Okay so i've been listening to the 9 songs:
Curious Blue
Brand New Boy
Warden In The Prison Of Love
Bed Of Roses
R U There
We Can Hang
Girls Will Be Girls
Good Body Every Evening
Good Man

I love the vibe of these songs, they would of made a great album.

What information does anybody have on this project? All I have is the information that's in the 1993 version of Prince - a documentary (Per Nilsen):
JUNE 1989 Simultaneously with the Time project, Prince started on a project with Margaret Cox and her group MC Flash, featuring Doug Nelson and Eddy Passion (guitars), Sonny Thompson (bass), Tommy Hollywood (keyboards), and michael Bland (drums). Besides recruiting Bland, Prince later drafted Tommy Hollywood (real name Elm) and Sonny Thompson for his New Power Generation group.
Margaret Cox, also known as Ta Mara of Ta Mara and the Seen, also appeared on sessions with the Time. The MC Flash recordings, which included a version of Prince's "Good Man", were placed on the shelf and picked up and completed at a later date. Remixing took place during the spring and autumn of 1991 at Larrabee Studios, Los Angeles, with Prince and Levi at the helm.


Does anyone have any additional info to this. I assume the book The Vault has more information (unfortunately its out of stock until a possible update is released). The information I'm after is things such as:
1) Are these 9 nines all that were recorded for a never-to-be-released album? (if not what other MC Flash songs were recorded?)
2) Was the 1800 New Funk Margie Cox track 'Standing At The Alter' recorded with these 9 for an album or was it recorded seperately?
3) Were some or all of these songs written/produced by Prince?
4) Who 'really' played on these tracks? That's defiantely Prince blazing on guitar on those tracks - was it just Prince and Margaret Cox (ala early Time albums)or was it essentially an early NPG type album: Prince, Michael B, Sonny T, Tommy Barbarella and singer Margaret Cox (did Doug Nelson and Eddy Passion have anything to do with it)?
5) Is that Prince doing background vocals on these songs (it definately sounds like him on Warden In The Prison Of Love in particular)?
6) Who does the vocals on Good Man? I definately prefer the Prince version - but was the Prince version done seperately with another project in mind, or did Prince record his version with this project in mind?
7) Why the hell wasn't this released??!! It's such a good album!!!

PLEASE!!! Absolutely any information anyone has on this project would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!
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[Edited 8/14/07 0:13am]

anybody?...

Seriously, nobody knows anything about this?....

one last desperate plea.... anybody?...

Well, The Vault goes into a little further detail than 'A Documentary' (it is the modern day version of 'A Documentary', I guess).


10 track album sequenced in July 1989:

1. R U There? [*]
2. Brand New Boy [*]
3. Warden In The Prison Of Love [*]
4. Bed Of Roses [+]
5. Good Man [+]
6. Whistlin' Kenny [+]
7. We Can Hang [*]
8. Curious Blue [*]
9. Girls Will Be Girls [*]
10. Good Body Every Evening [+]


Recording info:
02/11//88 - We Can Hung, first version (recorded after seeing Dr. Mambo's Combo live, where Margie was on vocals).
[*] - Recorded Late Dec.88 - Jan.89, also recorded at this time were 'Cat Attack' and 'A Man Called Jesus' for a projected Cat solo project ('A Man Called Jesus' later given to Mavis Staples on 'The Voice' LP). Sheila E. plays drums on "most tracks" (at least of the first batch recorded Nov.88-Jan.89).
[+] - These tracks were recorded when work on the project resumed in July 1989, after working on 'Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic, embarking on the Japanese leg of the Lovesexy Tour, and work on the Batman LP.

Further work later in the year saw Margie Cox adding vocals to 'Stimulation' (Graffiti Bridge out-take), and a version of Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire' and a version of The Beatles 'Day Tripper' was also recorded.

In early 1990 record label rep's came to PP to listen to the tracks, but 'failed to elicit much enthusiasm'.

The vocals on Good Man are by Billy Franze (guitarist for Dr. Mambo's Combo).

June 1991 - A new MC Flash band tentatively called 'The New MC Flash Band' assembled, including amongst others Morris Hayes. 'Hey U' and 'Standing At The Altar' recorded with members of the band, by now the idea for a band album had gone and both Prince and Margie were planning on a solo album.


If you don't have them already, pick up both of Ta Mara & The Seen's LP's (Selt-titled, 1985 and Blueberry Gossip, 1988) - Both very good, especially the first, that classic Jesse Johnson spin on the MPLS sound. I believe Margie also released an album (or EP?) a few years back entitled 'Margie's Little Demo'. And 'Standing At The Altar' was on the 1800 New Funk album, and released as a single with an extended mix (Prince version also circulating), 'Whistlin' Kenny' was also the b-side on the cassette single and promo 12".

Hope that helps

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[Edited 8/15/07 3:52am]

NouveauDance said:

Cool, thanks for all the info
I guess with Sheila playing drums instead of Michael Bland as was originally reported, it was obviously more of a Prince controlled project with a singer than a 'true band' project.
The cover of Jimi's 'fire' would've been awesome to hear.
And what morons are those label reps??!
Agains thanks heaps for the info, pity these never eventuated into an album - oh well, i guess all i need to do is replace Whistlin Kenny (which i don't have) with Standing At The Alter and i've essentially got the 10 track album originally sequenced - that'll get a lot of play cos its a damn fine set, an unlike his other albums, prince's guitar really fires on this studio album!