The questionairre from NPGMC got me thinking about Prince's potential for success with singles. Why doesn't he release an unreleased track from the vault as the B-side to new singles? The fans would buy these in droves and it could spark renewed interest in the album. Would these tracks have to be licensed from WB?
[Edited 5/9/06 14:18pm]
[Edited 5/9/06 14:27pm]

Moonbeam said:

This is so obvious but so great. It's hard for me to believe that no one's thought of it. I bet Prince doesn't want to do it.

u2prnce said:

Yeah just imagine:

Fury/Witness 4 the Prosecution

Black Sweat/The Sex of It

The Word/Moonbeam Levels

Love/All Day, All Night

etc.

Moonbeam said:

cosign. It'll never happen, though. I like those choices, btw. 4 of my favorites for sure.

u2prnce said:

Pretty nice fits too.
[Edited 5/9/06 13:28pm]

We should come up with an outtake for each song on 3121.

I don't get the "the single is dead" idea. If you put something that is on there that isn't on anywhere else, folks will buy it.

I am sure P has thought of it, and since he seems to want the kind of success that comes with single sales, you would think he would have rethunk that idea.

It's really a no brainer I think, as there are so many formats one could do, it should open up possibilities and close them off. One just has to make it marketable with a sellable quality to it. Just releasing a song with another folks already have is a waste of plastic and paper, I mean what's the point? Prince is HIGHLY collectable, and I think he shys away from this now. At least in the music dept. We get all the shirts/incense and candles we could possibly want.

Take for instance Black Sweat. A proper release could have been...

Before it came out...release/sell on NPGMC. Get it to the folks who want it first. Then release it to the radio and iTunes.

Video...same thing release/sell on NPGMC first. Then release it to the public His fans like to feel exclusive and in the know, this would cater to that.

Special Pic Disk with BS/BLAB 7" vinyl/CD Single same songs plus the video

Back to the club - Release an extended BS song for fans.

then

Extended versions of both songs released on picture vinyl 12" and CD Maxi Single. The track list would be

BS
BS ext
BLAB
BLAB ext
EXTRA B-Side Song (he should plan on B-sides for each album anyway)
BS video on the CD

Just a little extra something...and the fans would snap em up.

superspaceboy said:

Indeed! I think singles are great when there is effort put into the tracklist, etc.

What do you think of the idea of issuing outtakes as B-sides?

Moonbeam said:

I think no one knows exactly why he shys away from them...there could be a legal issue. But there is a point in time where he owns all he makes. I mean how about recent out takes or hell HOW ABOUT MY MEDALLION as a B-side. Any of the internet releases would be good pickins.

I can't fathom that there are not "other cuts" from anything in this decade. Most artists have at least 5 - 6 songs that didn't make the cut to the album. We know this because he taught it to us Wouldn't there be at least a few left over from 3121? Or if there isn't, he should be making songs that will be B-Sides.

You know a little prethinking goes a long way. Just a little effort towards the project would make a big difference.

Look at Madonna new album. Already there is

The album
Special edition of the album (with an extra song)
Hung Up Single (CD, iTunes, 12" and Maxi of remixes)
Hung Up video
SOrry Single (CD, iTunes (remixes) 2X12" and CD Maxi
Sorry Video
SOrry Poster
Remix Version (3 pieces of vinyl...2 of em are already on CD the last piece has 2 remixes that are new...No pics, nothing Just 3 sleeves of vinyl)

Pet SHop Boys new song is out on CD, Maxi CD & DVD and 7" pic disc vinyl..and I am sure there will be a 12" vinyl of remixes.
Pink Vinyl Edition (all it was was a gatefold...no extra anything)

superspaceboy said:

I think Madonna has skimped on the B-sides too.

Nevertheless, there are tons of remixes for her album.

Prince needs to take note!

Moonbeam said:

She did skimp out on the B-sides...though one showed up on the SPec ed and another if you joined her fan club. There were other outtakes from COFD.

He would not do it if only for the fact it could make his recent material pale by comparison.

It seems to me he already has reached his "goal" for this CD, so there's very little else he will do except tour.

Moonbeam said:

"Love" and "All Day, All Night" would go hand-in-hand with one another. That's a neat idea...

UndercovaBrotha said:

You just want Prince to release Moonbeam levels. lol

2freaky4church1 said:

I really think it would be a good strategic move.

Yea, but what if he overdubbed a bunch of crap on it.

2freaky4church1 said:

If that's the case:

superspaceboy said:

Id pay $30 happily for a copy!

yeah, just release a one song CD single and people will still buy it!
i guess that is the reasoning!!

Good idea ! But don't the b-sides be better than the a-sides ?

I'm not sure scattering an unreleased track here and there as b-sides would really do them justice.

A retrospective (bet Prince hates that word ) collection would be much more enjoyable, and profitable, preferably if it concentrated on a single time period - as opposed to something like Crystal Ball which flew around everywhere from 1983 to 1996 and didn't benefit because of it.

Something like this would be much more fitting:

'The Vault pt.1: 1982 - 1983' (4CD set )


Pipe dreams, pipe dreams.....

NouveauDance said:

That would be wonderful too!

just put the entire vault on the npgmc mixers

case closed.

Aerogram said:

Or vice versa. People are supposed to want the new stuff.

He wouldnt do this because it would sque (sp?) the sales results and his strategy
for marketing new music.