IamFunkay7 said:

Waiting for Prince's remasters is like waiting for the big one in California buts theres one thing you know, its coming

Shut up, already, damn!

IamFunkay7 said:

Waiting for Prince's remasters is like waiting for the big one in California buts theres one thing you know, its coming

I wouldn't compare a music release to a castatrophe man...

electricberet said:

IamFunkay7 said:

Waiting for Prince's remasters is like waiting for the big one in California buts theres one thing you know, its coming

Shut up, already, damn!

RIGHT!

Shafty said:

blackbob, I love your optimism and I share it.

However I don't think this is likely to happen until the little man pops his purple clogs.

He can borrow mine. I can hardly wait.

It ain't happening. My best friend is a high up at WB. He says no way. Its different with vinyl. He says no chance on the cds. Prince won't let it happen

I really am going with the whole 2013 thing because it's something that's been talked about for years from Prince as far as the rights reverting back to him and also his press conference in Paris back in 2009 (I think). It's where he was talking about his conversation with WillIAm and even stated his thoughts on the death of Michael Jackson. Listen to it, I really think 2013 is really gonna be where alot of those question will get answered dealing with his back catalog and even the vault.

think there going 2 start being released one by one, after his mega hit tour Welcum 2 America ends. Its better 2 release one by one 2 appreciate the full sound of each MASTERPIECE.

STOP THE PRESS!!!

CMIIW but if I understand it well:

1) Last autumn: Prince claims he got the masters from the first 3 albums back because it's 30 years and not 35, therefore this includes Dirty Mind.

2) Last autumn: Prince claims he's already remastered the first 6 albums.

3) January: Bernie Grundman claims he's remastered the original masters for albums 3, 4 and 5.

4) Now: WB is rereleasing albums 3, 4 and 5.

There's something wrong:

1) Prince claimed to have remastered his albums BEFORE january and Bernie says he's remastered the original masters, which is different than a proper remastering of the origional multi-tracks. Besides, releasing real remasters without promoting them as being so makes no sense: WB would try to take advantage of the possible promo such a thing would allow.

CONCLUSION: These vinyl are NOT the long awaited remasters, NOR are they the remasters Prince claims to have done by himself, they're only an enhenced version of the original masters: no big deal.

2) Prince said he gets his masters back after 20 years, so WB shouldn't be able to rerelease Dirty Mind in 2011, unless they negociated a special arrangement with Prince.

CONCLUSION: Prince might be lying abou the 30 years.

Whatcha guys think?

PS: for whoever mentioned it earlier, no Prince album was technically released on Paisley Park, as said by Alan Leeds, so weither an album carried the PP logo or not doesn't make a difference legally speaking.

databank said:

STOP THE PRESS!!!

CMIIW but if I understand it well:

1) Last autumn: Prince claims he got the masters from the first 3 albums back because it's 30 years and not 35, therefore this includes Dirty Mind.

2) Last autumn: Prince claims he's already remastered the first 6 albums.

3) January: Bernie Grundman claims he's remastered the original masters for albums 3, 4 and 5.

4) Now: WB is rereleasing albums 3, 4 and 5.

There's something wrong:

1) Prince claimed to have remastered his albums BEFORE january and Bernie says he's remastered the original masters, which is different than a proper remastering of the origional multi-tracks. Besides, releasing real remasters without promoting them as being so makes no sense: WB would try to take advantage of the possible promo such a thing would allow.

CONCLUSION: These vinyl are NOT the long awaited remasters, NOR are they the remasters Prince claims to have done by himself, they're only an enhenced version of the original masters: no big deal.

2) Prince said he gets his masters back after 20 years, so WB shouldn't be able to rerelease Dirty Mind in 2011, unless they negociated a special arrangement with Prince.

CONCLUSION: Prince might be lying abou the 30 years.

Whatcha guys think?

PS: for whoever mentioned it earlier, no Prince album was technically released on Paisley Park, as said by Alan Leeds, so weither an album carried the PP logo or not doesn't make a difference legally speaking.

Now, this could be true.

Timmy84 said:

electricberet said:

Shut up, already, damn!

RIGHT!

I said it was coming we just don't know when...

IamFunkay7 said:

Timmy84 said:

RIGHT!

I said it was coming we just don't know when...

Alright Grim Reaper. Jesus is coming too.

Anyways, maybe it's possible, maybe it isn't. 2013 may come and go without any evidence that it might be coming. But here's to hope it does (meaning Prince re-releases).

[Edited 5/27/11 0:53am]

databank said:

STOP THE PRESS!!!

CMIIW but if I understand it well:

1) Last autumn: Prince claims he got the masters from the first 3 albums back because it's 30 years and not 35, therefore this includes Dirty Mind.

2) Last autumn: Prince claims he's already remastered the first 6 albums.

3) January: Bernie Grundman claims he's remastered the original masters for albums 3, 4 and 5.

4) Now: WB is rereleasing albums 3, 4 and 5.

There's something wrong:

1) Prince claimed to have remastered his albums BEFORE january and Bernie says he's remastered the original masters, which is different than a proper remastering of the origional multi-tracks. Besides, releasing real remasters without promoting them as being so makes no sense: WB would try to take advantage of the possible promo such a thing would allow.

CONCLUSION: These vinyl are NOT the long awaited remasters, NOR are they the remasters Prince claims to have done by himself, they're only an enhenced version of the original masters: no big deal.

2) Prince said he gets his masters back after 20 years, so WB shouldn't be able to rerelease Dirty Mind in 2011, unless they negociated a special arrangement with Prince.

CONCLUSION: Prince might be lying abou the 30 years.

Whatcha guys think?

PS: for whoever mentioned it earlier, no Prince album was technically released on Paisley Park, as said by Alan Leeds, so weither an album carried the PP logo or not doesn't make a difference legally speaking.

1) I believe you are 100% correct on this!

2) I'm stumped on this one.

PS: Was thinking the exact same thing...

databank said:

There's something wrong:

1) Prince claimed to have remastered his albums BEFORE january and Bernie says he's remastered the original masters, which is different than a proper remastering of the origional multi-tracks. Besides, releasing real remasters without promoting them as being so makes no sense: WB would try to take advantage of the possible promo such a thing would allow.

CONCLUSION: These vinyl are NOT the long awaited remasters, NOR are they the remasters Prince claims to have done by himself, they're only an enhenced version of the original masters: no big deal.

Repeat after me: remastering is not (necessarily) remixing.

When we're talking about remasters of Prince albums, I absolutely don't expect remixes, but "basic" remasters and I'm absolutely fine with that. Remixing is a tricky business. <milesmode>The Mark Wilder remix of "Bitches Brew" (1998) is completely messed up, for example (missing sound effects, etc.). As far as I'm concerned, the definitive version of "Bitches Brew" is the Japanese remaster from the 90s, not the remix.</milesmode>

[Edited 5/27/11 1:56am]

That's true - remixing the songs would more than likely drastically change the way we know and love the songs. A remastered album is an improved take on the overall sound quality to compete with more modern standards. In my ears, the original vinyl master of Dirty Mind sounds like someone smothered it with a pillow compared to the new one.

I've never mentioned remixing.

What I say is that remastering doesn't usually mean "remastering the original master" but "redoing the mastering from scratch, using a pre-mastering tape". The result has to be different.

WB had the original masters.

Prince has the per-master tapes.

These releases seem to be "remasters of the masters", not "remasters period".

Regardless of what we all can guess is happening with the remasters, for me the most shocking thing are those two recent photos of Prince standing in front of the gigantic posters of the old album artwork, Controversy and Parade. What is the purpose!? Is that just for his personal photo collection?! I mean, it's not everyday someone has a 10 foot tall poster of the Parade inner sleeve and Prince just happens to stand in front of it.

databank said:

I've never mentioned remixing.

"a proper remastering of the origional multi-tracks" -> I thought you implied that a "real" remaster means going back to the multi-track recording, i.e. remixing them. If you use the multi-track recording, you have to mix/remix them to produce a master.

What I say is that remastering doesn't usually mean "remastering the original master" but "redoing the mastering from scratch, using a pre-mastering tape". The result has to be different.

WB had the original masters.

Prince has the per-master tapes.

These releases seem to be "remasters of the masters", not "remasters period".

What I understood from this thread was that the "original master tapes" were used by Bernie Grundman Mastering. What do you mean by "pre-master tapes" if you don't mean the multi-track tapes?

^ OK, I'm sorry, my mistake, mastering is done from a tape containing the final mix, not a multi-track.

So I a proper REmastering has to be done with the original "final mix", not the original master, which is the reason WB can't do it without Prince as Prince has the final mixes in his vault.

Unless we're merely talking about a new digital transfer of the original analog masters, in which case it's yet another matter i guess.

[Edited 5/27/11 2:40am]

[Edited 5/27/11 2:40am]

in one hand....i have less & less hopes about a reissues/remastered/expanded version of the WB Prince back catalogue...but with this mega Best-of hits Tour...maybe on the other hand there is hope to see something good coming about these remasters in the months to come.....!?

I think we need to walk into WB tomorrow and ask for the details. I'll go during my lunchbreak and slam $20 on the table and report back.

databank said:

^ OK, I'm sorry, my mistake, mastering is done from a tape containing the final mix, not a multi-track.

So I a proper REmastering has to be done with the original "final mix", not the original master, which is the reason WB can't do it without Prince as Prince has the final mixes in his vault.

Unless we're merely talking about a new digital transfer of the original analog masters, in which case it's yet another matter i guess.

[Edited 5/27/11 2:40am]

Any sound engineer and/or specialist in the house? Boris? I know this must have been discussed previously, but I can't find a definitive answer (I hope Bart won't "yell" at me...). The following tapes (at least) must exist, right?

1) multi-track tape

2) stereo downmix tape (made from 1)

3) "album" tape (sequenced and all) (made from 2)

4) copy of the album tape sent to WB (made from 3)

How many copies exist and where are they stored? Do we know what was sent exactly to Bernie Grundman Mastering?

databank said:

^ OK, I'm sorry, my mistake, mastering is done from a tape containing the final mix, not a multi-track.

So I a proper REmastering has to be done with the original "final mix", not the original master, which is the reason WB can't do it without Prince as Prince has the final mixes in his vault.

Unless we're merely talking about a new digital transfer of the original analog masters, in which case it's yet another matter i guess.

[Edited 5/27/11 2:40am]

My assumption, based on what I was told, is that Bernie did the same thing in January of this year that he did when he originally mastered these albums for vinyl in the early 1980s. He got the original master tapes and created lacquers which were then used to make stampers for the new LPs. Those of us who have heard the new pressings think that he did a better mastering job this time around. The reissued LPs are technically remastered because they were mastered previously in 1980-82 for the original releases. It's exciting for those of us who are into vinyl because you are listening to a new high-quality pressing created from the original master tapes. Possibly he took a bit more care this time around because he knows he is dealing with timeless classics and there was no way to know that when the albums first came out. But I think most of the talk about remasters on this forum really refers to digital remasters, which have not yet surfaced. We have conflicting information about digital remasters. I think the music most likely has been digitally archived simply to preserve it, but that doesn't mean any plans to release digital remasters are in the works.

[Edited 5/27/11 4:07am]

BlakePetty said:

I think we need to walk into WB tomorrow and ask for the details. I'll go during my lunchbreak and slam $20 on the table and report back.

They'd probably say "Hey, if you can get Prince to green light it, we'll do the lot tomorrow!"

olb99 said:

databank said:

^ OK, I'm sorry, my mistake, mastering is done from a tape containing the final mix, not a multi-track.

So I a proper REmastering has to be done with the original "final mix", not the original master, which is the reason WB can't do it without Prince as Prince has the final mixes in his vault.

Unless we're merely talking about a new digital transfer of the original analog masters, in which case it's yet another matter i guess.

[Edited 5/27/11 2:40am]

Any sound engineer and/or specialist in the house? Boris? I know this must have been discussed previously, but I can't find a definitive answer (I hope Bart won't "yell" at me...). The following tapes (at least) must exist, right?

1) multi-track tape

2) stereo downmix tape (made from 1)

3) "album" tape (sequenced and all) (made from 2)

4) copy of the album tape sent to WB (made from 3)

How many copies exist and where are they stored? Do we know what was sent exactly to Bernie Grundman Mastering?

I didn't ask these questions, and I'm reluctant to send them any more emails because I don't want to get anyone in trouble with Prince. They said they used original tapes, which would seem to exclude (4). It's unlikely that they used (1). As for how many copies exist and where they are stored, it would seem to me that's exactly the sort of thing Mr. Alan Leeds might be able to shed light on if we haven't scared him away with our bickering over fDeluxe.

The vinyl remasters are probably just remastered versions of the original master, ie. not going back to all the multi track recordings and improving them one by one.. This is a quicker way of doing it but not the proper way.

Remember they did this with Prince Ultimate in 2006 - the sound quality was good but they were just remastered masters not a proper remastering which involves reworking the sound on all the individual multi-audio tracks.

dandeeland said:

It ain't happening. My best friend is a high up at WB. He says no way. Its different with vinyl. He says no chance on the cds. Prince won't let it happen

SoulAlive said:

dandeeland said:

It ain't happening. My best friend is a high up at WB. He says no way. Its different with vinyl. He says no chance on the cds. Prince won't let it happen

Don't cry, it will probably happen when Prince gets his masters back. I suspect this will be the starting point of a proper archives program, a decent reprinting of the back catalogue (including post-WB material) and more vault material being released.

(or not )

Yes, I think we should stay optimistic about this. It could totally happen.

Way back in early 2004, I used to work for a delivery company that would deliver film and digital masters to and from major studios and post-houses. One day I was on my way to Warners and decided to look in the boxes. And there it was: original reels of Purple Rain, UTCM and Grafitti Bridge, along with digital transfers and a massive box of all those eras' music videos. It totally blew my mind.

Of course I posted my discovery on Housequake and everyone thought I was full of shit! Haha. But anyhow, fingers pretty much permanently crossed at this point re: remasters.

TheFreakerFantastic said:

The vinyl remasters are probably just remastered versions of the original master, ie. not going back to all the multi track recordings and improving them one by one.. This is a quicker way of doing it but not the proper way.

Remember they did this with Prince Ultimate in 2006 - the sound quality was good but they were just remastered masters not a proper remastering which involves reworking the sound on all the individual multi-audio tracks.

When you talk about going back to original multi-track recordings, that's remixing, not remastering. See here:

http://blog.davewalkermusic.com/?p=479

and here:

http://www.hometheaterhif...ffman.html

Bernie did exactly what we would want him to do for a vinyl remaster. He didn't remix the albums. He also didn't remaster the vinyl from a digital source, which would have been bad. Remixes might be interesting at some point but we need remasters first. If we get remixes, we will get Prince's new vision of the albums, and you can imagine what that might be.