When was it and what did it entail. From memory it was 1992 and was 100M for 10 albums. Why did it go bad so soon almost when he signed it and was he released from it or did he deliver the music as promissed. Even If I include the hits albums below, thats only 9

Hits b sides x 3?
come
Black
Gold
Chaos
Vault
Best of

I've heard rumors that Warners owns a piece of every album, before The Rainbow children. The Controversy music change kinda gives me a clue on that front.

2freaky4church1 said:

What, even Emancipation, Chrystal Ball and Rave?

The record contract was for 100 million only if every album sold over 5 million - it was reduced as each successive album sold less than that. The Symbol album, Come, TGE counted towards the deal - then the contract was renegotiated and Prince only had to deliver 2 more albums, and he handed over full-complete Chaos & Disorder and The Vault - Old Friends 4 Sale to fullfull that contract there and then.

However, he still had a publishing contract with Warner Chapell up until the end of 1999 - which is a different division and a different type of contract. I don't fully understand it, but I think it means his royalties were still collected through this company up until then - but he owned the masters on those later recordings.

Wicked, thanks

When will this ever be clear enough for the layman..


So why does he still owe them one more CD
( another best of) ?

He changed his name back to Prince in 1999
cause he said it was over...but wasnt it really because they were withholding money owed to "Prince"?

origmnd said:

I don't think he 'owes' them 1 CD as such, it sounds like they are 'allowed' to release one more 'best of' using his Warners material, probably there was a limit negotiated in his last contract. Whether that includes the botched Ultimate release or not, who knows? Another thing to bear in mind is that Prince may well have one view of his contract and Warners another, time will tell whether Warners think they are only allowed one more compilation or not.

I've not heard that Prince changed his name back so he could get outstanding money from Warners - it would be a bit ridiculous because Warners argument was always that whatever name Prince recorded under, they were still entitled to their share, therefore they should also pay him under whatever name he went under too. Most people would say Prince changed his name back because he was finally free of the Warner Chapell publishing contract (and therefore his protest was no longer necessary) and also because the name Prince was far more accepted and marketable - and having to earn his money on his own, that was increasingly important. Certainly he never said 'my spirit told me to change it back'!

metalorange said:

I heard that they were playing the same name game as him.

They were withholding money to Prince and since "he" said he wasnt Prince they didnt have to pay "him".

It IS strange, however. that all of a sudden he changed back without any previous indication that anything would be different once the deal was officially over.