In such a long career (and still strongly growing) what things (musically related) do you think that Prince regrets?

Another album cover for Lovesexy? Should the Black Album have been released at the time? The whole Warner Bros thingy? Rave Un2 the Joy, the comback album that didn't really achieve its aim?

Regret #1:
Botching the negotiations with WB. First by signing a deal blinded by the $$$$s so he could issue a press release about how much money he got without understanding the way the music biz works with respect to the masters. Then all of the sudden, seeing the light and with the zealousness of a new convert, made life impossible for the very people you need to renegotiate with. One more big album after D&P would have given him the leverage needed to redo the deal and get back the masters. Big acts are doing this all the time now. The Gold era could have put him back on top if there was some rhyme or reason to the way the music was put out back then.


Regret #2:

If I was your girlfriend as a single and not touring in 87 then the abrupt and jarring aesthetic shift from SOTT to Lovesexy. He went from being the hippy grunge rocker from MTV's SOTT/Play in the Sunshine performance to the fey, synth laden sprite from Alphabet Street and Glam Slam way too quickly.

It seems his personal battles and the perceived slight by the US public and radio by not instantly embracing SOTT, made him make some rash decisions.

He should have given the public more time to catch up.


Regret #3

Grafitti Bridge Movie - nuff' said.



Regret #4

Emancipation was derailed by the death of his son. Not so much a regret but just bad luck. Should have been a double album anyway.
[Edited 7/21/07 7:11am]

He said in an interview that he regretted releasing the PARADE album when he did because it was not ready, I thought he was crazy, Parade is one of his best!