I don't know how anyone else feels, but i prefer P's Extended Versions(like Mountains, I Would Die 4 U) to his Remixes(like Cream, Gett Off and Sexy MF). I'm not sure why he changed but it seemed to be sometime after SOTT. How do you guys feel?

I agree. I always liked the sense that with an extended version, the album version I was familiar with was only a smaller part of a longer song. I love the extended versions you named but I think my favorites are Kiss and the extended b-side La, La, La, He, He, Hee

La La La, He He He is one of my favorites too. If i had to pick my personal favorite, it would be a tie between the extended version of Raspberry Beret and Mountains(I Would Die 4 U is a close second)

It wasn't Prince that changed, it was the industry. Back in the mid-80s, the original extended versions were good and funky enough to get played in clubs as they were, but as DJs started to gravitate more towards house music and programmed beats, P's old school pop funk just didn't cut it anymore in the clubs. That's when remixes started taking over. I'm sure Warner Bros didn't see the sense in releasing a 12" single which is primarily bought by DJs if there wasn't a mix on there for them to play. I always liked when a single featured both an extended version and remixes, i.e. Thieves In The Temple, Gett Off, My Name Is Prince, etc.

I agree about having remixes and extended versions on the same CD. I wish P would do that.

TheDeacon said:

I also like when he releases not so much a remix, as a new version, where the vocal line is sung differently and the vibe of the song is different. He did this with both The Most Beautiful Girl in the World and Come On. Come On is particularily kick ass. Perhaps every single from now on should contain an extended version, a remix, and a redone version. Oh and lets not forget a b-side song. Let's not forget how exciting it used to be to get a Prince 12 inch cause you knew you were getting an extended version, and a potentially funky or wierd b-side. I'm liking the fact that he has been putting the virtual b-sides up on his site.

Yeah, those b-sides were awesome. Erotic City was a b-side that was never meant to be released but there were soo many request for it that it was released and was a success. How come you don't call me anymore was a b-side and became Alicia Keyes 2nd biggest hit. His newest b-sides have not been that good(United States of Division)

sextonseven said:

I agree, with all of that - it was a change in the industry (there are still extended versions made though).

I loved the 12" mixes, they took the song to a whole new place, magical.

There are some good Prince remixes too.

Personally, I would have liked to see more remixes. The originals will always be the originals, but think about acts like Janet and Madonna who had tons of remixes per single, I think it would have been fun to have those for Prince singles too.

I'm biased, I like remixes, I like 80s House, I like dance music.

As a former DJ I always felt that when an artist did a remix to one of their songs, it was their way of introducing their music to a different audience. I remember when the House mix of "Get off" was released. Every time I played it, people would just go nuts!! They wanted to know, where I got it. I only wished that Prince had released, "Sleep Around" as a remix. It was great on its own, but that percussion part in the middle needed to be a touch longer.

Just my opinion.

Yes, the House Style of Gett Off is probably the only remix by Prince that i ever liked. I think Steve "Silk" Hurley did that one. I never saw his name on any P album or single before so i'm not sure if he is famous within the music industry or one of P's alias's

TheDeacon said:

Steve "Silk" Hurley is a real person. Used to remix a lot of stuff in the mid-90s for R&B artists. More recently he was doing Ol' School Soul Mixes for the Tom Joyner Morning show, but I haven't listened to it in so long, I don't know if he's still doing them.

Thanks Psykosoul

BTW, One remix that i really hated was Glam Slam. The version on the Lovesexy album is SOO much better; and then the b-side "Glam Slam Escape" is even worse.

TheDeacon said:

Although technically The I Would Die 4 U 12" is a re-recording.

I remember Prince saying recently either at one of the musicology shows or in an interview that he doesn't understand why remixes need to be made while he was criticizing record companies. He might have meant remixes for radio. I'm not sure.

TheDeacon said:

I love Escape!

Don't get on the scale if you ain't got the weight!
It's mo' hard 2 love, then it is 2 hate!

TheDeacon said:

Totally agree.

psykosoul said:

STeve ( Silk) Hurley.. was a founding member of "JM Silk" who did Music is the key, Jack your body" etc. in Cindy C. she rips his rap part from Music is the Key...

BinaryJustin said:

OMG!

I'm not all that big on the Glam Slam remix, but Escape is one of my favourite Prince songs E.V.E.R.

BinaryJustin said:

Snare drum pound on the two and fo', all the party people get on the flo'!

BinaryJustin said:

here in Chicago Escape got much more airplay then Glam Slam did but the only thing was the DJ's would say "here's Prince and Glam Slam" and then play Escape

You are so right. In the 1980s, the extended 12 Inch Singles were the remix. You had one song on one side and another song on the other side. Sometimes the B side was a dub version. The 12 Inch basically sounded the same just longer and sometimes different features were added throughout the song but the song was still recognizable.

In the 1990s, everyone started doing four and five different mixes of the song to fit it in with various genres of music. My favorite has always been the extended version with a few added features that doesn't stray too far from the original mix.

I am obsessed with his "Hello" extended 12" B-side.

Awesome Awesome Awesome.

But I no longer have a copy and have been too busy tracking it down.

AsianBomb777 said:

Gotta agree with you on this one. I do love the extended version of "She's Always In My Hair"

TheRealFiness said:

Damn, I never put 2 and 2 together to realize that JM Silk was the same person as Silk Hurley. Is there anything you don't know, MR DJ
[This message was edited Tue Aug 17 21:59:13 2004 by psykosoul]