http://princevault.com/in...bum:_Flash

"Several records label representatives were brought to Paisley Park Studios in early 1990 to listen to the album, but none were very enthusiastic about the music, and no record deal was signed."

Mmmh... Prince records a FULL album for Margie Cox, configured and ready for release, and invites some execs from other companies to listen to it, instead of just releasing it on his own Paisley Park Records, as he usually did for every project he had such a high level of involvement in???

I doubt WB declined to release it since at that time they accepted to release every commercial suicide Prince gave them, from T.C Ellis' True Confessions to Eric Leeds' Times Squared (AFAIK the first time they totally declined to release a project on PP was Gold Nigga in 1993).

So why on earth didn't Prince just release Flash on PP and why on earth did he offer it to other labels (I know that it's by far his worst sounding project EVER and that even by Paisley Park's standards it was a really low quality record, but if he was willing to release it anyway why not do it himself...)?

Do we know the full story?

Interesting question, I don't know the answer - I had always assumed the project got lost in the shuffle as it got sidelined due to more important projects in the Batman~Graffiti Bridge era, then people like Carmen come in who obviously tak presidence because she's pussy on a stick.

I like Margie Cox, Ta Mara & The Seen - the MC Flash material I can't say I'm crazy about, but it's not bad, and certainly no worse than some of the stuff that did get released from those years.

NouveauDance said:

it's not bad, and certainly no worse than some of the stuff that did get released from those years.

Exactly!

There were a couple of gems but the project was not that good. I can see/hear why they passed.

Well maybe it's just me confusing my personnal taste with an objective statement: the music is sophisticated but that whole rock & roll/hard rock sound is really poor taste, vulgar and cheesy to my ears, but that may just be because I don't like this kind of music in general. I'm much more inclined to enjoy T.C. Ellis' or Carmen's albums, or Taja Sevelle's or even friggin' Good Question's because I dig hip-hop and silly synth-pop in general, and I'm therefore able to find aspects I like in even doubtful records in these genres.

So OK, let's say it wasn't that bad: that's even more surprising that it wouldn't be signed on PP!!!

Robin Power stated that she was indeed ejected because of Carmen's arrival as the new local female rapper, but it seems the Flash project wasn't ever even considered for Paisley Park Raecords at any point (?).

So no one knows?

I'm glad someone's brought this up.

I absolutely love the songs from this album that have been circulating unreleased.

Curious Blue, Girls Will Be Girls and Brand New Boy especially.

Really rock and guitar heavy I think it would have done well if promoted. They've got a real raw energy about them.

[Edited 10/9/12 8:37am]

in those days,Prince would start 5 different projects and only get two of them done.I feel bad for Margie.She went through this in 1990 with the MC Flash project,and then again in 1995 with her own solo album."Standing At The Altar" is a great song,btw.