rainbowchild said:

I agree that "The Vault" material is being saved for a purpose. Is it to ensure his legacy after DEATH? Is it to have critics and buyers say, "Can you BELIEVE all this incredible stuff he left behind?" Is it to ensure a financial security for his children? For them to handle some day? Is it to fall back on and release when he retires from touring and recording? All of the above?

I think it's a little of each. Problem is:

Prince's music buyers live in the NOW. They live TODAY. The stuff is in demand NOW.

Whose to say that unreleased Prince material will have any lustre,value,demand, or outlet for release when Prince passes, (hopefully for not a long time)? Prince's fans are getting older too...we're not all going to be around to enjoy his unreleased stuff, at the rate he's puttin' it out...It's like those Beatle ANTHOLOGY discs that had all sorts of previously unreleased stuff..it's THE BEATLES, for crying out loud, and those discs didn't sell like hotcakes! Prince music after the fact won't fare any better; much worse anyway.

It seems rather pointless to have fought for his freedom in the record biz, have the ability to release all the stuff he couldn't before under Warner, as many albums per year as he can handle financially, and yet have non-album years like 1997,2000, complain about bootlegs, and go after fans.

The smart businessman would recognize the demand, the $$$potential, the recognition for all that great music and enjoy it all while satisfying and creating new fans. Prince chooses not to do that, and NOBODY is satisfied. He's mad at the bootleggers, the fans don't get the music they will gladly give $$$ for, and his status is not recognized as the crazed brilliant musician he is. He's shooting himself in the foot.

Chaka mad!

I'd like 2 pay P 4 his art - I do - I was a member in 2002 - and I think I got value 4 $$ - even though I am in New Zealand and he didn't come even close 2 here...if Xpectation and the other downloads didn't surface it wouldn't only be Chacka Mad! Jimi Mad would have been my cry!! but as 4 bootlegs - 2 beat them he needs 2 be less greedy and sell things at a reasonable cost - I mean the artwork 4 the booklet and CD covers was 'just ok' very average - i have seen better bootlegs...and their prices were very reasonable when compared to ONA live retail...come on - who is gonna pay $50 (thats over $100 NZ) for 3 CDs...apart from us - and I don't know if I could afford to do that very often...UN42nately NPGMC has gone from bad to worse as far as business sense goes! but I'll join again...maybe

The bottom line is, Prince does not care about his fans. All he cares about is his payroll. EVERYONE has said he should release EVERYTHING, but to no avail.

If he did do this, it would put Sabotage and the others out of business for good.

But he would rather play the hurt, slave musician.

This is the same guy who pulled the release of the Black Album days before release.

Tihs is the same guy who got bored with Sign "O" the Times and therefore gave up on what COULD have been his second best selling album.

This is the same guy who spent almost $1,000,000 on a Carmen Electra video!?!?!

This is the same guy who changed his name to a freakin' symbol, and because of it, became a public laughing stock.

This is the same guy who speaks in non-sensical lines to a simple yes or no question.

This is the same guy who wrote "slave" on his cheek for years to get the public to feel sorry for the little freakish symbol sportin millionaire.

This is the same guy who can't get someone to even operate the NPGMC, so "members" can get their orders.

This is the same guy who can't understand why he can't get a camel in Minnesota at 3:00am in the middle of January!

Do I need to go on?

This will not EVER happen. Prince will NEVER do the right thing EVER!

RIAA

'nuff said.