The way I understand it is that in regards to the whole feud with WB, hypothetically, Prince could potentially buy his masters from Warner Brothers, but at an extraordinarily high price right? Or maybe he has enough money to do it, but on principle, he's against paying WB for something that should be, in his opinion, rightfully his so he continues the fight...

But what if his fans started a campaign to raise money to buy Prince's masters from Warners Brothers for him, would you contribute?

How do you think Prince would react? Do you think he would use Londell to legally stop the campaign?

If he accepted the fans' donation of his masters, do you think he would remaster them, or would he still be capricious with re-releases and remasterings?



*I hate when I misspell simple words* edit
[Edited 3/15/06 20:15pm]

i wouldn't. i didn't sign a contract with warners in 1978...'sides, i think that ol' boy could handle this by himself as it is. it ain't like he's lacking the funds.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Right, he might have enough money, but do you think on principle he would still hold the grudge and not buy them because he wants WB to GIVE them to him? (Gemini's are VERY stubborn. I'm one, and I know I can hold a hell of a grudge. )

he already recouped the recording costs when he was with WB
technically he already owns them

jone70 said:

i'm bull-headed as hell too, and i'm a sagittarius (the polar opposite sign of gemini...go figure)...i don't hold grudges, though. as for prince, i'm sorta thinking he isn't holding a grudge against wb so much as simply perhaps seeing if they'll finally be like "fuck it" and give 'im his goods one day, no strings attached. i'm thinking that it won't happen.

No. His music doesnt mean that too me.

sacredwarrior said:

there's a bit more within the legalese than simply that, i'm thinking.

Twas not us who signed at that bottom line. So ... no.

In my opinion, it's his venture to persue or leave it be and focus on some killer new material. "The Gold Experience" was proof that he can move forward in any direction he wishes.

When Prince is in "Warrior Mode" he can be quite dangerous. The back cataloge is only a retirement plan type venture. He's proved that he doesn't exactly need it if he wants to move on when he decided to leave Warner Brothers. The Beatles' surviving members my need their masters, but not Prince.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

sure - the legal side of things blocks pure logic
red tape crap

I wouldn't.

With Prince's penchant for living in the present and focusing on new music, if he owned his masters he probably wouldn't care about giving them the remastering they so badly need. (Hearing the Ultimate compilation in all its ramstered glory vs. the sound quality of previous releases made this REALLY evident to me.)

Remember all the specuation on the org about the condition of the master tapes in the vault and Alan Leed's comments that they're in bad shape? I'd rather Warners be the curator of his legacy.

Also, if Prince did own his master tapes and acutally decided to remaster his back catalog, the re-releases would likely be censored. I don't have a problem with his new-found sprituality or his cleaning up his act, but I think he should just accept that the salacious material was part of his past. Remember him saying on Oprah that he doesn't regret anything in his past because it's gotten him where he is now?

Okay, that's a bit off topic, so sue me.

PurpleCharm said:

How much do you think they would cost? Didn't MJ buy the Beatles rights for millions?

Say there were 50,000 fans that each donated $10. (Or 10,000 fans @ $50, or any combo in between.) That's half a million already. Then that half a mil could be invested into a high interest CD or a riskier hedge fund or something (I'm not a professional invester) for a year or two and earn more... could earning enough even be done or would WB always raise the price so that the "Prince Masters Purchase Fund" was always short?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Yep, he has the $$$

PicassoFace said:

Excellent points. Considering how entitled some fans feel now, can you imagine how much worse it would be if they had donated money to help him buy back his masters? Yikes!

thats as bad his wanting fans to mail their european cd singles and boots to him.

jone70 said:

jone70 said:

When I purchase his music and tickets for concert, the money he makes from me should go towards what is really important to him. He cleared $45 million in 2004 just from the Musicology Tour. There is no way in the world I would donate any money to a multi-millionaire.

I'm doing enough already, buying his records and tickets.

The only help Prince needs is his own, Warner's and of course their respective lawyers.

Isn't it crazy that we know more about the legalities and politics of this music biz crap because Mr. P introduced his fans to it from his own hastles when we as fans became fans when THAT was not the focus of making a good album.

Advice to young aspiring musican's is one thing, but pulling a fan base in as outside council (lawers) is another.

jone70 said:

Just wait and see what all the contributors do and say when you try to give that half mill to a Lets Get Prince His Masters back fund.

I gave at the office.

Many of us have bought nearly his entire catalog, including 8 track, 12 inch, 45, cassette, CD, DVD, VHS, Beta, Laserdisc and now UMD, not to mention paid downloads through online retailers and the club. Then there's merchandising and concert tickets. I'd say that I've contributed quite nicely to a hypothetical "Masters" fund, and you know what? My contributions aren't going to stop anytime soon.

NightGod said:

that, plus we would buy the remastered product if he released it
soon as he got ownership of his masters back. so i don't see any
reason to support him in any way other than that.

naw, yo. I am not "donating" money to a dude who's net worth is something in the $50,000,000-$100,000,000.00 range. Didn't his 2004 tour rake in about $40mil?


I can think of a million more worthy causes to give my meager funds to.
Prince signed that deal with Warners in what 1991? He was a big boy when he signed it and had been in the biz long enough to know how that stuff works.

I have already given him plenty money buying concert tix, albums, videos, dvd's, t-shirts, etc.
He's getting even more of my money on Tuesday. Shit, that's it for me.
[Edited 3/16/06 4:55am]

I would sign up for something like this under these conditions:

- The deal is handled thru WB or affiliate - NOT NPGMC
- You agree to pay a certain amount ahead of time
- Those who take part in this "fund raising" get a special discount (say 50% off)
- The project would only happen IF there was sufficient interest
- If the project for any reason was cancelled or delayed, you would not be charged
- You would receive ALL the remasters at once, not in installments

Think of it, if we got half off for preordering - theoretically you could order the entire remaster series for around 100 bucks (talking about the WB years only).

jone70 said:

NouveauDance said:

I take it that's a resounding NO from you?

IstenSzek said:

exactly--so if it meant you were guaranteed to get a remastered product would you be willing to donate money to expedite that process? theoretically "we the fans" could wait the rest of our lives (or Prince's life) and not get any remasters because it may not ever be a priority to him. of course we all buy most everything he releases, but obviously he doesn't feel the need to remaster...


or what if instead of donating the masters back to Prince, the fans "Prince Remaster Fund" was it's own entity, (run by a board of directors or the fans vote--majority rules). Sort of like those funds they set up for victims of natural disasters, etc? Oooh, Prince would not like something like that, I bet.

sacredwarrior said:

obviously you do or you wouldn't have posted that comment in RED on the thread.

Prince don't need my $5 But I'd help find space @ PP for them shits

jone70 said:

me? care about petty little unconsionable corporations and all their useless red tape?

:belly laugh: