please explain me the introduction/importance of this character. why is he listed as the lead vocalist on the Sign O'the times album? where/who/how/WHY was he created. thank-you
[This message was edited Tue Sep 24 15:34:47 PDT 2002 by subyduby]

Camille, probaly was first born on Erotic City. Prince altered his voice, as you may know to sound as if he was singing through heliuim. Prince later came up with this alter Ego charater that he would tell the world was his long lost brother. Word had already got out a little afther he recorded versions of the chocalate album, with the camille voice. A intended solo album for camille, as well as songs for Crystal Ball and dream Factory. The Chocalate album was scrapped and a few songs from it made it to Sign O the times. And thus they are credited to Camille instead of Prince. I think thats how the story goes. Also this could have very well been inspired to pay homage to George Clinton as well.

thank-you.
1. how was prince able to make his voice sound so strange?
2. his alter-ego?!! Crazy. why a long-lost brother?

You're so tired, and the reason is Camille...Shockadelica...Good Love...Erotic City...Rebirth of the Flesh...

Subyduby, please see my posts in the following thread-

http://www.prince.org/msg...&tid=22910

Perhaps inspiration came from the Stevie Wonder track "Maybe Your Baby" from the Superstition album (1972) in which Stevie used an altered pitch effect not disimilar to the Camille voice. There are certainly simililarities in the child-like playfulness and mischievousness of both "characters" and Prince is known to be an admirer of Stevie Wonder. Perhaps? Just a thought.

subyduby said:

1.with computer based recording devices it's very easy 2 change your voice pitch...(make it lower, higher, slower, faster etc...)

2. the mystery continues...

johnny said:

The 'Camille' recordings were done before the widespread use of digital voice pitching. The process is called vari-speeding and was done with analog equipment which was the equipment of choice at Sunset Sound at the time. I'll try and put this in lay terms. The 24-track tape machine was vari-speeded down a few steps (slowed down - this is done in percentages on most machines) and then Prince's mic was patched to one of the blank 24 tracks and he sang against the slowed down music. Then, once the vocals were complete, they played the 24 track back at normal speed and his voice came out sped-up! Instant 'Camille'!

Jestyr, thanks for the explanation. I always wondered how Prince recorded the Camille voice so that the pitch matched the key and time of the song. In hindsight it's fairly obvious I guess, but I sure didn't think of it before!

George Michael used the same effects on "Hard Day," on Faith.

thank-you all!

subyduby said:

Dude, fix your thread title via the edit link you have access to.

And just "Camille?"...more specific because there are like two other Camille threads happening right now.