I wrote about this before... thought it might be fun to bring it up again after the SHM limited edition packaging of his first 10 albums.

I'm not holding my breath for remasters, or anything (bonus tracks) coming from the vault. Prince has enough money and no longer approves of the material that made him who he is today.

Back in 1997, there was a list of 29 CD singles that were on the schedule to be released in Japan. Wouldn't it be nice to see Warner Japan follow up the limited edition SHM releases with similar packaging for the singles?

Here is what was reported to come out in 1997 before someone -- I wonder who that could have been -- canceled them.

WPCR-1522 I Wanna Be Your Lover / Just As Long As We're Together
WPCR-1523 Sexy Dancer (Long Version) / Bambi
WPCR-1524 Do It All Night / Head
WPCR-1525 Gotta Stop (Messin' About) / I Wanna Be Your Lover / Head
WPCR-1526 Controversy / When You Were Mine
WPCR-1527 Let's Work (Dance Remix) / Ronnie Talk To Russia
WPCR-1528 1999 / How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore / D.M.S.R.
WPCR-1529 Little Red Corvette / Automatic / International Lover
WPCR-1530 When Doves Cry / 17 Days
WPCR-1531 Purple Rain / God (Instrumental) / God
WPCR-1532 I Would Die 4 U / Another Lonely Christmas
WPCR-1533 Let's Go Crazy (Extended Version) /Take Me With U/Erotic City
WPCR-1534 Paisley Park (Remix) / She's Always In My Hair
WPCR-1535 Raspberry Beret (Extended Remix) / Hello
WPCR-1536 Pop Life (Extended Version) / Girl
WPCR-1537 Kiss (Extended Version) / Love or Money
WPCR-1538 Mountains (Extended Version) / Alexa De Paris
WPCR-1539 Girls And Boys / Under The Cherry Moon / Erotic City
WPCR-1540 Anotherloverholenyohead (Extended Version) / I Wanna Be Your Lover
WPCR-1541 Sign O' The Times / La La La He He Hee
WPCR-1542 If I Was Your Girlfriend / Shockadelica
WPCR-1543 U Got The Look (Long Look) / Housequake (7 Minutes MoQuake)
WPCR-1544 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man / Hot Thing (Extended Remix)
WPCR-1545 Alphabet St. / Alphabet St. (This Is Not Music, This Is A Trip)
WPCR-1546 Glam Slam (Remix) / Escape
WPCR-1547 I Wish U Heaven (Part 1, 2, & 3) / Scarlett Pussy
WPCR-1548 Batdance (The Batmix) / Batdance (Vicki Vale Mix) / 200 Balloons
WPCR-1549 The Purple Party Mix/Partyman Music Mix/Partyman (The Video Mix)/Feel U Up (Short Stroke)
WPCR-1550 The Arms Of Orion / I Love U In Me

Bonus wishful thinking: As an extra, if you buy all 29, they come in some sort of a case with "His Majesty's Pop Life" and "Strange Tales From The Rain" -- both as double CDs with packaging just like the promotional LPs.

Those SHM releases are more show than substance. THe sound quality difference has been thoroughly panned everywhere I look for reviews. I am not laying out over $25 per album for something that is marginally different from a the vinyl albums (all of which I have had for 3 decades now). The packaging was the one thing that could have been the real difference but I understand the quality is so low that it is just a disppointment. Look at the Neolong review of 1999 on the cdjapan site. I actually have a Purple Rain SHM that isnt a replica of the album - no artwork or anything. The difference between it and the old japanese release of the album is non-existent so I am not sold (the fact that I downloaded every SHM album from For You to Lovesexy for free has alot to do with it as well )

I also know that things change and anything can happen. A proper re-release for classic albums is in order. I lwas playing the deluxe release of Street Songs by Rick James the oter day. They remastered the original and included 12 remixes and a full live concert on the second disc. Ther are extra never seen photos from the album cover photo session that make it a flawless treatment of a true classic. Prince has several albums that deserve such treatment - and it will happen sooner or later. Then I may send some actual money on old albums.

thanks for the list,

I wish this would come true,

I would love to have these extended A's and B-sides on CD's


WPCR-1523 Sexy Dancer (Long Version) / Bambi
WPCR-1534 Paisley Park (Remix) / She's Always In My Hair
WPCR-1535 Raspberry Beret (Extended Remix) / Hello
WPCR-1536 Pop Life (Extended Version) / Girl
WPCR-1537 Kiss (Extended Version) / Love or Money
WPCR-1538 Mountains (Extended Version) / Alexa De Paris
WPCR-1539 Girls And Boys / Under The Cherry Moon / Erotic City
WPCR-1540 Anotherloverholenyohead (Extended Version) / I Wanna Be Your Lover
WPCR-1541 Sign O' The Times / La La La He He Hee
WPCR-1542 If I Was Your Girlfriend / Shockadelica
WPCR-1543 U Got The Look (Long Look) / Housequake (7 Minutes MoQuake)
WPCR-1544 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man / Hot Thing (Extended Remix)
WPCR-1545 Alphabet St. / Alphabet St. (This Is Not Music, This Is A Trip)
WPCR-1546 Glam Slam (Remix) / Escape
WPCR-1547 I Wish U Heaven (Part 1, 2, & 3) / Scarlett Pussy
WPCR-1548 Batdance (The Batmix) / Batdance (Vicki Vale Mix) / 200 Balloons
WPCR-1549 The Purple Party Mix/Partyman Music Mix/Partyman (The Video Mix)/Feel U Up (Short Stroke)

^ I would buy these - maybe I would buy all in the end
[Edited 3/11/10 8:42am]

Brofie said:

That's because you ordered the wrong one. You ordered the "Purple Rain" SHM from January 2009 instead of the limited edition version that was released with the other 9 albums at the same time in July 2009. Different catalog numbers, not limited edition, and about $15 cheaper at this point.

As for your 2nd point that I chose to respond to, I'll give you why I don't agree with you.

1. Prince vs. WB. Other than phony responses in interviews, he has given us no reason to think his issues with them are over. He would rather make a crappy album and make millions off of that than do the "remasters" and make next to nothing in comparison off of that. In fact, I bet Prince could do an hour long interview with Tavis Smiley kissing his ... where Prince riffs on "remaster" and "Jehovah" with Larry and Tina behind the curtain egging him on. "I don't want to be the slave to Warner Bros remaster" and "Why should I make pennies with a remaster when I can do "Newpower Soul Part II" and make millions?"

2. If he's rewriting lyrics to "Baby I'm a Star" and "Let's Go Crazy," does anyone really think he's going to allow "Purple Rain" to be remastered and resold without significant George Lucas-like revisions? With his current Jehovah Witness/religious nonsense, we are never going to this happen. A remaster of "Dirty Mind"? Who are we kidding? One could argue that it will happen when Prince passes, and even then it's not like the rights to his music will be passed onto someone with our self interests in mind. But I won't talk about Prince passing because we all know he's going to out live every single one of us that would like to see remasters and bonus tracks and box sets.

Brofie said:

I own them all myself and I would agree with this. The packaging is first rate... having never owned the LPs, it was the main reason I wanted them (they were a gift from my wife). I can't say enough about how awesome the packaging is. It is a stunning job!

The SHM releases are a tad louder across the board, but they use the same master as the US releases. On some releases I would go so far as to say a tad of something akin to EQ was used (or perhaps I am hearing the by-product of transferring these tracks anew - I am really not too technical with this sort of thing), but a) it was not noticeable in any listening environment save for my very good studio headphones, b) I wouldn't say it was "better" or "worse" just a hair different (and only at higher frequencies), and c) it was so slight that it frankly doesn't deserve mention (though I mention it anyway! Hahah). I would NOT buy these for the sound quality... that is a waste of money. These releases are for packaging whores only.

thedance said:

Me too! If only to get clean digital versions of some of those songs that only exist as (good) vinyl transfers currently. I'd love the art as well.

Regarding the art, I recently went out an bought all of the 7" picture sleeves for next to nothing on eBay... many times the 7" art was the same as the 12" (with only slight differences). I will be in the process of scanning them in, fixing them where necessary to have them match the 12" release, and then uploading them to iTunes and attaching them to the 12" songs. I always wanted nice digital assets @ high resolution to go with songs, and this was the easiest way to do it. To be sure you can grab most of this art online, but I actually enjoy the whole scan & fix process, and this way I can have the art @ high res.
[Edited 3/11/10 9:12am]

suomynona said:

All is remedied if you bought the regular japanese pressings as I did. There is a discernable sonic difference to the domestic releases and they match - if not surpass - the SHM versions to my ear. There is no special packaging other than the usual translations lyric sheets but, as I said, having the full sized dust covers and posters in all the original vinyl albums is better than having tiny CD versions. I am old enough to have seen the official release of each Prince album and bought them all. I dont play them so the records and the packaging are mint.