The only tapes Warner Brothers needs are the original 2-track stereo mixes. I don't know if they actually have them... Prince could have them and WB could have tape copies. That is very common with record companies, especially in the days of vinyl. For all we know, Prince kept the original tape and delivered a direct copy to WB for release. You'd be surprised how many LPs and CDs in your collection are from copies, and some don't sound bad. The quality of the final release is directly related to the quality of the mastering. Bernie Grundmann knew what he was doing on those releases.

Multi-track tapes. You do not even WANT to remix these records. They won't sound the same, no matter how hard you tried. Even if you had the original mixing engineers (Susan Rogers, Prince, etc), it would sound different. The original mixes are CLASSICS that cannot be repeated. Unless WB is able to put out 5.1 surround mixes, the original multi-track tapes are not needed at all. They are just an ingredient used towards the final master mixdown tape.

So let's review...

Remastering is the process of taking the 2-track tapes, applying any volume adjustments, EQ moves or (god forbid) compression. This is the final engineering step in producing a CD or LP.

Remixing is taking the original multitrack tapes, and adjusting the volume, EQ, dynamics and ambience of each individual track. Prince relied on outboard heavily on outboard effects units, so to recreate the original mix you'd have to be in possession of all those same units. I'm sorry, but remixing is an art, not a science. Nobody is going to recreate mixes made 20 years ago. It might sound close, but it won't be the same. Don't rewrite history.

Please folks, use the correct terminology. This thread is littered with uninformed opinions and assumptions.

zrzrzrzr said:

So true.

What most folks don't understand, is the recording process itself. The original mulitrack tape reels contain the raw, most likely dry (meaning no EQ, no effects, etc) recorded performance takes. Most of the EQing, effects, side-chaining, etc, is done during the mixdown process, which is INDEED an art, and is far more involved than mastering.

I am simply supporting and reiterating what is said above. YES, it would be nearly impossible and a waste of time 2 mixdown those tracks again. If Prince wanted 2 remix them, and do something different with them, then creatively, it would be cool. But 2 get better, higher quality (i.e. equivalent to our albums) versions of Prince's catalog, then U work with the stereo mixdown tapes, be they 1", 2", or 1/4" reels.

Peace.

G.
[Edited 8/22/06 8:55am]

NPGMC needs to re-open its mental ward, judging by some of the comments on this thread.

zrzrzrzr said:

Tessa said:

U need 2 open your...

...ummmmm...

...mind 2 the recording process.

DAG! That was close.
[Edited 8/22/06 13:40pm]

[color=indigo]Just another gimmic to get money. Let it go. Prince is emancipated. There is no reason to buy this unless you didn't buy his Greatest hits which there are two of or just buy his friggin album. I'm sure Prince isn't too happy about that. Oh well, Prince is making even better music. So poop on Warner Brothers.

angelface25 said:

This type of, ahem, "reasoning" makes absolutely no sense to me anymore.

angelface25 said:

origmnd said:

Nah, it's clear that he's happy with them right now. If he wasn't happy with Ultimate Prince, then you know as well as I do that he'd be as vocal as ever in showing his distaste for WB over the release. Prince knows that this release is good for him and we all know now that Prince's supposed fall-out with WB was just a publicity scam (I presume you've seen the BBC's Prince's Millions show?)

Prince doesn't need to promote Ultimate Prince cos he knows that WB will do a great job of that themselves. Right on for him, too!

And anyway, this release is additional to the supposed 'final' contract with WB back in the day. So it's clear that this release has his okay considering that he's obviously happy for the money that Ultimate Prince is going to generate for him. Prince and WB aren't the enemies some people like to think they are.

Warner Bros. cheats Prince fans. Again. Most of the songs on the first CD are the 45 single edit versions. They are not the album versions. Just Like we got on the Hits 1/2/B-Sides collection.To ad insult to injury they even list in the booklet witch ones are edit versions. The songs are all before he changed his name. Warner did release 3 CD after then name change but only 2 were credited to it. Message to Warner -- give his real fans what they want.A CD collection of all the extended and non album song in their full length version. That I would Love to have.

Look at it from WB's point of view - who do you aim the CD at? The fans or the people with a passing interest in the great man? Decision time...a disc for each should do it.

The edits were used because a) You can fit more songs on a CD and b) because it's the singles that most people would remember from their youth. The first disc caters for those people who aren't Prince fans as such but wouldn't mind getting this set, especially with the re-emergence of the Purple One over the last 18 months or so.

The second disc is for the fans to encourage them to buy it. Why would we want a collection of 7" edits? We wouldn't, but we would want some remastered versions of a few 12" versions which many of us won't have owned or even heard before.

It's a good move by WB. Hopefully it sells like hot cakes and some more remastering is greenlighted...my only wish was that they had this set released just after he did the Brit awards because it would have sold an absolute ton here in Blighty after the performance he gave.
[Edited 8/23/06 1:14am]

Can someone lock this thread? PLEASE?

BartVanHemelen said:

Don't be sorry Bart, it's not your fault.

I understand what you are saying. It isn't just the advances that tie the artists to the companies, it's everything they can do and you can't as an artist, like promotion and distribution.

But then artists still don't have to sign away their copyrights, or enter into long term agreements with little pay, in order for a record company to get what they need.

I think it's the wish to become famous and make loads of dollars combined to the need for professional assistence in distribution and promotion that still tie artists to the big companies.

So perhabs, besides getting educated and learning to say NO, artists should also combine their forces and for example create one big artist friendly record company.

Which company then of course turns into a money making, artist exploiting machine itself within a couple of years, like it always seems to go in the music business.

calldapplwondery83 said:

Yea! And I may have inadvertantly started it. SORRY !!!

I just have to report that the remastered sound on this is EXCELLENT and I love that I have extended 12" versions of songs like "Let's Go Crazy" and "Raspberry Beret" REMASTERED ON CD!!!!!

BartVanHemelen said:[quote]

JediMaster said:

Thanks to you & Squirrelgrease for the clarification. Yes, I'm aware that these were remastered from the mixdowns, not the original Multi-track tapes. My response was to Graycap's original statement that these were not remastered. He later made a point that they weren't made from the original masters, but his first statement was that they weren't remastered at all. I just had to call him out, since he's been all over this board acting like he has some sort of inside connection (even though NONE of his statements have panned out). To me, all that matters is that improved sound quality copies of these songs are now available.

Another "Best Of" of Prince !! WB is realy desperate !

JediMaster said:

If u knew how foolish your response is. U CANNOT remaster from a 2 track anything. Can u tweak the sound? Yes. can u remaster? NO.....

Chatou7 said:

or Prince is. since he gave it the go-ahead, and was actually involved in the the tracklisting.

Tessa said:

Word? Wow if this is indeed true I'm speechless.

I wouldn't consider this "another" best of release. There are several extended versions on Disc 2 that were previously available only on vinyl (unless you have the 12" boot) and the other extended versions that are available on CD were not included on the VBOP or The Hits. Yes, disc 1 is full of the same classics, but disc 2 more than makes up for that, imho.

kbarso said:

1. nothing that WB fully owns after the name change was a hit (TMBGITW and I Hate U can't be included, because TGE was part of a seperate agreement for release, and is co-owned by WB and NPG. which is why it (and the Black Album) are his only albums from his WB days that are out of print.)

2. they are putting the single versions on there, because that's what people are familiar with. if there's an extended version of the song, it goes on. if not, and there's an edit, that's what goes on. the albums are for the album versions. what's so hard to understand about that?

Well someone wanted to hear it cuz i went to best buys the day after and it was sold out.

Yea, they can rip off P again. Yippeee.

Tunes Warner Brothers could have done without:

* Gett Off
* Money Don't Matter 2 Night
* Cream
* 7
* Sexy Mutha
* Nothing Compares 2 U
* My Name Is Prince
* Diamonds And Pearls
* Money Don't Matter 2 Night
* Thieves In The Temple

Notice there's nothing from the Black Album on this set!! The Black Album!!! I could go on....

NoTime2Hate said:

the Black Album had no alternate extended versions and no hits. why would anything from it be on this set? and as Dayspring said in regards to TGE, the Black Album was part of a seperate agreement for release and it isn't wholly owned by Warner Bros.

Tessa said:

There was a 12" of SuperCalifragisexy.

Graycap23 said:

not a released one. and not one that was a hit.

Bought this for $11.99 + tax at Meijer here in the Midwest U.S.A.

WORTH EVERY PENNY

The "remasters" aren't as good as my "played less than 5 times" originals, but I'm going to be bumping the hell out of this CD, and it sounds A LOT better than the Vinyl to Cassette versions I made back in the day.

And the Artwork was like a little trip down memory lane. A couple of those album covers I had never seen before! Some of those, like the Grafitti Bridge "pillow" stand proud in my collection, but I always thought it was not properly licensed. To see it along side the Batman and D&P variants takes me back to the heavy duty collection days of 88-92 for me.

Graycap23 said:

It may not be a true "remaster", from the original master tape, but it is still considered a "remaster" in the broadest sense of the word. I've seen the "remaster" label slapped on sets that had a whole lot less sonic work done than this one.

If only you knew how foolish your posts are where you claim Prince calls you on the phone.