ThirdStrike said:

Right now reading these threads I'm projecting projectile vomit...

HerecomethePurpleYoda said:

Amazon show Moonbeam Levels as a stand alone download so not album only.

HerecomethePurpleYoda said:

Right now reading these threads I'm projecting projectile vomit...

Good stuff!!

rogifan said:

Ok I haven't really been following the news on this stuff but apparently the Prince4Ever release is unedited and will have a parental advisory sticker on it. Which makes me wonder if Prince completely signed off on this? One reason I ask is because of this story from a DJ who played an aftershow party after one of the Piano and Microphone shows in Australia: http://www.heraldsun.com....96f5b69828

PRINCE celebrated his triumphant two night stand at the State Theatre with funk and fruit at an early morning after-party at Docklands today. The superstar musician arrived at the venue after wrapping his fourth and final Melbourne show, a critically-acclaimed run where Prince performed classics and rarities on piano. Ken Walker, who DJ’ed at the event, said Prince spent 10 minutes on the dancefloor, lapping up jams by Chaka Khan and Rufus and Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers His only after-party instructions: “No tracks with profanities.” Indeed, his Royal Purpleness became twitchy when one of his own songs, the controversial 1980 track Head, got an airing. “He sent one of his minders over to tell me to take it off — now!” Walker said.

If this is something that he was still strict about it seems odd he'd sign off on a new release that had a parental advisory sticker on it.

I guess its possible that Prince signed off on this release and next year's PR deluxe prior to passing but I think its highly doubtful. The last statement I saw concerning remasters was via his twitter stating that WB would NOT pay sufficient licensing fees. In other words, things would proceed once WB pays a figure he's satisfied with. I believe these releases could still be a part of the distibution deal from 2 years ago but actually sanctioned by his estate.

As far as lyrical content, I don't think P would give two testicles about it if the pie was cut to his liking.

[Edited 10/31/16 10:56am]

Romeoblu said:

Amazon show Moonbeam Levels as a stand alone download so not album only.

Be interesting to see how many people just download this track.

Polo1026 said:

djThunderfunk said:

Well, that's some good news at least. If it's gotta be previously released, I much prefer it to be previously unavailable on CD. This increases the value somewhat for a completist like myself.

Well the track times seem to indicate they are not different from the single/radio edits of these songs but we will see or hear soon enough. Perhaps, these are alternate mixes? IDK but the don't appear to be unheard.

I don't expect "unheard" on this compilation, but I appreciate some tracks that haven't been on CD before. I have the singles, but would like a proper CD to replace my digital needle-drops.

donnyenglish said:

So we are going to get shorter edited versions of what we already have? WB thinks that is going to make the hard core fans rush to buy it?

Not at all.

For WB, it's likely the only advanage is being able to squeeze more tracks in.

For completist collector's who are going to buy it anyway it is nice to have more than just a single track to add to the collection. As someone who collects the edits, I'm happy to have a few more get a digital release and happy that I'll be buying the set for more than a single track.

There's no ducking way Prince signed off on an unedited Sexy MF or Head.

That said, censoring them would be criminal, so, it is what it is.

blacknote said:

djThunderfunk said:

BTW what is Head doing on TWO of P's 4 GH compilations? It wasn't even a single! I know there was a promo but given the lyrics I doubt it got intensive radio airplay back in 1980, so I really don't understand why it should be there when a real single could have been added in its place on both comps.

BoraBora said:

Still no word on which version of "Moonbeam Levels" will be on the CD? I'm hoping its the version recorded in 1988 rather than the 1982 version that's been circulating for a long time now.

Am I the only one who think that the 1989 version is simply the same as the 1982 version, maybe only updated with a different mix?!?!?!?

People are making shit up. According to Princevault the version on rave was the 1982 version as such. Of course it is possible that Uptown/Nilsen missed out a rerecording or rework, but I highly suspect that those Rave tracklists are more than just tracklist and that Nilsen has actually heard tapes that are in the hands of certain collectors. I was once told that at least one Rave config is circulating among elite collectors.

In any case those people who assume there exists a 1989 remix/rerecording are just making shit up: as far as we know no such thing exists.

^ I'll have to note that Pvault forgot to update the page and to include the fact that 2 slightly different edits of the 1982 version xist, though.

databank said:

There is no way to know what PRINCE signed off on what was agreed, etc...but something was discussed when he went back for the albums in 2014. He may have given the OK to just re package (which is what this is) THE HITS toss on some things never there, like Batdance etc... and then have something new to garner in the loyals, which honestly we will buy this whether we say we are not just for one track, trust me we are going to get it, whether on our own or as a holiday gift, so stop denying that now. The assumption though that PRINCE signed off on things I dont really think that is fair to say, if he did he would have discussed a time for a release. WE ALL KNOW the PR deluxe was supposed to be in 2014 or early 2015. And for PRINCE to discuss TIME with warner brothers that would mean he knew a time period that he would not be alive anymore, which I don't think he knew, he surely knew he was not well in 2014 but to know he was dieing in 2014 I dont think he knew that because HE would have had to mention something to WB and there is no way he did that.

Romeoblu said:

Amazon show Moonbeam Levels as a stand alone download so not album only.

Are you able to post a link showing ML as a stand alone download? Sorry to be a nuisance...Here in the UK we're hoping to run a campaign to have Prince as the Christmas No 1 single - and ML being available as a single might change the focus! Many thanks!

dance4me3121 said:

databank said:

People are making shit up. According to Princevault the version on rave was the 1982 version as such. Of course it is possible that Uptown/Nilsen missed out a rerecording or rework, but I highly suspect that those Rave tracklists are more than just tracklist and that Nilsen has actually heard tapes that are in the hands of certain collectors. I was once told that at least one Rave config is circulating among elite collectors.

In any case those people who assume there exists a 1989 remix/rerecording are just making shit up: as far as we know no such thing exists.

It says in the press release that it was reworked for the original Rave album.this is prince we are talking about, I'm sure he reworked Monnbeam Levels

Unless u r referring to another press rlease than the one at the beginning of this thread, I am absolutely amazed at how some of u people r capable of reading things that aren't there in sentences, it's pretty scary actually after the mishmash between the meaning of "of" and "including/with" I was noting above.

It says: "Prince 4Ever includes "Moonbeam Levels" - a previously unreleased song originally recorded in 1982 during the 1999 sessions and later considered for the never released Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic album."

"Considered". Not "reworked". "Considered".

BartVanHemelen said:

databank said:

Maybe, but you cannot deny that your continuous Prince-bashing has been a reality over the years. Justified or not is irrelevant, because he's only a celebrity, and one usually doesn't spend so much time and energy campaigning against someone unless they have personal reasons to. Unless they're mentally disturbed (we've had those and you know who they are) but I do not think you are mentally disturbed at all: your posts are way too articulated. You have your mind alright. So if there's no personal history there must nevertheless be a reason.

[Edited 10/29/16 5:10am]

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Again: you're projecting. All you've written here in no way resembles what I do.

wow..you really don't see it at all do you. I suspect you are having a very, very hard time with the outpouring of love & respect from everyone around the world which is on an ongoing basis. As for your truly awful comment trying to belittle his success by saying he 'got lucky' one or twice beggars belief. Comments like that reuduce your credibility to zero. Once again..where is your empathy & appreciation of him?

djThunderfunk said:

There's no ducking way Prince signed off on an unedited Sexy MF or Head.

That said, censoring them would be criminal, so, it is what it is.

totally agree, find it hard to believe he would have signed it off..unless there are edits to the ruder lyrics?

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

OperatingThetan said:

According to Dr Funkenberry, Prince chose the cover but not the tracklisting or title as it is being released. He was working with WB on a remastered hits set though, as he stated in a recent interview. As well as the Purple Rain remaster, Prince also turned in an album of unreleased material to WB and also selected a cover for that. We should expect to see this album released sometime after the Purple Rain remaster. [Edited 10/31/16 17:22pm]

Why after? They said at the same time. I find this pretty interesting if Prince compiled a proper companion album himself. I wonder if it has a title.

rogifan said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

totally agree, find it hard to believe he would have signed it off..unless there are edits to the ruder lyrics?

Then there would be no need for the parental advisory sticker.

Amazon also has an Edited version for pre-order. Releasedate December 2nd, and its 4 dollars more than the unedited version.

Confusing that they mention number of discs:1 but also 2CD.

Don't know if anybody else has picked this up but, as we know, Prince, when he did Batman, had to sign the tracks over, for both publishing and copyright, to the WB film division of the time.

Since then, I think, the film and records WB are not just separate divisions but separate companies after several cycles of sale and reorganisation.

The fact that the imminent compilation contains tracks from Batman for the first time indicates a partnership between these two companies which were formerly divisions of the same WB and may indicate that what has been assembled on 4EVER (including artwork) and PR+ represents that' to which they remain entitled to exploit without approval from Prince/NPG. I reckon therefore that 'Moonbeam Levels' has probably been in Warner entitlements since Prince handed them a selection of vault items in the mid-90's.

I'm not up on all of the information (as opposed to hearsay) about the post-2014 'return to Warner' but assume that WB would have retained an option, at the very least, on licensing the pre-Symbol period, hence their vinyl reissues.

Although I have speculated a 'snub' in the exclusion of post-Symbol material, it may be the case that earlier in the dispute, everything after TMBGITW had already been subject, at the very least, to Prince's 'Okay' for exploitation.

After 1993, Prince was taking all sorts of steps to secure ownership on his farm 'in the plantation' and part of the reason he went so full-on against bootlegging and copyright violations may be because, under the WB/Controversy deal, his recordings came under some degree of 'ownership' by these record and publishing companies upon their material creation. If you don't want to hand over your new painting until it's finished, you might be worried about your art dealer hearing you've been painting it, especially if you accidentally dropped the working title on someone.

When someone is prepared to go as far as re-recording tracks in order to own 'new masters' (as Prince at least embarked upon, announcing the venture publicly), then it's a no-brainer to assume he was also wanting to keep close to his chest what he was up to in terms of creating work, order to prevent 'entitled owners' from automatically rounding up his latest "children".
This is the practical reason why Prince stopped his previously customary spilling of tapes around his cars and to collaborators and generally locking down on possibilities for leaking.

I believe that before 1993 Prince was actively interested in building his 'bootlegged' catalogue, being as he had once talked about (I'm paraphrasing) 'having to own everything James Brown did even if it wasn't out' in regard of his own use of bootlegs. He wasn't of course liking that bootleggers were profitting but who likes that other than bootleggers?

I've always felt, and I'm not alone, that The Black Album was less about his reported/claimed 'change of heart' than his deliberate, genial bid to enter and top 'the bootleg charts', as did indeed occur until WB issued it officially. The Black Album consolidated the work done by his his 'White Album', the official Sign of The Times in establishing Prince as a 'serious artist' worthy to join the pantheon and one of the entry requirements is that your 'Hard Day's Night/ Purple Rain' screamybop period has passed over and a reputation has been built via bootleg 'chart-position'. Prince, with The Black Album becoming 'most bootlegged album ever' had 'killed them again' so, regardless of the usual artist protestations against bootlegging, Prince was interested, at least for a time, in the reputation-building afforded by that 'chart'.

But, generally, after 1993, there was much more at stake for Prince than the money being earned by bootleggers (due anyway to take a dive as web-trading emerged). What was at stake for Prince was the security of new creations upon mere reports of existence of which WB/Controversy had entitlements at a time when he wanted a new framework.

I've also drawn parallels between Prince's NPG/WB situation and The Beatles Apple/EMI situation (to date, not just in the 60's) in that, after long struggle (The Beatles' taking decades) both of the artists used their companies 'holding and acquisition', including reacquisition of rights. In the case of Apple, some projects, (like the reissue of the 'Let It Be' movie) have been interminably delayed while they try to get all the rights under their control.

What NPG will now need to do is develop a team which has membership akin to that around Apple Corps Ltd, engineers, producers, project managers whose knowledge of the artist's work and intentions with it is attuned. Again, it took Apple Corps a loooong time to build this and now Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, together with the wives of their deceased band members, sit to receive, consider and approve project ideas for development 'in-house' toward outward licensing and release.

I believe that NPG was developed for the same purpose and will gradually start to function along the same lines combining integrity, working familiarity with the material, intentions and processes of the artist and new ideas for exploitation that are in line with same.
Certainly there is no shortage of potential for eventual collaboration to this effect among those who have worked with Prince but it will take time and, since the supposed financial threats to Prince's estate and business now looks uninformed to careful analysts (some of the very best here on the Org!), time is on the side of Art.

I actually really hope that 4EVER and PR+ bomb in terms of sales as it will get the hand of profit-commerce offa the crib.

[Edited 11/1/16 0:53am]

OperatingThetan said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

I think it's just the nature of forums in that if this was Twitter, facebook etc you could just block relentless negativity but here we are all in the same room together, the only options to remain or to leave

There's nothing productive about an echo chamber.

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edit - And yes, I do see the irony of this post when I double posted!!

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[Edited 11/1/16 3:19am]

donnyenglish said:

So we are going to get shorter edited versions of what we already have? WB thinks that is going to make the hard core fans rush to buy it?

If anything, the 'hardcore fans' would surely want the 7" versions previously unreleased on CD rather than the same album versions they already have. Things like 12" and 7" versions previously unavailable on a digital format is the main pull for these kind of releases for me.