I was thinking about this today as I was in my car listening to 'SOTT'. By now we all know how WB refused to release the intended 3 Disc album titled 'Crystal Ball'. Even though he was angry he slimmed it down to the now Legendary 'SOTT' album. It seems to me that it is absolutely perfect the way it is.

Do u think that had Prince got his way the 'Crystal Ball' album would have been as great as 'SOTT'? Perhaps it would have had a few "Album Fillers" on it that the 'SOTT' album version doesn't have. Sometimes less is more....?? Just a thought.

What's your opinion on this? IS less more? Some of us have seen some songs that were supposed to be on it. So with that in mind, do u think this time...maybe....just maybe WB was right??

I really don't understand the artistic intentions of Prince...Vs. The record company's involvement...
Prince was good to start investing in himself...and of course, I like both cd's.
Sometimes less is more money for the time investested I suppose, however...Prince has to say all that he wants to say for him to feel like the cd was complete.
I doubt I answered your question about when these releases were.

If it was released we would be saying Crystal Ball is the greatest Prince album and not SOTT. This definately would have been Prince's ultimate crowning achievement hands down. Best material he's ever put out!
[Edited 4/9/08 20:33pm]

From what I understand, it was really more a case on the dream factory or SOTT?

As I believe the two albums have a lot more in common than crystal ball and SOTT. I was very much under the impression that Crystal Ball was a bit of a compilation album of unreleased material incorporating tracks over a few decades, which was put out very much to tackle the bootlegging which had been so prolific over the years.

I got hold of a copy of dream factory yesterday, it was actually unbelievably easy to find on the net, (as in second hit on google) and had a listen. It's quite interesting listening to the alternate versions of some of SOTT stuff on there, and also alternates of the crystal ball track, which in my opinion is better than the one which was released with the crystal ball album/comp.

personally, I find some of the tracks on crystal ball a bit tiresome, I mean bacon skin for instance is totally self indulgent, and although it give you an insight into prince in the studio jamming, I think it's a pretty boring track really.
[Edited 4/10/08 0:17am]

Bewdy said:

Read this, then report back to us;
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...d_album%29

First Prince did Dream Factory with The Revolution, then disbanded The Revolution, then compiled an album called Crystal Ball, which Warner wanted slimmed down to a double, instead of triple album.

The Crystal Ball you mention is the 3 CD album that was released later, lifting it's name from the most famous unreleased Prince album ever.
[Edited 4/10/08 0:26am]

I think SOTT is perfect.A 3-album set in 1987 would have been overwhelming,and I don't think it would have sold well.Prince was wise to trim it down to an excellent 2-album set.

well I didn't know there was a concept for an album called 'crystal ball' before SOTT, however referring to your own infallible source (wiki)

"In 1998, Prince revived the concept of Crystal Ball with the release of a 3-CD album of the same name. The title track was the same one from the original 3-LP version; however, the set had little to do with the original concept other than the title track"

I don't know if whoever started the thread was referring to the original crystal ball concept, or the current release of crystal ball.

It was the right decision. The album is still remembered by the general audience and music press as his crowning masterpiece, and the DF/Camille/CB mythology just adds to that.

There was nothing wrong with the material cut from the album, and if there was ever gonna be a 3LP set, this was the time it could've been when his creative juices were at their peak. But it's just a lot to digest (juices, digest? ) from one artist at one time.

Also, if you look at how Prince abandoned SOTT when it was not performing to the level he expected in the US, it's likely that he would've done just the same had CB had the same commercial fate (or worse considering the increased expense of a 3LP set). If he'd have left Crystal Ball with four singles and tour-less on home turf, his position with Warners might've been on even more shaking ground in the coming years.

Had it been released at the time, I think it would've been viewed as obscenely self-indulgent. The title track especially I think would've been seen as far, far too masturbatory. And seeing as Prince was so set on the 3LP set, it's to his credit that he cut out the title track and build the whole project again round 'SOTT' which was just a track tucked away on the set. It worked out for the best because the new title track, kind of grounded Prince again in the public eye I think, it showed him as more down to Earth, and less some megalomaniac star.

Now back to the present day, and if we are ever lucky enough to see remasters - I would love to see SOTT re-released with the CB tracks, and b-sides etc, added on the end (still as SOTT, just the tracks added to the album, not with the CB tracklist), this would allow people to see that original vision and contrast it to the released LP. This is Prince's legacy, I hope we see it honoured.

Your ending sounded like that of a presidential speech, Nouveau.

Anji said:

I pledge allegiance to the Funk!

Anji said:

Today we fight, today is Independence Day!