I don't see this as selling a lot. Anybody who wants this thing is either a member
or will have someone copy it for them.

It's just NOT funky enough. For the casual fan it's just NOT what U would expect or want for a LIVE PRINCE CD. It's merely
a document for this past tour, not something Prince should release hoping to gain any substantial sales (especially with the price).

Maybe Prince wants to see if he can sell
a decent amount with CDs of NOT HIS BEST LIVE MATERIAL.

True the general public CAN'T appreciate
his BEST material. But the members CAN
and should be privy to it.

You're crazy it's Wonderful! The sound Quality is Great and the songs are really good also. Orgmnd I thought you being a Fan would like this album. I certainly Do and I think it's Wonderful. I think Anyone who Enjoys Prince will Certainly Enjoy this album. I say it's a Must for any Prince fan. Go out and Buy this Cd if you aren't a Member. You will Not be Disappointed. Prince is Brilliant and it's Crystal Clear in the Sound Quality. The Packaging is Wonderful and also the Booklet and Poster. I think it will sell alot if Promoted Correctly on the Right Jazz stations and with Word Of Mouth. Fans want the Whole Package of Booklet,Poster and Cds not some Copies from a Friend.

Everybody who went to see his ONA Tour will certainly buy it.

Honestly eye dont think it will sell much at all.
but eye do think its some of his greatest stuff live.. This band has definantly got a feeling, and so does prince.. Eye have only been to 2 of his concerts (and eye am really glad eye have seen them) but eye have TONS of live concerts, and this live set will be in my top 5, no doubt:)

Lets all eat cookies, yall come on over.. bring tha milk

origmnd said:

I'm not sure why he's released "ONA Live". Maybe he felt that his past tours weren't worthy of official release and that the "One Nite Alone" tour was the best he's ever played (I certainly think so). Maybe it's a way of marking time (live albums are traditionally seen as either that or contractual obligations, but seeing as Prince doesn't have a contract ...). Or maybe he is bringing a phase of his career to an end. Who knows, but him and Larry Graham?

I disagree with you about "ONA Live". I think it's one of the best live albums ever released, up there with The Who's "Live At Leeds", James Brown's "Live At the Apollo 1 & 2", Miles' "Live Evil" and The Stones' "Get Yer Ya Yas Out".

Granted, Prince's new jazz-funk direction may not be to your liking, but how can you resist the remarkable piano-based last two thirds of the second disc? Or the entire aftershow disc? Give it another try. Play only those bits for a while, and I think you'll come around to loving the rest.

I agree with you that it probably won't sell much. Its import price will make it too expensive to attract the casual European buyer, or even the lapsed fan, which is a terrible pity. I'm not even sure how well it will sell in the US either. From what I gather, the "ONA" US tour wasn't a sell-out.

believe me this one is gonna sell .not big time but its gonna sell good.eye'm promoting it while playing at clubs.
eye have after one weekend 20 people who are wanting 2 sell it .because they thought it was amazing.

Why does everything have to be "funky"? Anyway, its "purpose" is not hard to figure out.

Prince had to fulfill his agreement to the club members, so why not take what he was already recording and have it prepared for a release? Beats creating something new, doesn't it?

lovesexy4u said:

Yeah, just like that TRC "masterpiece".

To extort more cash from his fans...rehash old material w/ the added bonus of fans screaming...make more cash...without having to open that pesky vault

origmnd said:

The versions he did of his old songs sounded pretty flat, whereas the newer songs he put alot of emotion into. Every time I listen to this album, I skim over Take Me With U and When U Were Mine. I heard much better performances of these songs on the boots of the tour, which makes me wonder if he intentionally chose the inferior versions.

The CD doesn't have the same feeling as the tour to me because its missing the fun moments where he bust into Whole Lotta Love and Love RollerCoaster, etc.

I'm usually more worried about if I like the album, rather than if my peers dig it tho. So I've had it playin in my car to and from work the past couple weeks.

On the opposite of you. I think this Box set is very funky and totally Prince! I can see many Prince fans that have lost interest through the last years as buying this box set and enjoying it. Its great! I was amazed when I heard it first!

origmnd said:

i do agree that most people who want the cd would be club members...so i don't expect a record number of sales or anything..plus it is a box set, so that will also mean less sales...

..i think if prince was worried so much about the technical number of units sold, he would release a different version to the club than the public...

i haven't heard it yet, so i can't really say if it's 'funky' or 'his best material' or whatever...

and most of my friends who are 'casual prince fans' would be more interested in a live hits package than anything like this...unfortunately...

as for me tho..i can't wait...

joeycoco said:

---

Because "funk never dies" I do not understand how you can be a Prince and not be a funk fan.

if prince released a great live cd that was only one disc it probably wouldn't sell either. If TRC didn't sell to the masses we can rest assured that P's commercial career is over. That's cool though. ONA Live is absolutely one of the best live sets i've ever listened to. My friends who don't even dig Prince have been listening to it. The band is awesome, the sound quality is excellent and the selection of songs is almost perfect. I hear people whinging about no hits...who needs 'em? I have heard the hits live at least 20 times. Many of P's admirers have been to see him many times over and i believe this set is for them, not the casual listener...they can buy the hits or best of (and they will). This was a relatively cheap endeavor for Prince and NPG Records so there really is nothing to lose. And, while i doubt it, maybe sales will surprise some of us.

Natasha said:

Yeah but you think NPS and Diamonds and Pearls are terrific albums. Asking you to respond to any question without blind hero worship is like asking Eminem to stop being a twat. It will never happen

origmnd said:

Even single disc live albums don't usually sell a lot. So it's not like this box would be different than the norm when it comes to live albums.


Couldn't it be that Prince knows this? He's been in the game long enough to know some things about it. And since most of the material on the set isn't a ton of past hits, I'm sure he knows this set is being released at the risk of not attracting the staunch "Little Red Corvette"/"Kiss"/"Purple Rain" crowd. Prince taking risks is the reason he became Prince, whether the anti-JW faction (no, I'm not saying you specifially are) likes it or not. But why is it important that Prince kowtow to his casual fans, isn't that what everybody here is so against all the time? Isn't that what he was lauded for not doing with the ATWIAD album?

He can't win...


I'm not sure I'm understanding you here...you lament the fact that you don't think it will sell to casual fans, then your quote directly above seems to be saying that he should release an album that his club members are craving (his best material)...Prince obviously thinks this is his latest "best" material for a live release right now.

You seem to be coming from the angle of only what Prince can do for a small percentage of his most rabid fans that supports his club. Prince is going to do whatever he thinks is best for his career - whether we agree or not. Whatever he does he won't please each and every one of his fans.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 8 12:26:13 PST 2002 by Supernova]

laurarichardson said:

Uhm, did I say I didn't like funk? Anyway, I think Prince made at least as much music that's not "funky" as stuff that is.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 8 12:30:10 PST 2002 by joeycoco]

The purpose is to document a tour that focused on the music-musicianship etc. He felt good about this one and so did most of the audience who went. The tour received raves and it was a return to form in many ways.

Listen,I may be a hardcore Prince fan,but really it's a Great Live Set and a Must for all Prince fans and if you enjoy Prince's music well you are going to enjoy this Box-Set. Trust Natasha,she only likes the Best and Prince is the Best! Natasha is a Snob and if Natasha has the Hots for Prince and says he's the Bomb and his Music is Killer you Best Bet your Ass it is so! I Know he's a Stud in Bed Also. So Prince is My Man and Always will Be!

Natasha said:

Beautiful!

it's VERY possible that ONA Box Set was 4 Famz like me who couldn't make it 2 The ONA Tour P just had. if did go 'd still want it becuz its somethin' a Fam (like myself) would want !!!

It would have been a better move, financially,
to give the club members the intended CDs to
fulfill this years obligation, Xenophobia, The
Best of , and Last December.
Then, released ONA Live, for all to buy at $50
per sale. I know i would have bought it!
Either way, i'm just glad that it's in my grubby
little hands now.

ME TOO! IM OPENIN' UP ALL THOSE RIGHTIOUS HIPPIES-wanna-bes EARS UP TO THIS NEW SOUND AND HIS OLD GENIOUS STUFF ANJD THEY ARE GETTING TURNED ON HARD CORE!!!

Revolution said:

Here's a scenerio of NPGMC Year 2 if Prince had released the 4 cds as some many people had hoped:
ONA - Basically an EP & many people complained because half the songs were from NPGMC Year 1.
Xenophobia - Jazz-tinged cd that pleased many but also brought complaints that instrumentals aren't songs.
The Best of - Obviously a best of collection with no new songs that made many people unhappy.
Last December - The first two cds of ONAL cut down to one cd with exclusive DOW cut included. Seen as many members as a promo for ONAL.

NPGMC Year 2 was doomed no matter what.

thedoorkeeper said:

i think you may be on to something...

I wish people would READ what I wrote
rather than infering what they THINK I mean. I NEVER SAID ONA LIVE IS NO GOOD!

Supernova said:[quote]

origmnd said:

Even single disc live albums don't usually sell a lot. So it's not like this box would be different than the norm when it comes to live albums.


Couldn't it be that Prince knows this? He's been in the game long enough to know some things about it. And since most of the material on the set isn't a ton of past hits, I'm sure he knows this set is being released at the risk of not attracting the staunch "Little Red Corvette"/"Kiss"/"Purple Rain" crowd. Prince taking risks is the reason he became Prince, whether the anti-JW faction (no, I'm not saying you specifially are) likes it or not. But why is it important that Prince kowtow to his casual fans, isn't that what everybody here is so against all the time? Isn't that what he was lauded for not doing with the ATWIAD album?

He can't win...


I'm not sure I'm understanding you here...you lament the fact that you don't think it will sell to casual fans, then your quote directly above seems to be saying that he should release an album that his club members are craving (his best material)...Prince obviously thinks this is his latest "best" material for a live release right now.

You seem to be coming from the angle of only what Prince can do for a small percentage of his most rabid fans that supports his club. Prince is going to do whatever he thinks is best for his career - whether we agree or not. Whatever he does he won't please each and every one of his fans.

I think he's reached a stage n his carreer
that will go neither up or down. So he should cater 2 approaches. Feed the
small knowledgeable/appreciative/hungry fans the goodies
and toss the rest to the general public.

In today's popular music, if it doesn't sell well,maybe that because it is good?
Ask yourself what sells well, Eminem, The Dixie Chicks.

But when you think of all the people that attended the concerts, if most of them bought it it would sell well.