Just got this note from a friend:

"BTW, I went to Virgin MegaStore yesterday, and there is a write up stating that Warner Bros. has deleted all their current Prince catalogs. Apparently, they are in the process of release remastered old Prince discs."

Anyone else heard anything?

can you proove that a friend did tell you that though?

Yeah! You better post his URL!

So your answer would be "No, I haven't heard anything."

No, I haven't heard anything."

Not heard anything but would make sense with 50th birthday to do some sorta retrospective. He would probably have to agree not to release stuff so's not to flood the market and he has been quiet recently.

OUTTAKES PLEASE!!!!

I would spend ALL my money on this if it were true

and new liner notes, and a nice big box, and dvds of all those shows he's filmed.

Yes please.

As long as it's remasters and not new masters that is.

pandemoniun6 said:

Make sense? Anything Prince?

PANDURITO said:

true

Well if there was ever a year for CD's to be remastered, then this would be the best year for it. I'm not holding my breath.

Same story at Amazon
http://prince.org/msg/7/258243?pg=1

This would be a good move considering he'd have to wait YEARS to see these releases. Let's hope if this is true it all unfolds properly.

It would make sense to remaster them this year. This year is the 30th anniversary of his first release. I pray they release them all at the same time. I want them all to have bonus trax as well as upgraded artwork...including never seen photos and lyrix 2 each song. I hope he has something to do with the remasters (or at least hires someone that is good at the remastering process).

daPrettyman said:

We all want this. If this is the plan, It looks like they might all come out at the same time seeing as all have been removed.

superspaceboy said:

Do u think that P could have regained control of the masters and has inked a deal with Sony for distribution like ACDC did?

daPrettyman said:

It's true that they all are "out of print". I work at a SF record store, and they've been "out of print" since August. But, tons and tons of Prince's records were pressed so it will be a while before they disappear. Also, I think it has something to with WB's new distro method. I think WB is on the ropes, they are downsizing everywhere to stay alive...Prince can probably buy them back (if he wants them). He should. There is so much he can do...

Nero

daPrettyman said:

Doubtful. Either he made nice with WB and brokered a better deal with them. OR some other company bought them from WB but that is HIGHLY unlikely.

The former would mean a lot of money for him. I don't think he'd do it without at least still getting back each master as it becomes available. And if you think about it, considering all Prince has NOT done even with his recent catalog, do you think Prince would have the desire, money and the distribution channel to re-release his entire back catalog? SHort answer is YES he has the means. Long answer is NO..he'd never figure out a way to do it properly.

Don't fool yourselves into thinking this means remasters, because it does not. They'll likely be put out in digi-packs and that's it.

Prince refused to allow Erotic City on the Ultimate Collection because of his JW beliefs and has put a stop to any serious remaster talk because all those WB albums contain songs he now considers sinful.

As long as he's a JW, Prince will not be releasing anything beyond a compilation or limited box of remasters. You'll never get Dirty Mind, 1999, Controversy, etc remastered, let alone outtakes and b-sides from the era.

Wall said:

What a fucking shame
Ridiculous.
I hope he doesn't buy them back...we know what that will get us. *shudders*
[Edited 1/16/08 12:57pm]

Wall said:

I beg to differ on this. I doubt Prince would ever let his back catalog shrivel up like that. All revert to digi-packs? That makes no sense as they cost more to produce.

Wall said:

I understand your view, but I don't think that is the case. Prince LOVES to get paid. Hell, he even performed Erotic City during some of the O2 shows. I think he would issue the original albums on cd (if he obtained the masters). Issuing music on cd is about business....performing the songs is a different story.

daPrettyman said:

I hope this is the line he would take, I certainly agree that he loves to get paid. But he obviously does have his doubts about some of this stuff. While he played Erotic City and Head he certainly didn't sing any of them the nights I attended. He sang the first verse of Irresistable Bitch one night but stopped before the sweary bits too. In fact he started Darling Nikki one night as well then said "Aww, you know I can't sing that" (or something like that). So if he bought them back and let them rot in a vault, sadly, that wouldn't surprise me.
[Edited 1/16/08 15:42pm]

Wall said:

That is definitely for the best, although as a Christian, it is easy to forgive most of Prince's explicit lyrics, because we are a world based on love and pro-creation.

Yeah, it'll happen....

When hell freezes over!

If this ever happened we'd never get outtakes or bonus material. It's already a fat chance for the remasters

Tame said:

If this is a serious reply I am gagging hardore

MendesCity said:

Yes, this has been known for many months now.

And NO, this doesn't mean that remasters are in the works at all.
It's simply a change in distribution, nothing more unfortunately.

BorisFishpaw said:

So where would one purchase a Prince Album once they are gone from the record store? Could it just be no more online purchasing of his work?

superspaceboy said:

There is almost always a warehouse somewhere with NOS(New-Old-Stock) of out of print stuff. That's why most Warners/Prince material is available for the time being.

The non-Warners stuff is getting harder to find still sealed.

Of course, if sonic quality is not an issue, everything can be downloaded or shared via mp3 when an artist or label chooses not to re-issue.