with no will, things become very difficult as to what happens with the unreleased songs. When Prince was living, my opinion/hope was "please release this stuff while we have physical format so I'm not stuck with digital files only." I wanted Camille, and Dream Factory, the other Purple Rain era songs, etc.

I'm a bit old school but I grew up buying Prince records/cassettes/CDs. Always preferred vinyl. Anyway, with his death and people already in court deciding what to do with the unreleased music and remasters and reissues of his prior work, I have some major concerns. Now don't get me wrong, I've wanted to own these songs for decades. I do have concerns though. Prince was always in careful control of how his music was used, etc. That is why I'm in favor of Jam and Lewis bringing in the right people and doing it properly. In order of concern, here is my list. Does anyone else worry about this stuff?

1. The "Thriller 25" Fiasco.

I'd be better offer if I never heard a remix of Billie Jean featuring Akon or Will I AM or whoever. If Prince had wanted this, he could have made it happen. He didn't want it. I'll jump off a building if they release "Purple Rain 2017 Fresh Mix featuring Beyonce and Nicki Minaj"

2. Prince sampled.

In an Interview with Chris Rock, Prince said "I've been asked again and again if people can use my music in contemporary rap songs. They went through James' music; they went through George's music and now they're trying to go through mine. I read the lyrics and the first line is "Bitch this, and Forty that" and I think No no no, I never want my music used that way.

3. Bad remasters/Bad re-issues.

It's easy and lazy and cheap to say "All Remasters are bad and we don't need a new CD, turn up the volume on the crappy one."

Old 80s Warner Brothers CDs were awful. Prince deserves better. Lots of new remasters (NOT REMIXES) exist where it's not loudness wars/brickwalled. Also, if they remaster, it's best and most honest to have the original artwork.

4. Prince music in commercials. Do we really want to see "Billy Jack Bitch" helping sell Buicks?

I know he isn't around to defend himself and I believe with him gone and no wife or child, we don't need to have it protected. We just want it done right. I think Jam and Lewis could do it right. Maybe them getting Tyka Nelson's and Larry Graham's blessings may help people be OK with it?

[Edited 5/2/16 23:38pm]

[Edited 5/2/16 23:39pm]

dodgers1970 said:

Taboos are falling, as I noticed videos of unreleased songs are popping up on Youtube, songs like All of my Dreams and others here with us.

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I agree with u, we do not need any remixing scenarios or tacky estate cash ins like we have had with Michael. I mean Icon is pointless and the Michael album was okay, but contained those 3 fake songs us MJ fans still can't get past. Xscape is good, but even that has the Justin Timberlake mix of "Love never felt so good" and you need the deluxe album to get the choice original versions, not the tacky remixes on the "standard album".

I can see unreleased Prince collections with poor versions of unreleased hits and tacky rappers and producers murdering classic songs like a Nikki Minaj mix of Wonderful ass and Timbaland remixing Acknowledge me, yuck!

It kind of makes you wonder why, after 35 years of producing his own material, he let Josh produce HitNRun Phase 1 and parts of AOA? Maybe he was prepping him (and us) for when he departed???

You failed when you mentioned bringing in producers

Just about everything else is a legitimate concern

GirlBrother said:

I'm pretty sure between most org members we have a lot of stuff from the vault, the demos, boots, outtakes, I mean the "works alone" vol 1. LOL

I think there is enough material in the vault that doesnt need producing at all. There are probably whole albums with artwork in there that need nothing more than pressing to CD/Vinyl and uploading to digital sites. And if anyone involved has any sense, this is what they will focus on for the time being.

Rebeljuice said:

I think there is enough material in the vault that doesnt need producing at all. There are probably whole albums with artwork in there that need nothing more than pressing to CD/Vinyl and uploading to digital sites. And if anyone involved has any sense, this is what they will focus on for the time being.

This is my belief as well. Hopefully they'll just release all the finished vault songs before dicking around with the multitrack tapes of unfinished material... 'cause that'll be the point when I stop buying.

dodgers1970 said:

Jam and Lewis aren't trying to "finish" anything. They'd be making sure his work is presented the way it should be. Nothing against the Revolution because they were his Live band and they knew him well. Jam and Lewis probably have the clout to hire great engineers to master it to disc and not mess up remasters, etc.

that crew he had then would work well together Jimmy Jam Susan Rogers the Revolution etc
I think that the people he had in his camp 1980-1986 if they were around for Paisley Park the studio, Prince would have had the best people. They knew his sound, his vision, and they had a comradere and love for each other. As Prince called in 'a community'

OldFriends4Sale said:

dodgers1970 said:

Jam and Lewis aren't trying to "finish" anything. They'd be making sure his work is presented the way it should be. Nothing against the Revolution because they were his Live band and they knew him well. Jam and Lewis probably have the clout to hire great engineers to master it to disc and not mess up remasters, etc.

that crew he had then would work well together Jimmy Jam Susan Rogers the Revolution etc
I think that the people he had in his camp 1980-1986 if they were around for Paisley Park the studio, Prince would have had the best people. They knew his sound, his vision, and they had a comradere and love for each other. As Prince called in 'a community'

As long as the vault material is released as is, that is all I care about, his past musicians can sequence it any way they want, as long as they don't take any liberties with the music. We need to hear this stuff as Prince left it, not as someone assumes a finished song would sound like. I am sure there are tons of finished songs/albums, but prob just as many demos, I will take these demos as is and be very happy with them.

[Edited 5/3/16 9:52am]

leadline said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

that crew he had then would work well together Jimmy Jam Susan Rogers the Revolution etc
I think that the people he had in his camp 1980-1986 if they were around for Paisley Park the studio, Prince would have had the best people. They knew his sound, his vision, and they had a comradere and love for each other. As Prince called in 'a community'

As long as the vault material is released as is, that is all I care about, his past musicians can sequence it any way they want, as long as they don't take any liberties with the music. We need to hear this stuff as Prince left it, not as someone assumes a finished song would sound like. I am sure there are tons of finished songs/albums, but prob just as many demos, I will take these demos as is and be very happy with them.

[Edited 5/3/16 9:52am]

It's because of the things I said, that I strongly believe they would do right by the music, I can't see W&L changing anything. Just that they probably have a good idea of any kind of project or vision the music was connected to, same with Susan Rogers.

Rebeljuice said:

I think there is enough material in the vault that doesnt need producing at all. There are probably whole albums with artwork in there that need nothing more than pressing to CD/Vinyl and uploading to digital sites. And if anyone involved has any sense, this is what they will focus on for the time being.

You know, I can't see this happening. Someone will decide to 'update' the artwork. It might be left at that and it might snowball into updating the music...

As long as they include a cd of the untouched versions as well they can do as they please as far as i'm concerned though.

NorthC said:

^Only one problem here: Prince made 25 (or so) years of music after those people left! What's the point of having Revolution members going over NPG tracks? Then we would have to call in all old band members and engineers.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. Since these conversations I've clarified, when dealing with 1977-1989 stuff let it be with people from those times. and the NPG 1990s stuff let it be someone else, the people/some people who worked well with Prince then, same with 2000s stuff

My desire is to hear/own stuff from 1977-1989 and hopefully some Rainbow Children era outtakes

NorthC said:

^Yes, but my point was, Prince didn't stop making music in 1989, so we're going to have to drag in people from all of his "eras" to get an overview. Michael and Sonny doing 92-95 stuff... Hannah and Josh going over 2013-16 outtakes... I don't see it happening... [Edited 5/3/16 10:52am]

all I'm concerned about is 1977-1989

anyone know what song this is? I can't recall off the top of my head

LISA COLEMAN: I lived in his house on and off for a couple of years. We had a fight one day. He said something about me getting my own apartment, and I left the house and drove around for a while. When I got back, he had written me a whole song. It was so cute. The lyric was, “I guess I have a strange way of saying I love you.” He had recorded it — drums, piano, guitar, bass and vocals with harmonies.

NorthC said:

^That may be so, but whoever is going to manage his estate will have different concerns, so don't get your hopes up too high. And who knows how many later period gems are hiding in the Vault just waiting to be found like Capt'n Kidd's treasure...

by just looking for stuff from 1977-1989 is my way of not getting my hopes too high lol

But some stuff from the Rainbow Children sessions would make me happy

OldFriends4Sale said:

anyone know what song this is? I can't recall off the top of my head

LISA COLEMAN: I lived in his house on and off for a couple of years. We had a fight one day. He said something about me getting my own apartment, and I left the house and drove around for a while. When I got back, he had written me a whole song. It was so cute. The lyric was, “I guess I have a strange way of saying I love you.” He had recorded it — drums, piano, guitar, bass and vocals with harmonies.

Strange Way (a.k.a. Strange Way Of Saying Eye Love U)

Averett said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

anyone know what song this is? I can't recall off the top of my head

LISA COLEMAN: I lived in his house on and off for a couple of years. We had a fight one day. He said something about me getting my own apartment, and I left the house and drove around for a while. When I got back, he had written me a whole song. It was so cute. The lyric was, “I guess I have a strange way of saying I love you.” He had recorded it — drums, piano, guitar, bass and vocals with harmonies.

Strange Way (a.k.a. Strange Way Of Saying Eye Love U)

Thanks Averett, cool background info

Here is what will piss me off...

Warner's gets the Vault...

They put together an album...

all from unheard songs...

and it's the greatest album ever...

and it sells like hot wet cat in a locker room...

and it was under his nose all the time...

while he was alive.

The golden 80s producers and mixers were great with the songs, but what I am worried about is modern meddled with versions getting out instead, where we have a 1980s song, but there is stop halfway through and a guy going "Yoh!, yo yo, yeah yeah, this be mixmaster darell mixing it up wit cha wonderful ass crew, drop a beat on the dope trax" etc. And then another song is interrupted by an Eve soundalike rapping about the trap and how much paper be stacking, with them" stack ass niggaz frontin".

.

I know its racist and anti rappist - but a lifetime ban on any producer or mixer associated with shit hop and bling bling music including shit like Beyonce, Chris Brown, Rihanna type music. It has happened, remember Crystal Ball with its so called 1986 song Movie Star, which has a soundbite of 1996 filler track Jam of the year playing in the background!

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[Edited 5/3/16 15:43pm]