Why has Prince returned to the old ways of 1 CD every year?

What about all the people who didnt spend money for Vegas?
They could be buying CD/DVD etc.

Is he trying to show that he can/will sell CDs regadless of the internet market or rec cos?

One CD every year????? I *WISH* he would even return to being that prolific...
[Edited 4/30/07 19:36pm]

jtfolden said:

and wasn't that what the break from WB's was supposed to give us- MORE music???

paisley16 said:

I think by the time he was "free" he was essentially 'over it'... After Emancipation, it just sort of dribbled out. Certainly, there were several 'minor' projects available through limited channels but even protege releases came to a standstill...and gone were the days when album would follow album every 10-12 months.

I've wondered about that also lately. I keep showing up here reading threads and looking for info on a new album but no such luck. I really wonder why he let all the steam from the superbowl performance go to waste without releasing anything. I especially wondered because I was hearing rumors that soon after something was most assuredly gonna drop.

well, lets see, he's been doing it 100 years and since he's changed as well as the landscape he's probably taking a new approach. maybe he knows he's mortal and at this stage in the game it takes longer to put together a cohesive strong album. no crime in that.

the break from WB came when he was still relatively young and actually believed he could put out 5 albums a year. like 32 year old atheletes who bitch about wanting a new deal for 8 years, they truly believe they can be productive till 40 when the orginization knows that wall (decline) is coming. prince is no different, his "wall" may have come later ( just look at all the "next" princes who have come and gone) but it was bound to happen. mortality, aint it a bitch-hey that's a new song title LOL write that one prince.

He's gotta b releasing summin on 07/07/07.Come on the guy lives 4 the number 7(just a tad dramatic).But what an oppurtunity.You ain't gonna get a date like that 4 a loooong time.He'd b crazy nnot 2.And in my opinion p would already have loads of kick ass songs,he probably writes a new 1 everyday.As easy as pie.He's waitin 4 summin(God hope).

Oviously because he's doing other things, and music and radio today really stick. I think he's trying to find other ways to get his music out there.

wlcm2thdwn said:

He should stick to the internet .. maybe even sell it through MySpace.. (Can he do that?)

wlcm2thdwn said:

It's not rocket science. It's called iTunes.

dreamshaman32 said:

Yeah, I think that all came under the umbrella of me saying "I think by the time he was "free" he was essentially 'over it'..."

jtfolden said:

I want my one album a year!!!! To be honest, I just think he's been less "inspired" of late. Has there been any word of him working in the studio while in Vegas?

patience, people... i think the waiting will end soon.

i'm betting on it being well worth the wait.

g

Giovanni777 said:

well I sure hope so! then I will apologize for any ranting I've done.

Giovanni777 said:

Isn't that the whole point of the thread? So much patience didn't used to be required because every time you turned around there was something new dropping.

After a couple of weeks coming back from the 3121 shows I started to think about the fact no new songs were played at the shows. Not even a tease of a groove or mention of 'just y'all wait'

These days especially, I try to view his actions with very little expectations. I feel he's in a transition mode for some reason.

I personally miss "real" b sides. Not that much of a fan 5 mixes of a song treatment.

Rev said:

Maybe he doesn't want 2 show the new stuff yet.

...just a thought...

Flowerz said:

exactly!! where is it?!?!?!?!?!

I think the big stumbling block for Prince releasing new music right now is he still hasn't settled on a way of distributing it to the maximum while retaining complete control. The fact is, he only had a one-album deal for 3121 and until he enters a new one-album deal with some record company he can't widely distribute any new album.

He tried putting his albums out for sale and download through his own site npgmc, but perhaps even he became frustrated with the numbers being limited to hard-core fans, since without a record label putting out advertising, only the fans knew about the new music. With Musicology he tried everything, it was available to buy and download from his own website, but it was also backed by a record company for world-wide distribution in record stores and promotion, plus he managed to use concert-giveaways as counting towards chart sales. Next was 3121, which was heavily pushed in the US by the record company and obtained a number one debut on the charts, but then sales dribbled away not least because it was not available for download anywhere. It seemed like Prince expected the record company to do more, but without Prince playing along it was a bit hard for them.

It seems clear that Prince does not want to compromise - he doesn't want Itunes taking a bite of his pie, he wants to have a hit around the world but without actually having to do much promotion personally, or allowing the record company to bribe their way onto radio station playlists. He wants world-wide distribution and promotion from a record company pushing very hard but without giving them even a percentage of the publishing rights or even guaranteeing a multi-album deal.

And I think this is the reason for the slow up in new music, he would still like to push against the usual music machine process and do something innovative that benefits him and leads the way, but he hasn't figured yet where to go. He is taking his time, and without any deals he has no deadlines, I actually wish he did have some deadlines, it might motivate him to get on with things a bit more!

I agree with the control over his music and stuff but damn it's about the music in the end? I am tired of waiting for him to get his panties on right. He's done fine in the music industry doing it his way for the last 4 years, enough waiting already. It's sad and I am ashamed to amdmit I have been a fan for 25 years and I have been spoiled. I was just thinking the other day it's ways too long of a wait and I can't take it! Hurry up P funk us and tour already.

Rev said:

he's played some new songs at 3121

metalorange said:

...and he'll probably want another couple of camels at 3 o'clock in the morning...

He wants 2 have his cake and eat it 2.. I think his main stumbling block is his own pride, and GREED.
Whatever he choses 2 do, chances r most of us will have access 2 any new release or even pre-release thru a simple P2P file sharing plat4m, and THEN decide whether 2 buy it.
Anyhow, I aint holding my breath.Good luck 2 him. U gotta admire his perseverance. FREE THE MUSIC

wlcm2thdwn said:

How about a"door 2 door" delivery service. He could knock on my door anyday and i'd buy what he had to sell.

ElCapitan said:

I was speaking of the w/e I was there, not in total. "Guitar" is what came to mind. Which songs has he played though?

metalorange said:

Good point
I think this what I couldn't put my finger on in saying "transition". I'm sure how many of us don't try to 'have our cake and eat it too'. I know I do.

jtfolden said:

I am all for having an orger raid on the vaults at Paisley Park. Then we can release the music...eh consider it a favor we'd be doing for Prince.

I don't care if it takes him 10 more years just as long as the music is inspired this time...

Perhaps he's just uninspired right now.