leadline said:

Don't panic, these releases are seperate from the estate stuff and Purple Rain remaster was already delivered to warner months before he passed away. We still have yet to hear about any official vault releases.

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So what is the deal with these non-estate releases?

WB will need the estate for goodies on the PR remaster.

But what is this '4ever' release adding despite milking what is already there?

2 discs? thus no long versions?

Bring on the vinyl! I

ll be buying it. Looking forwards to a clean Moonbeam Levels. Maybe they´ll release a single with an extra song> That would be nice.

As for PR deluxe... Finally.

A+ positive sign the vault may be handled with care, since the powers that be moved straight away to release one of the most anticipated unreleased Prince songs: 'Moonbeam Levels'. Something Prince stubbornly refused to do for many years, while fans gave him "the side " as songs such as Jughead and Mr. Happy got released instead.

Moonbeam Levels could have been a major hit for Prince, IMO. If promoted as a single, Moonbeam Levels might catch general listeners by surprise, which could generate further interest in Prince's music overall. If the label makes Moonbeam Levels an "album only exclusive" that's gonna annoy hardcore fans who already purchased the "Hits" songs in various formats and configurations.

With ample variations already in circulation of WB era hits releases, I was anticipating something more substantial wih regards to a posthumous compilation release. Was an opportunity to present the market with a quality collector piece, Would have liked to see a package that featured particular tracks on different mediums. For example, previousy unreleased tracks on a CD, classic WB hits tracks on Vinyl, live footage on DVD and an accompanying quality book all in the release. Perhaps that's all too much for a presumed mass price point release, however if such a package is ever likely to sell well...now was that time.

[Edited 10/21/16 0:42am]

RIP OFF!!!! I already have The Hits 3-CD package, as well as the Very Best Of Prince and the Ultimate set, why should I buy YET another greatest hits set, JUST FOR ONE UNRELEASED TRACK???

An excellent example of CASHING IN!!!!!!!

Will 4ever be remastered? Because if not there's really no point, we have 39 of these songs already and

there seems to be nothing post 1993 - so we may as well just keep The Hits series? Oddly the cover shot is from c.2004 even though there is nothing there from that era!

Why no 'Gold' and any of the hundreds of excellent unreleased songs? I'd rather have 'Hard To Get '81' or 'Baby You're A Trip' than another copy of Gotta Stop Messing Around.

It's almost as if they are saying Prince didn't count after he left them / changed his name.

At least things are getting out but concerned this is just a cynical cash in with nothing really new.

Lets hope they do a better job with the PR remaster.

[Edited 10/21/16 1:06am]

This does point to WBR "owning" outtakes recorded during their contract.

BartVanHemelen said:

This does point to WBR "owning" outtakes recorded during their contract.

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What is the current situation w.r.t. WB owning any masters/stuff?

Wasn't Prince going to receive his masters back?

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This is relevant because it determines who gets to decide on releases and this crap-looking 4ever release could have been avoided.

fbueller said:

BartVanHemelen said:

laurarichardson said:

fbueller said:

A+ positive sign the vault may be handled with care, since the powers that be moved straight away to release one of the most anticipated unreleased Prince songs: 'Moonbeam Levels'. Something Prince stubbornly refused to do for many years, while fans gave him "the side " as songs such as Jughead and Mr. Happy got released instead.

Moonbeam Levels could have been a major hit for Prince, IMO. If promoted as a single, Moonbeam Levels might catch general listeners by surprise, which could generate further interest in Prince's music overall. If the label makes Moonbeam Levels an "album only exclusive" that's gonna annoy hardcore fans who already purchased the "Hits" songs in various formats and configurations.

-- Jughead and Mr.Happy are just cuts in albums these songs were never singles do why do fans make such big deal out of it.

You can't really be this obtuse. Jughead and Mr. Happy being released on Albums, instead of being Singles?? The point was that lesser "throwaway" songs like Jughead were released, while incredible songs, like Moonbeam Levels, collected dust in Prince's vault for 30+ years.

Nothing to get excited about. Next!!

BartVanHemelen said:

This does point to WBR "owning" outtakes recorded during their contract.

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Not necessarily.

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The role of NPG Publishing is to find commercial opportunities.

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NPG Publishing could have approached Warners or Warners could have approached NPG.

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Warners can't release anything without collaborating with NPG Publishing.

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laurarichardson said:

BartVanHemelen said:

This does point to WBR "owning" outtakes recorded during their contract.

// No it does not. Rumors are that this was already in the works before he passed. He may provided Moonbeam levels to Warner Brothers and maybe he was going to actually work with them on getting vault material out.

Where did you hear that rumor? Purple Rain Deluxe Remaster was in the works. Purple Rain Remaster was announced in around May 2014 - yet it's getting released 3 years later. Prince had been making comments before his death that clearly indicated that he and WB were not in a good place and weren't getting along.

Ouch. Only one new song drowned in a weak tracklist for a expensive cd set... This is WB, not Prince style.

fbueller said:

A disappointing selection, and very (probably necessarily so) limited to his first WB stint - but every single song on that list is excellent.

I expect further releases containing more previously unreleased songs will eventually be forthcoming. This one smells like a "quick! get some Prince stuff out for christmas!" release to me.

PurpleSpirit319 said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

Ouch. Only one new song drowned in a weak tracklist for a expensive cd set... This is WB, not Prince style.

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IF NPG publishing is involved they let this happen.

fbueller said:

laurarichardson said:

BartVanHemelen said: // No it does not. Rumors are that this was already in the works before he passed. He may provided Moonbeam levels to Warner Brothers and maybe he was going to actually work with them on getting vault material out.

Where did you hear that rumor? Purple Rain Deluxe Remaster was in the works. Purple Rain Remaster was announced in around May 2014 - yet it's getting released 3 years later. Prince had been making comments before his death that clearly indicated that he and WB were not in a good place and weren't getting along.

Prince was quoted saying to one journalist at PP that 'it's the same album' indicating there was no extras.

BartVanHemelen said:

This does point to WBR "owning" outtakes recorded during their contract.

If WB owns outtakes is a disaster.

Comparison:

1 1999 [hits 1]
2 Little Red Corvette [hits 2]
3. When Doves Cry [hits 1]
4. Let’s Go Crazy [hits 1]
5. Raspberry Beret [hits 2]
6. I Wanna Be Your Lover [hits 2]
7. Soft and Wet [hits 1]
8. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad [hits 1]
9. Uptown [hits 1]
10. When You Were Mine [hits 1]
11. Head [hits 2]
12. Gotta Stop (Messin’ About) [the B sides]
13. Controversy [hits 2]
14. Let’s Work
15. Delirious [hits 2]
16. I Would Die 4 U [hits 2]
17. Take Me With U
18. Paisley Park
19. Pop Life [hits 1]
20. Purple Rain [hits 2]
21. Kiss [hits 2]
22. Sign ‘O’ The Times [hits 1]
23. Alphabet Street [hits 1]
24. Batdance
25. Thieves In The Temple [hits 1]
26. Cream [hits 2]
27. Mountains
28. Girls & Boys
29. If I Was Your Girlfriend [hits 2]
30. U Got The Look [hits 2]
31. I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man [hits 1]
32. Glam Slam
33. Moonbeam Levels
34. Diamonds and Pearls [hits 1]
35. Gett Off [hits 2]
36. Sexy MF [hits 2]
37. My Name Is Prince
38. 7 [hits 1]
39. Peach [hits 2]
40. Nothing Compares 2 U [hits 1]

"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." is mentioned in the OP but not listed.

[Edited 10/21/16 3:34am]

BartVanHemelen said: