When I started working on the discography I realized that the singles' songs had often been released in multiple edits, sometimes there were even so many edits for one single song that it was nearly absurd, even though I understand that this was to ensure as many radio stations as possible would find "their" edit (hence many edits being on promos only).

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What I've always wondered was whether Prince was himself responsible for all those single edits, including by the way the standard 7" edits in the days of vinyl.

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I mean seriously you'd just think he'd have more important things to do than editing songs for singles. On the other hand maybe he'd rather butcher his own songs himself in a way he'd see fit than allowing a third party to do it.

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So I wonder: did he do all the edits himself? Did he sometimes simply instructed his engineers to do so many edits of each songs? Is it even possible that some single edits were made and added on the singles by WB after P delivered the master tapes, without P being consulted at all?

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I don't think I've ever read a thread about it so I thought I'd start one, in case someone would know.

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Thx

I would guess that's he's responsible for some. Take the "Let's Go Crazy" single. Horrible opening chopped and hacked for time probably by someone designated to do so at the record label. But for the flip side, "Erotic City", probably done by Prince himself. Good question.

databank said:

When I started working on the discography I realized that the singles' songs had often been released in multiple edits, sometimes there were even so many edits for one single song that it was nearly absurd, even though I understand that this was to ensure as many radio stations as possible would find "their" edit (hence many edits being on promos only).

.

What I've always wondered was whether Prince was himself responsible for all those single edits, including by the way the standard 7" edits in the days of vinyl.

.

I mean seriously you'd just think he'd have more important things to do than editing songs for singles. On the other hand maybe he'd rather butcher his own songs himself in a way he'd see fit than allowing a third party to do it.

.

So I wonder: did he do all the edits himself? Did he sometimes simply instructed his engineers to do so many edits of each songs? Is it even possible that some single edits were made and added on the singles by WB after P delivered the master tapes, without P being consulted at all?

.

I don't think I've ever read a thread about it so I thought I'd start one, in case someone would know.

.

Thx

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There are a couple of 7" edits on T's legendary 12" Archive. When asked about that, he said those were songs that weren't just edits, they were different mixes from the album tracks.

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Also, there's that short excerpt from a proposed documentary the BBC broadcast in 1989 where you saw and heard Femi Jiya working on a "Lovesexy" remix, based on written instructions by Prince.

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And I vaguely recall some information about this in that wildly disappointing "Prince In The Studiuo" book from a couple of years ago.

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Maybe Chronic Freeze talked about these edits in his Org Q&A?

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

Also, there's that short excerpt from a proposed documentary the BBC broadcast in 1989 where you saw and heard Femi Jiya working on a "Lovesexy" remix, based on written instructions by Prince.

Do you have anymore information on this? What was the documentary called?

bluegangsta said:

BartVanHemelen said:

Also, there's that short excerpt from a proposed documentary the BBC broadcast in 1989 where you saw and heard Femi Jiya working on a "Lovesexy" remix, based on written instructions by Prince.

Do you have anymore information on this? What was the documentary called?

I think it was called "Behind the Beat". I remember the scene with Femi Jiya and the notes from Prince - seem to remember they were on yellow or green notepaper and looked like they were written in purple felt tip!

Nasalhair said:

bluegangsta said:

Do you have anymore information on this? What was the documentary called?

I think it was called "Behind the Beat". I remember the scene with Femi Jiya and the notes from Prince - seem to remember they were on yellow or green notepaper and looked like they were written in purple felt tip!

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Behind The Beat was the name of the show that was part of the Def II block of "yoof programming" on BBC Two back then.

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I don't recall that the excerpt from the documentary (the one Prince's later manager was filming back then; other pieces were later used in the Omnibus documentary) was broadcast by Behind The Beat, in my memory it was just a one-off broadcast but I might be mistaken.

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I'm pretty sure it's available as a sort-of bonus on a DVD boot, something called "files" or "archives".

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Found a bit more:

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Femi Jiya and Rick Neigher can be seen working on one of the Lovesexy remixes 4 Prince in the 1988 Def II 'Behind The Beat' BBC TV special.
The camera also gets a close-up of Prince's hand-written instructions 4 the remix, which (seen as I was so bored this evening!!!) I've hunted down my dusty old tape, and transcribed 4 u 2 read here:
'LoVESEXY.
After intro, one chorus then dig me now.
No horns in perc. break
After guitar solo, add tabla.
Could be stronger turnaround after...' (Possibly says 'horns' here)
(the rest is indecipherable im afraid).

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See also this thread.

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Aha, it was called "Prince 4 U" and seems to be broadcast as some kind of Behind The Beat special. Those two search terms should be helpful.

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[Edited 7/22/15 5:39am]

Thank you both very much! Am having a bit of trouble tracking it down atm, but I'm sure I'll find it.

EDIT: Found it. All good.

[Edited 7/22/15 6:21am]

BartVanHemelen said:

Nasalhair said:

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Behind The Beat was the name of the show that was part of the Def II block of "yoof programming" on BBC Two back then.

.

I don't recall that the excerpt from the documentary (the one Prince's later manager was filming back then; other pieces were later used in the Omnibus documentary) was broadcast by Behind The Beat, in my memory it was just a one-off broadcast but I might be mistaken.

.

I'm pretty sure it's available as a sort-of bonus on a DVD boot, something called "files" or "archives".

.

Found a bit more:

.

Femi Jiya and Rick Neigher can be seen working on one of the Lovesexy remixes 4 Prince in the 1988 Def II 'Behind The Beat' BBC TV special.
The camera also gets a close-up of Prince's hand-written instructions 4 the remix, which (seen as I was so bored this evening!!!) I've hunted down my dusty old tape, and transcribed 4 u 2 read here:
'LoVESEXY.
After intro, one chorus then dig me now.
No horns in perc. break
After guitar solo, add tabla.
Could be stronger turnaround after...' (Possibly says 'horns' here)
(the rest is indecipherable im afraid).

.

See also this thread.

.

Aha, it was called "Prince 4 U" and seems to be broadcast as some kind of Behind The Beat special. Those two search terms should be helpful.

.

[Edited 7/22/15 5:39am]

Bart u r fucking amazing

I have this remixed snippet and had no idea what to do with it as I didn't know where it came from. The discog has a new entry thanks to you

BartVanHemelen said:

I don't recall that the excerpt from the documentary (the one Prince's later manager was filming back then; other pieces were later used in the Omnibus documentary)

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Hmmm, need to rewatch this, because I'm not sure this featured footage of Magnoli's documentary attempt. Most of the footage was the BBC's since it also had footage of Prince and Sheila running towards the rehearsal hall in PP.

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Man it's been ages since I watched this. Goddamn shame there isn't a detailed description in some wiki I could link to. Goddamn Prince and his war on his fans.

BartVanHemelen said:

Nasalhair said:

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Behind The Beat was the name of the show that was part of the Def II block of "yoof programming" on BBC Two back then.

.

I don't recall that the excerpt from the documentary (the one Prince's later manager was filming back then; other pieces were later used in the Omnibus documentary) was broadcast by Behind The Beat, in my memory it was just a one-off broadcast but I might be mistaken.

.

I'm pretty sure it's available as a sort-of bonus on a DVD boot, something called "files" or "archives".

.

Found a bit more:

.

Femi Jiya and Rick Neigher can be seen working on one of the Lovesexy remixes 4 Prince in the 1988 Def II 'Behind The Beat' BBC TV special.
The camera also gets a close-up of Prince's hand-written instructions 4 the remix, which (seen as I was so bored this evening!!!) I've hunted down my dusty old tape, and transcribed 4 u 2 read here:
'LoVESEXY.
After intro, one chorus then dig me now.
No horns in perc. break
After guitar solo, add tabla.
Could be stronger turnaround after...' (Possibly says 'horns' here)
(the rest is indecipherable im afraid).

.

See also this thread.

.

Aha, it was called "Prince 4 U" and seems to be broadcast as some kind of Behind The Beat special. Those two search terms should be helpful.

.

[Edited 7/22/15 5:39am]

For years I had it recorded on VHS and it had "Behind The Beat - Prince Special" written on the spine, hence my (correct!) mention of "Behind the Beat".