What up Purple Headz!

Just a question here, ummm as we all know UTCM failed at the box office in a MAJOR way in 1986 (I think the movie "Howard the Duck" grossed more @ the box office, if that tells you anything), and I was just wondering, even IF Prince didn't disband The Revolution would Warner Brothers been willing to release The Dream Factory project the same year as the FAILED UTCM? From a business stand point, I say no! Most of us "Old school P fans" remember how bad the press was on Prince after the release UTCM. How Prince stayed so focused during the European leg of the Parade tour with all the negative press being said about him state side is a miracle in and of itself, but that's another story...what are ur views on the subject? Peace, Aaron6ix

i remember the movie getting mixed reviews, but overall positive--if just barley.

But the album and concerts and the rest of the press was positive.

I think WB would have been reluctant to let him release an album no matter how well Parade or the Movie did.

But it seems to me time has proven WB right that Prince was releasing too much material. and he still is. and the quality has suffered. (even he admitted he was not pleased with parade)

The Dream Factory would've been released in 1987 as the follow-up.

Spinlight said:

The Dream Factory would've been released in 1987 as the follow-up.

I was thinking that as well. I am not sure where the idea of an 86 release came from but i decided it was not that important. I think the argumet was that the success or lack there of of UTCM (which made money) had something to do with DF not being released seems to be forgetting that Prince pulled it, it was if anything Crystal Ball that WB said no too. But then again there were what? 6 or 7 albums being toyed with between 86 and 87? (at least)

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Spinlight said:

The Dream Factory would've been released in 1987 as the follow-up.

I was thinking that as well. I am not sure where the idea of an 86 release came from but i decided it was not that important. I think the argumet was that the success or lack there of of UTCM (which made money) had something to do with DF not being released seems to be forgetting that Prince pulled it, it was if anything Crystal Ball that WB said no too. But then again there were what? 6 or 7 albums being toyed with between 86 and 87? (at least)

There really is no reason to argue that UTCM's success had anything to do with TDF (nor would it, honestly). SOTT didn't see any sort of real effects from that loss as a three disc set was not happening in 1987 regardless.

Spinlight said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I was thinking that as well. I am not sure where the idea of an 86 release came from but i decided it was not that important. I think the argumet was that the success or lack there of of UTCM (which made money) had something to do with DF not being released seems to be forgetting that Prince pulled it, it was if anything Crystal Ball that WB said no too. But then again there were what? 6 or 7 albums being toyed with between 86 and 87? (at least)

There really is no reason to argue that UTCM's success had anything to do with TDF (nor would it, honestly). SOTT didn't see any sort of real effects from that loss as a three disc set was not happening in 1987 regardless.

I agree: and the fact that WB did approve 4 albums *including a doube* in 1987 (SOTT, BA, 8 and 16) tells me that WB was not worried with album sales.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Spinlight said:

There really is no reason to argue that UTCM's success had anything to do with TDF (nor would it, honestly). SOTT didn't see any sort of real effects from that loss as a three disc set was not happening in 1987 regardless.

I agree: and the fact that WB did approve 4 albums *including a doube* in 1987 (SOTT, BA, 8 and 16) tells me that WB was not worried with album sales.

Don't forget the Camille album was also in that mix. So I think WB was on a fast track to get Prince back out there, but not with so much material as a triple album as Crystal Ball would have been.

joyinrepetition said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I agree: and the fact that WB did approve 4 albums *including a doube* in 1987 (SOTT, BA, 8 and 16) tells me that WB was not worried with album sales.

Don't forget the Camille album was also in that mix. So I think WB was on a fast track to get Prince back out there, but not with so much material as a triple album as Crystal Ball would have been.

It's simply cost prohibitive, from a consumer point of view. The first time I bought the 2 CD set SOTT, I paid $33 at Circuit City. That's unreal. Imagine adding a third disc to that. It'd be like when The Hits came out and was priced, in 1993 even, at $60!! OMG.

So yeah, I agree. WB was ready to continue indulging Prince's creative endeavors despite UTCM being a failure. They just wanted his fans, mostly teens at the time, to actually be able to buy the records.

joyinrepetition said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I agree: and the fact that WB did approve 4 albums *including a doube* in 1987 (SOTT, BA, 8 and 16) tells me that WB was not worried with album sales.

Don't forget the Camille album was also in that mix. So I think WB was on a fast track to get Prince back out there, but not with so much material as a triple album as Crystal Ball would have been.

yeah I remembered it I just misspelled it and then decided to just list the ones that were manufactured for release or released.

so it was what? 9 total in 86 and 87? *granted a number of songs were on more than one project*

but Parade, Rave, Dream Factory, Crystal Ball, Camille, SOTT, Black Albu,. Madhouse 8 and 16!

* of them were pretty much green lit and 4 were released and a 5th was pulled by prince. with a 10th a few months later

Under the Cherry Moon's success, or lack of, had zero impact on Dream Factory.

Plus, as has already been mentioned, Dream Factory would have been due for release in 1987, not 1986. The shelving of Dream Factory was down to one thing... the break-up of the Revolution.

From a business standpoint, they would've preferred he did more 1999-Purple Rain era music. I'm trying to remember back, but when "Around the World in a Day" came out, there was talk of it being a full length album with no singles, and there was no tour for it, prob. because he already had UTCM and "Parade" in his head, not to mention all the goings on at Paisley Park that occupied his time.

dalsh327 said:

From a business standpoint, they would've preferred he did more 1999-Purple Rain era music. I'm trying to remember back, but when "Around the World in a Day" came out, there was talk of it being a full length album with no singles, and there was no tour for it, prob. because he already had UTCM and "Parade" in his head, not to mention all the goings on at Paisley Park that occupied his time.

Yeah it was a busy time for prince. Building the studio and recoding 10+ albums. (IIRC PP was not finshed until early 88 but had some functions as early in early 1987)

I wonder that the first song he did at PP was? if it was even released?

I would guess something off the Black Album as most of SOTT was done before it was ready.

[Edited 11/23/10 17:16pm]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

dalsh327 said:

From a business standpoint, they would've preferred he did more 1999-Purple Rain era music. I'm trying to remember back, but when "Around the World in a Day" came out, there was talk of it being a full length album with no singles, and there was no tour for it, prob. because he already had UTCM and "Parade" in his head, not to mention all the goings on at Paisley Park that occupied his time.

Yeah it was a busy time for prince. Building the studio and recoding 10+ albums. (IIRC PP was not finshed until early 88 but had some functions as early in early 1987)

I wonder that the first song he did at PP was? if it was even released?

I would guess something off the Black Album as most of SOTT was done before it was ready.

[Edited 11/23/10 17:16pm]

Prince first used Paisley Park for recording on July 6th 1987. The first songs he recorded were "No Changes, Melody Cool, Graffiti Bridge and If I Love U 2 Nite." I do not know which was recorded first, obviously not all these tracks were recorded on the 6th.

When Prince returned from the SOTT tour on June 30th, studio A in Paisley was the only one operational, studio b & c were still being finished. A Group from Minneapolis called Limited Warranty were already using studio A when Prince returned.

Paisley Park did not officially open until September 11th 1987.

[Edited 11/23/10 17:40pm]

MikeyB71 said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Yeah it was a busy time for prince. Building the studio and recoding 10+ albums. (IIRC PP was not finshed until early 88 but had some functions as early in early 1987)

I wonder that the first song he did at PP was? if it was even released?

I would guess something off the Black Album as most of SOTT was done before it was ready.

[Edited 11/23/10 17:16pm]

Prince first used Paisley Park for recording on July 6th 1987. The first songs he recorded were "No Changes, Melody Cool, Graffiti Bridge and If I Love U 2 Nite." I do not know which was recorded first, obviously not all these tracks were recorded on the 6th.

When Prince returned from the SOTT tour on June 30th, studio A in Paisley was the only one operational, studio b & c were still being finished. A Group from Minneapolis called Limited Warranty were already using studio A when Prince returned.

Paisley Park did not officially open until September 11th 1987.

[Edited 11/23/10 17:40pm]

cool. I thought it was between SOTT and the Black Album. But still much of the Black Album was earlier than July 87. Dang he was busy during thoes years.

^^ Very much so.

[Edited 11/23/10 18:14pm]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

i remember the movie getting mixed reviews, but overall positive--if just barley.

you have a selective memory it seems. The movie was nearly unanimously panned and rightly so. It was terrible but was Citizen Kane compared to Graffiti Bridge.

My favorite quote bashing Cherry moon was "avoid any continent where the movie was playing"

My bad Purple headz, all these years I thought Dream Factory was due for a fall 86" release. I thought I read that somewhere, but obviously I was wrong, so please 4give. I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving! Aaron6ix