 7-CD sampler set, The One Maxi Single with Still The One as the B-side, the Crystal Ball Video Collection, Crystal Ball 2, etc...etc...etc...

Rudedog

How ever he promotes it, we the NPG will get it and won't have 2 pay Xtra 4 it. It's 4 us, the fam. If the rest of the world wants 2 join in after us, it's cool. Much love 2 Prince 4 putting us 1st... Bcause we R the people who will appreciate it the most.

Gemineye

I think you guys dont get it.
Prince can promote the hell out of the cd,have every great live performance he's done,hit the talk show circuit & get a major label to distribute the album and still it would not sell.Besides,if it did sell,how would we know ?

muleFunk said:

and your reason for this would be...?

whos gonna really buy this besides hardcore fans?..i dont think many people

Christopher said:

I don't know...I've been as skeptical as anyone as to whether P. will ever rack up decent numbers again, but just the fact that this was considered worthy of the "crawl" on CNN is kind of heartening, don't you think? I think a live album could sell...not like "The Eminem Show" but certainly better than TRC.

As for promotion...TV commercials are moving a lot of "event albums" these days, such as hits collections and so forth. I think there may be enough residual interest in a "live hits" package that it could get over...IF it's priced to move.

lovemachine said:

Yeah, but rave wasn't a very strong album. This is classic stuff on ONA. He's just come off the back of a successful tour and is once agin Prince. He was still using the symbol while promoting Rave, which still put off a lot of people. I am noticing more and more now that he has returned to Prince, that people are understainding the whole name change thing now. The whole industry fight is now more understandable because so many other artists have jumped on the bandwagon. Therefore, this is the perfect album to promote. I think it will do well if promoted correctly.

muleFunk said:

I have to disagree with you. When he did it with Emancipation it worked. More than 3 millions albums sold for a 3 cd set it's not bad is it?

3 million sold isn't that bad, but every time you bring up that figure, you're perpetuating an inaccuracy. The album actually sold less than one million copies (multiply that by 3 - (for each CD in the set) & you still don't get the 3 million).

Jarret said:

I've said before that there a lot of semi-curious, somewhat casual fans - eighties leftovers who still have Purple Rain, The Hits/B-Sides and 1999 in their rack - who might be interested in live material just based on Prince's reputation as a performer. Now if the "hits" are just piano medley reinterpretations, I don't think that'll cut it, and when i say "minor hit", I mean maybe a million copies or so.

I've also said that I really don't care about the charts. I'll have my copy eihter way, but if he wants to make a dent he probably could, "Rave" is NOT a fair comparison. Here you're dealing with material that a lot of people already like, not new stuff.

Since whenever has a 'live' album ever been more than a minor hit? I think more than anything live albums are bought only by avid fans, not casual fans. I don't think this is the release that is going to bring Prince back onto the 'world' stage.

I suppose there are live albums that are regarded as classics, but are there any huge selling ones out there? I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

mediadarling said:

You are right it didn't even sell close to 1 million copies. There were 1 million printed and they have not all sold. I just read a thread where someone saw Emancipation for $1.40 in a bargain bin.

well...as far as live albums go, eric clapton's "unplugged" did a lot to revive his sagging career at that point. that could happen here if it were promoted right, don'tcha think?


$.02.

--gm--

What Prince really needs, is a killer studio album, like the Rainbow Children, or possibly a slighly more commercial album, promoted by a major label, and a good World Tour, that actually goes outside of America.

I mean, look at Invincible by Michael Jackson. It was a mighty lame album, but with promotion it still sold several million.

well , i dont usually add anything .. or .. i start to ...and decide not to ... but i have to add a couple of $.01 to this discussion...

on the issue of "LIVE" albums and them "not selling" ... the same comment in regards to eric claptons "unplugged" always jumps to my mind also ... and .. how "fresh " that sounded ... and how EVERYONE had to do an unplugged album after that ... i would think ... if u truly believe that "LIVE" albums have not sold well in the past ... then perhaps .. Prince could be a pioneer in this sense ... the way i believe he could be ... (as CLapton was with the unplugged release)

i personally believe Prince should release a LIVE album ...and have said it ... for years ... I have seen him ... 4 times since 1997... in the front row ... in the 4th row ... in the cheap seats ... and most fams know ... he is awesome live ... i cant imagine a better performer live ... nuff said ...

I have always maintained ... that the popularity of Purple Rain ... was pushed even farther ... because ... the film made u feel like he was "LIVE" ... even tho ... we all know that it wasnt completely done live ... but that ... small club .. intimate atmosphere .. still makes a pretty lame storyline ... very entertaining ... IMO ...

as far as Rave ... and Emancipation ... my only comment is .. that ... if u think they are great albums ... and obviously some of u do ... (and i am perfectly "cool" with your opinions )... i just always look at the fact - on the tours ... does Prince really play anything off those albums ... I saw the Emancipation tour ... and he did "face down" (another great example of a song that sounded so much better Live ) ... but what else ... oops .. also "Jam of the Yr" ... but for a 3 album set ... to only do like 2 songs ( i realize that he sometimes did "sleep around" ... ) ...

my only point is ... to Prince ... that album wasnt that great ... just IMO...

I went to the "one night alone" concert ... not expecting too much ... of course ... as many of u have said ... i was kinda turned off ... by the lyrics to the rainbow children ... but i have to give Prince credit ... this tour is KICK ASS ... and it is apparent ...he has alot of passion for these songs ... count how many of the songs he is performing live ... and they do breath alot of life into ... the lil man ... and his music ...

again ... i will get beaten down on this one ... but ... just my opinions ... and it may be a GREAT TIME FOR A LIVE ALBUM ... and ... to round this conversation out ... its about time CNN covers the man ... next yr make the trip to Paisley Park LARRY KING ... !!!

Actually, I recall Prince saying a couple of times that Emancipation was his favorite album. And that's not just right after it was released either. It's obvious now why he doesn't perform songs from that album, and that's because of Mayte. As for back in 1996/97, I think it was just because he wanted to have huge stadium shows again filled with hits that he had sworn off since '93. It was strange though that he only did 2 or 3 songs from E back then. But I don't think it had a whole lot to do with it not being a quality album, or Prince not liking it. Plus, Prince is much more into challenging himself live now. Playing rare songs with an amazing band that is capable of doing anything. Do you think the band Prince had in 97 could play just anything? I mean, Rhonda are Morris Hayes were good, but other than that...

good points there john c. if i may elaborate on a couple points you made...

the emancipation tour pissed me off. i was going into it thinking "damn! i can't wait to hear how he does "style", "the love we make" and "slave" live!" (just a random selection of my personal faves there.) like in tours past, i thought the first half was going to be the new material, then he would pull the hits out for the second half of the show, i mean you know, there is a new product to promote here, right? jeez, was i wrong. "jam of the year" and "face down"...and all the old stuff you've heard forever, what a disappointment. i thought on the emancipation album it sounded to me like he was stretching out a bit, it was a little bit different sounding than a regular prince album (in my opinion anyways). and the fact that he didn't even attempt any of those songs live... well... from that point on, i was thinking the man had lost it. i don't go to see george clinton parliament/funkadelic anymore when they come to town, because they play the SAME DAMN SET EACH TIME OUT. they don't have anything to prove anymore. they're not hungry. i NEVER thought that would happen to prince. i thought if anything, he would WANT to remain vital, and not turn into an oldies act. when he came through with the hit and run tour, i didn't even go, it was heartbreaking for me to think that one of my heroes is taking the walk down the road to OLD FARTDOM.

but...

my opinion changed recently with the rainbow children. granted, it's not the BEST lp i think he has in him, but he gets severe points for stretching and growing on that one in my book. (i skipped mentioning Rave because i thought he sounded a little lost on that one, sorry. there was SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!!)

this new live album could be a big event, it may be even his return to grace...that is if he wants it to be. a mention on the ticker at the bottom of cnn headline news is nice...i don't think it qualifies as being a "big deal" though. can you picture this:: PRINCE:ONE NIGHT ALONE--MTV UNPLUGGED? then get on letterman, leno, hell... even conan o'brien and carson. people need to know that this man is ALIVE, and not just this relic from the past. it happened to eric clapton, it could happen to prince...like i said, if he wants it.

and if he doesn't...

well, I'LL take his music anyways. he'll always be fascinating to me, and i'm sure to a lot of you here as well.

ok that was my $1.50.

--gm--

mediadarling said:

Sorry I didn't know that but I still think 1 million is good for 3 cd set for Prince.

emanicipation being his "favorite album" ... lol

i think Prince made that comment ... in the same interview that he said "I am gonna put out an album of childrens songs..." ...

do u really believe ... today ... that Emancipation is his favorite album ...

metalorange said:

Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton attained diamond status, and is the all time best selling live album. It was a double album/cd. And he wasn't exactly what one would call a superstar before that album was released in 1976.

Then there's Springsteen's live 3 disc box from 1985 that sold well. Exactly what the numbers were, I'm not sure. But it's not near Frampton's in sales.

But in general you're right about usually only avid fans being seriously interested in an artist's live album.

herbthe4 said:

Isn't Prince past caring about "hits". If he was still into top 40 he would record mainstream fluff.