Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, was released with mixed receptions afaik, in 1999, yes this year 1999 we all had waited for should become a great Prince year, looking all the way back to this fine album from 1982, whan Prince had his breakthrough..... but.....

Instead of celebrating "his" year, Prince was releasing a-not-so-great album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic,

OK fine, I remember I was disappointed back then, the Rave album wasn't the Prince feast I had expected...

AND JUST ONE & A HALF YEAR LATER Prince released this album AGAIN:

Why did Prince release the remix/ extended version of Rave one and a-half year later

Is there a story behind this ?

I don't think he has released a re-mixed album ever before or since then.

And... why was the excellent track Beautiful Strange not released on the first album, Rave Un2 ? Was this song simply written after Rave Un2 was released... possibly...?

And wasn't Prince satisfied with Rave Un2, since he was remixing (some of) the songs...?

Sorry, if I am asking silly / well known questions here...

I don't think there was a specific story as to why he released a remix version (i could be wrong).

Rave In2.. was released via NPGMC as a limited edition. I think it was simply to accompany the original Rave album.

Prince probably recorded remixes, long versions etc because that is what he does, i think he simply decided to make these versions available to NPGMC members. Look at all the alternate versions recorded of most Prince album tracks, i don't think this method was exclusive to the Rave album. Releasing them as an album, maybe.

I like both albums. But i think the remix version (Rave In2..) is the better of the two, nice longer versions, remixes, and of course the addition of Beautiful Strange, which i really like.

[Edited 7/23/10 10:24am]

Rave In2 is I believe the only Prince album I do not have and cannot seem to find.

thedance said:

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, was released with mixed receptions afaik, in 1999, yes this year 1999 we all had waited for should become a great Prince year, looking all the way back to this fine album from 1982, whan Prince had his breakthrough..... but.....

Instead of celebrating "his" year, Prince was releasing a-not-so-great album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic,

OK fine, I remember I was disappointed back then, the Rave album wasn't the Prince feast I had expected...

AND JUST ONE & A HALF YEAR LATER Prince released this album AGAIN:

Why did Prince release the remix/ extended version of Rave one and a-half year later

Is there a story behind this ?

I don't think he has released a re-mixed album ever before or since then.

And... why was the excellent track Beautiful Strange not released on the first album, Rave Un2 ? Was this song simply written after Rave Un2 was released... possibly...?

And wasn't Prince satisfied with Rave Un2, since he was remixing (some of) the songs...?

Sorry, if I am asking silly / well known questions here...

If I recall correctly, there was talk of the remix album not long after the offical release, it just took a lot longer to come out then he intended. As for Beautiful Strange, it defintely existed prior to Rave (there's a clip of him recording/performing it i the Cafe De Paris release from 98).

TwiliteKid said:

thedance said:

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, was released with mixed receptions afaik, in 1999, yes this year 1999 we all had waited for should become a great Prince year, looking all the way back to this fine album from 1982, whan Prince had his breakthrough..... but.....

Instead of celebrating "his" year, Prince was releasing a-not-so-great album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic,

OK fine, I remember I was disappointed back then, the Rave album wasn't the Prince feast I had expected...

AND JUST ONE & A HALF YEAR LATER Prince released this album AGAIN:

Why did Prince release the remix/ extended version of Rave one and a-half year later

Is there a story behind this ?

I don't think he has released a re-mixed album ever before or since then.

And... why was the excellent track Beautiful Strange not released on the first album, Rave Un2 ? Was this song simply written after Rave Un2 was released... possibly...?

And wasn't Prince satisfied with Rave Un2, since he was remixing (some of) the songs...?

Sorry, if I am asking silly / well known questions here...

If I recall correctly, there was talk of the remix album not long after the offical release, it just took a lot longer to come out then he intended. As for Beautiful Strange, it defintely existed prior to Rave (there's a clip of him recording/performing it i the Cafe De Paris release from 98).

Yes, Beautiful Strange was written in '98.

There was a planned album called Beautiful Strange, dating to 1998. No tracklist is known, but what is known is that the title track ended up on Rave in2..

^It's the first time I hear that. What's the source?

You might be able to find the Beautiful Strange VHS that was officially available at the time. If you sit through an awkward interview of Prince by Scary Spice, then you get to see a "video" for Beautiful Strange.

The whole thing feels more akin to New Power Soul than Rave.

The version of Beautiful Strange on the VHS is different from the one on Rave In2. There are other performers on the Rave track. Just throwin' that out there for the completists.

Se7en said:

The whole thing feels more akin to New Power Soul than Rave.

Yeah, that's how I hear it also. The inclusion of "Beautiful Strange" on Rave In2 was just a method of enticing people who may not particularly care for remixes to buy the CD. Personally, I much prefer the Beautiful Strange VHS version. That nasally distorted guitar solo on In2 doesn't work as well as the clean wah on the original. Just my opinion.

I Love this song, "Beautiful Strange." And the video is great.

yesterday (23 july) he played 'beautiful strange' in the new morning club in paris. it was so great you went nuts.

i don't like the rave album at all, yet he also played 'i love u but i don't trust u anymore' - and live, it was fabulous... just he and renato...

vitalbacon said:

yesterday (23 july) he played 'beautiful strange' in the new morning club in paris. it was so great you went nuts.

i don't like the rave album at all, yet he also played 'i love u but i don't trust u anymore' - and live, it was fabulous... just he and renato...

sounds awesome!

i still like the original version of "beautiful strange" a lot more. the 'new' version on Rave In2

is cool enough but the original, stripped down, simple version is just haunting as hell and too

beautiful.

Se7en said:

You might be able to find the Beautiful Strange VHS that was officially available at the time. If you sit through an awkward interview of Prince by Scary Spice, then you get to see a "video" for Beautiful Strange.

The whole thing feels more akin to New Power Soul than Rave.

In fact, wasn't that interview part of the promotion of New Power Soul?

I remember Scary Spice asking about the new album. Prince's reply was something along the lines of "it's gonna be sick" and I remember thinking well, that's one way of describing it, but I might include the word 'inducing'.

I must have seen it after the release of NPS, and I'm pretty sure that whole program (which included various snippets of interview with Scary Spice, and also IIRC had the video for 'Come On') was all NPS promo.

Prince was actually talking about a "special edition" Rave CD before the release of the Arista Rave Un2. There was talk of longer versions, extended solos, extra tracks, maybe even an interactive booklet. It was even hinted that it might have to be a 2 CD set.

Wierd kind of. Love4oneanother.com posted info prior to the release of Rave un2 on November 9, 1999. There was even a message stating something to the effect of, let's all give our support to this upcoming retail version (Rave Un2) until the special edition CD is released at a later date. (I'm going to try to find that post - I know I have it here somewhere - and scan it if I do).

Why a remix Rave at all? My guess is that Prince was trying to experiment with his freedom, so to speak. He didn't have a standard contract with Arista for the release of Rave, he owned the masters, so he was free to "put out records in competition with each other" as one of his former managers once said of him in a lawsuit. Maybe he wanted to make a point that the major labels are good at what they do (Rave un2) but when we "let the baker bake the bread" (NPG released Rave special edition) it can be so much better.

In early 2000 it was announced, after a teaser had been posted on NPGonlineltd.com, that the release of the Rave special edition had been postponed indefinitely. I thought that was the end of the story - we would never see this record. But lo and behold, when npg music club was launched in Feb. 2001, Rave in2 was announced as an exclusive CD for the premium members.

I wonder if at some point Prince lost his interest in a special edition CD so to speak, and just threw some stuff together to make Rave in2 different from Rave un2. That's kind of what it sounds like to me. Where are the extra tracks (other than BS)? There are actually fewer tracks on rave in2 than on Rave un2! Some of the songs have minor differences, a few seconds of extra music, or no difference at all. What started out as a project Prince was all gung ho about, turned into something I suspect he ended up throwing together hastily.

Blast From The Past - Rave Splash

Blast From The Past - Order Page

squirrelgrease said:

Blast From The Past - Rave Splash

Blast From The Past - Order Page

I really do miss the NPGMC, especially that version of it (before the 3D "mansion").

Se7en said:

squirrelgrease said:

Blast From The Past - Rave Splash

Blast From The Past - Order Page

I really do miss the NPGMC, especially that version of it (before the 3D "mansion").

Yeah. Having access to merchandise was great and even though Prince's "NEWZ" was often very strange, at least he was connecting with the masses on a regular basis. It was fun to read his posts and then come here to try and figure out what he was talking about. Moors in Spain, Ways Of The Pharaoh, etc...

Ways Of The Pharaoh

^^^^^

Thank you to all, for your replies.

squirrelgrease said:

Se7en said:

I really do miss the NPGMC, especially that version of it (before the 3D "mansion").

Yeah. Having access to merchandise was great and even though Prince's "NEWZ" was often very strange, at least he was connecting with the masses on a regular basis. It was fun to read his posts and then come here to try and figure out what he was talking about. Moors in Spain, Ways Of The Pharaoh, etc...

Ways Of The Pharaoh

I remember those . . . wasn't there one about Santa Clause too?

blumer said:

Rave In2 is I believe the only Prince album I do not have and cannot seem to find.

The Universe is being kind to you, honour it with a gift of fruit or a random act of kindness.

Se7en said:

squirrelgrease said:

Yeah. Having access to merchandise was great and even though Prince's "NEWZ" was often very strange, at least he was connecting with the masses on a regular basis. It was fun to read his posts and then come here to try and figure out what he was talking about. Moors in Spain, Ways Of The Pharaoh, etc...

Ways Of The Pharaoh

I remember those . . . wasn't there one about Santa Clause too?

You mean Satan Claws? Yea, it was there.

I'm mildly surprised the links to buy that stuff aren't still active. I'm sure SOMEBODY would still enter a CC#

I think it was for product differientiation.

With Arista releasing Rave Un2, his website needed something to get people interested enough to sign a hefty priced CONtract online to join his membership-based site.

Giving people Rave In2 was enough for most to agree to do it.

I think he was actually trying back then to get fans to buy into the online experience, but he was just at a artistic (and I'll go ahead and say it---spiritual) lull. Mayte's marriage to him was obviously on the rocks, and there were all sorts of personal and financial problems at that time.

I differ from most folks in that I dislike Rave In2 even more than I dislike Rave Un2, though I think Rave Un2 is actually on par with D&P ,

Prince would have needed a truly inspired work of genius with tons and tons of videos, appearances, and promotion.

He did make several appearances, but they were duds. He appeared on TRL ...with fucking Larry Ass Graham and Old diva-ass Chaka-mad Khan and then attempted to diss the host before getting his ass served to him.

He appeared on MTV's music awards dressed in a neon blue outfit and hair ribbons but didn't bother to perform. (I'm convinced his decent performance with Beyonce during his Musicology career redemption gave his presence a boost).

His spirit just wasn't there. He just didn't do much to get people interested in his material...which was lackluster at that time at best.

The Musicology Prince was much, much, muuuuuuuuch more engaging and uplifting....too bad the music wasn't that much better.

Mars23 said:

Se7en said:

I remember those . . . wasn't there one about Santa Clause too?

You mean Satan Claws? Yea, it was there.

I'm mildly surprised the links to buy that stuff aren't still active. I'm sure SOMEBODY would still enter a CC#

_______________________________________________________

'Tis the nightmare called ChristMESS that has the whole earth
Practicing pagan rituals in the name of Christ's birth
The stockings r hung, yet none seem 2 care
The Bible makes no such reference 2 this affair
The children r told of some nice guy in red
While the truth about Santa is Satan instead
And mama passes tradition 2 her kids' little laps
Enabling the origin of ChristMESS 2 remain under wraps
2 lazy 2 research what u've bLIEved since ur youth?
Then sit back and listen while eye tell u the truth...

Away from the lies that r simply rehashed
Eye opened the Bible and threw up, quite aghast
No mention that Jesus was born in December
So, who is it, each year, that the people remember?
O, what 2 my wandering eyes should eye find
But a celebration called Saturnalia - then, further backwards eye
climbed
He bgan a fake religion that competed with God
Eye knew at that moment it was Nimrod!

More rapid my heart beat the blood thru my veins
If Christ was never in ChristMESS, what then remains?
The wreaths, mistletoe, ChristMESS goose and the fixins
ChristMESS trees, gift-giving and holey day mixin
From the whole list there's none u should leave
All pagan in origin, they only dceive

B4 u knew the whole truth, it wasn't a lie
But, now that u know, it's on u 2 deny
Now on2 the icon, of course, u all knew
Bhind that long, flowing beard Santa hid something 2

All eye had was an inkling, so eye went in search of the proof
That Santa was not what eye'd learned in my youth
Eye drew in my breath when the truth hit my eye
Xposed were the roots of this so-called good guy

He's dressed all in red - take note of the hue
And that right there provides the first clue
With a bundle of toyz 2 teach children greed
Walk in2 any toy store and watch him succeed
Y yes, it is true, as the anagram will suggest
SANTA is SATAN, just festively dressed

His wry, little mouth is drawn up in a sneer
As children continue their worship year after year
Upon his mind, do u suppose that it gnaws
The telling morph of his name 2 spell SATAN'S CLAWS?
Yet, the characteristics of God he assumes as his own:
Omniscient, omnipresent - he's after God's throne

He is cunning and wicked, sure no jolly old elf
Now eye cringe when eye c him, no longer kidding myself
This nightmare called ChristMESS - how eye was misled -
In honor of Jesus, upholding Nimrod instead!
Churches ignore this truth tho it lurks
Eye guess appeasing the pagans wins over converts
ChristMESS lies warrant cleanup or else they r liable
2 put one at odds with what's taught in the Bible
Celebr8 how u like - the way u did in ur youth
Or recognize God as a Spirit 2 b worshipped in TRUTH

Eye heard it xclaimed while thru Jeremiah eye was breezin',

"Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen."

- an NPG Music Club Member

BlackCandle said:

I assumed that, because the Rave un2 album bombed & princes relationship with Arista turned sour (with alleged rumours that the board believed the material was weak) this was his way of saying "hey, I can turn out good stuff when I want". I imagined BS was a replacement for EDIAWR to avoid royalty payments.

Which part of "they started announcing this before 'Rave In2' was even released" is so hard to comprehend?

Why do you need to make shit up?

^ sorry, but you are talking down again, ain't you....?

do you really need to talk like that all the time,

you are always so negative...

try to be kind and positive for a while will you..?

thedance said:

^ sorry, but you are talking down again, ain't you....?

do you really need to talk like that all the time,

you are always so negative...

try to be kind and positive for a while will you..?

Oh look, yet another person more upset about HOW something was said instead of WHAT was said.

BartVanHemelen said:

thedance said:

^ sorry, but you are talking down again, ain't you....?

do you really need to talk like that all the time,

you are always so negative...

try to be kind and positive for a while will you..?

Oh look, yet another person more upset about HOW something was said instead of WHAT was said.

Humans tend to do that...you wouldn't understand.

vitriol said:

^It's the first time I hear that. What's the source?

Per Nilsens "The Vault."