Hi all.

I'm quite new here but I'm a huge Prince fan and have been since.....Kiss I suppose. It's certainly the first single I remember buying.

Anyway...I'm aware of the boundaries concerning Bootlegs, I respect those boundaries and have no interest in flaunting them, but I just want to ask you lot a few questions.

Firstly, and I may come across as niave for asking but, how come so many Prince shows are bootlegged?? I have a theory, but just wanted it confirmed.

More importantly, I want to know

What is your favourite bootlegged show? (for me, Musicology MSG - crowd recording. The acoustic set he does is blinding!!)


Thanks for indulging my curiosity
[Edited 6/7/06 3:35am]

Uh-oh!


M

as far as i know talking about them is fine... just do not say or imply anything about how or where to get any of them. and NEVER post links to things at places like youtube or putfile...

SlamGlam said:

though todays a good a day as any to talk about them , ryde's links to his bootleg forum have yet to be removed 3 hours after they were posted

I think he's had so many shows bootlegged because he puts on the best show out there and there are hundreds/thousands of fans who will buy them.

His studio stuff got bootlegged because of assholes who used to work for him and/or Warners and they'd steal stuff and sell it. Even Bobby Z did this. The proof in the pudding is that ever since Prince cut loose from Warner's, studio bootlegs have become finito.

My favorites are

SPanish Harem
Lovesexy
June VII
Work Boxes

I have about maybe 30 total. I haven't even listened to all of them. I did a trading stint a year or so ago...When Prince brought the org and Housequake down. (Good Times!!!) and I ended up trading all kinds of stuff.

moonshine said:

[They are gone, and so is he - luv4u]

ive only listened 2 4 or 5 and the sound was shit so i havent bothered about any in years

I think the origins of the Studio boots id despicable. Especially if musicians are stealing from him. Well out of order.

Some of the sound board recordings are of release quality which makes me think maybe he is behind them, directly or indirectly. Usually I wouldn't entertain a crowd recording but when I saw the track-list, I bought the Musicology concert and loved it.

It does stick in my throat that people are profiting from otherwise shoddy recordings.

Cheers for your opinions guys n galls.

I don't know what ur theory is, Jarvis, but most of these recording were mùade from the crowd by people in the audience. Actually, though most haven't been "released" as bootlegs, EVERY Prince show since 1984 has been recorded by someone & is circulating in some circles. Only a few soundboard recordings have been heard, & then the sound ingineers were obviously responsible.

RODEODHRO, how do u know 4 sure that Bobby Z stole & sold tapes?

ALso, back in the day, P would give tapes of new songs out to friends/associates/musicians for them to hear and those tapes
later would become bootlegs.....I dont think he does that anymore.
U can find some great sounding live bootlegs...alot of the boots of
unreleased recordings are okay or less than okay quality...
I used to buy alot back in the late 80's earl 90's....

What exactly is considerd bootleggage?

jarvis76 said:

I think that people would still buy the OFFICIAL recordings if he were to release them. That would put an end to it.


M

shaomi said:

Well, my theory, which has pretty much been blown out of the water, was that Prince himself was behind some, not all, of the releases. Not for profit, more for his love of what he does and what he produces.

Livesexy, for example. Is that a soundboard or a crowd recording? If it's a crowd recording then the "fan" must have had an outside broadcasting truck outside because the quality is near perfect.

To be honest, as big a fan as I think I am (I've never really taken an interest in bootlegs until recently. I saw one at a market, bought it, wanted more.....you know how the addiction goes) so I'm not really down with the ins and outs of how they come about or who is behind them.

I agree with another post in here that said if he released more shows officialy, I'd buy them. As long as they didn't all cost £50 like One Night Alone

jarvis76 said:

wasn't that taken off the official release of the video? or maybe off the official broadcast of the show?

jarvis76 said:

Livesexy is essentially an audio rip of a broadcasted show, which is a frequent source of excellent quality recordings. Same with Birthday Parade and Purple Rain Syracuse and parts of Spanish Harem from 1990, among others. The Livesexy show was released on LaserDisc so the best quality boots have been converted from that source.

With improvement in digital recording devices alot of very good audience recordings are available.

His studio boots are obviously someone within the chain of the recording process. A source only has to get out once, a friend gives it to a friend etc He's clearly tightened the loop of that process because there has been very little leakage in the last 8 or so years.

Careful, the walls have ears. P might not visit here, but I am sure his lawyers might be watching us.

-Bootleg counter intelligence team

shaomi said:

I don't know that for sure. I've heard it enough to believe it. Didn't Tim verify that?

Anyway, maybe I have spoken out of school and if so, please accept my apologies.