Sue Ann Carwell, home studio & Sound 80, summer 1978
Make It Through The Storm #4 (Prince/Chris Moon) – re-recorded and released as b-side of Let Me Let You Rock Me-single in 1981
Since We’ve Been Together #2 – copyrighted at The Library of Congress 21/8-1980
Wouldn’t You Love To Love Me? #2

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recorded in Summer 1976 at Moonsound, Minneapolis, MN, USA

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A new recording was made for possible inclusion on Prince's first album For You, and while specific recording dates for the album version of the song are not known, the album was recorded at the Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, USA, from 1 October 1977 to 22 December 1977.

Prince then re-recorded the song with Sue Ann Carwell on lead vocals in Summer, 1978, at Prince's France Avenue Home Studio, Edina, MN, USA (during the same set of sessions as Since We've Been Together, Wouldn't You Love To Love Me? and I'm Saving It Up).

Although Prince's versions remain unreleased, Sue Ann Carwell released a version of the song in 1981, as the b-side of her single Let Me Let You Rock Me, but with different music, written by Chris Moon; since Prince's original input was limited to music, he had no contribution in the released version, so the track is listed here as unreleased.

-PrinceVault

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1976 OUTTAKE

Make It Through The Storm

So now you want 2 leave me, but why you will not say
Then don't tell me why, just tell me that you'll never go away
Oh, don't give up now, girl, we've been through so much more
Oh, can't you see you're the only thing that I'm living 4

The world's a cold and empty place
Without a love 2 keep you warm
Oh, hold me in your arms 2night
Don't you know we'll make it, make it through the storm

Our love is pain and pleasure but I keep holding on
Cause I never want 2 lose your love, gotta help me make it strong
Just hold me tight, I'm yours 2night, your love will keep me warm
Hold me in your arms 2night, we'll make it through the storm

The world's such an empty place
Without a love 2 keep you warm
Oh, hold me in your arms 2night
Don't you know we'll make it, make it through the storm

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We're gonna make it, we got 2 make it

(We're gonna make it)
Make it through the storm
The wind, the wind, your heart is so cold
I can make it
Make it through the storm

Your love, is pain and pleasure
you, it's you, it's you I'll always treasure
We'll make it through the storm

It was while Prince attended Central High School in Minneapolis, MN that he began his recording career. The first recording studio that Prince stepped into was MoonSound Studios in south Minneapolis. MoonSound was a small studio owned and operated by British born, Chris Moon, a talented recording engineer and budding entrepreneur.

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Chris first established MoonSound Studios in the basement of a small, single family home at about 57th and Stevens Ave. It’s unknown how Prince first came upon this specific studio, but it’s likely he had heard about MoonSound Studios through a variety of promotions that had been aired on the local “progressive rock” station, KQRS.

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At MoonSound Studios, Chris taught Prince the basics of multi-track recording and also provided him access to a variety of musical instruments like a piano, electronic keyboards, synthesizers, drums, etc.. It was during this time that Prince learned how to record and mix all intruments played. Chris eventually gave Prince a set of keys to his studio and Prince would show up after school and evenings.

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Chris Moon quickly realized that he had a true talent on his hands, and together, they began working on a demo tape that could be presented to record labels. The first few attempts to secure a record label failed and Chris soon realized that they needed to find someone with better connections to the music business world. As a result, Chris introduced Prince to Owen Husney- a music industry executive in Minneapolis – and they sent him a demo tape. Shortly thereafter Husney became Prince’s first manager. This partnership would eventually led to a record deal with Warner Bros and the rest is musical history.

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In the early 1970s Chris Moon (a Brit) became interested in recording technology, he purchased a slew of advanced recording equipment and began searching for musical acts that interested him. He carted his equipment out to gigs and rehearsal halls to make demo recordings. Moon recorded several demos and live gigs with Skogie and the Flaming Pachucos before their move to Los Angeles in the summer of 1976.

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Chris Moon was one of the first to discover Prince's musical talent and he was an important factor in getting his career underway. They met in 1976 when Prince came through his Moonsound Studio to record material with his band, then known as Champagne.

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Moon had aspirations as a songwriter, having written poetry and song lyrics since he was a teenager, and after seeing Prince at work in the studio, he approached him about collaborating. In exchange for writing and playing the music, Prince would get free studio time. The deal served both well; Moon could turn his lyrics into songs and Prince was able to learn about recording techniques and develop as a songwriter and musician. Their teaming-up contributed to the breakup of Champagne and led to Prince's decision to become solo artist.

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Chris Moon can take some credit for his early collaboration with Prince, the famous "naughty implied sexuality" approach to songwriting, and introducing Prince to Owen Husney, who became his first manager. He parted ways with Prince, more than 20 years ago

14-track demo tape, Moonsound, Minneapolis, spring – December 1976 – no known order
Instrumental (7:25) – possibly titled Farnborough
Aces (Prince/Chris Moon)
Diamond Eyes (Prince/Chris Moon)
Don’t Forget (Prince/Chris Moon)
Don’t Hold Back (Prince/Chris Moon)
Fantasy (Prince/Chris Moon)
Love Is Forever #1 (Prince/Chris Moon)
Make It Through The Storm #1 (Prince/Chris Moon)
Piano Intro (0:40)
Soft And Wet #1 (3:22) (Prince/Chris Moon)
Surprise (Prince/Chris Moon)
Baby #1
I’m Yours #1
Jelly Jam #1 (Instrumental)
Leaving For New York #2
Since We’ve Been Together #1
For You #3 (1:19)
For You #4 (1:20)
Outro (0:13)

- A 4-track demo tape was also made with Soft And Wet, Love Is Forever, Baby & Aces

Sound 80, Minneapolis, 29 December 1976 – summer 1977
Baby #2 (Instrumental) (3:15)
Baby #3 (3:08)
Just As Long As We’re Together #1 (3:34)
Soft And Wet #2 (3:04) (Prince/Chris Moon)
Instrumental (3:49)
My Love Is Forever #2 (previously “Love Is Forever”) (4:03) (Prince/Chris Moon)
Make It Through The Storm #2 (2:44) (Prince/Chris Moon)
Jelly Jam #2 (Instrumental) (2:05)
In Love #1
Just As Long As We’re Together #2 (incorporates “Jelly Jam”) (5:45)
Just As Long As We’re Together #3 (5:51)
Love In The Morning
You Really Get To Me

For You, The Record Plant, Sausalito, 1 October – 22 December 1977
For You #5 (1:06)*
In Love #2 (3:38)*
Soft And Wet #3 (3:01)* (Prince/Chris Moon)
Crazy You (2:17)*
Just As Long As We’re Together #6 (6:24)*
Baby # 4 (3:09)*
My Love Is Forever #3 (4:09)* (Prince/Chris Moon)
So Blue (4:26)*
I’m Yours #2 (5:01)*
Make It Through The Storm #3 (Prince/Chris Moon)

My Love Is Forever is the seventh track on Prince's first album For You. In 1979, it was included as the b-side on some versions of I Wanna Be Your Lover, the first single from Prince's second album Prince.

An early version of the song was recorded in 1976 at Moonsound, Minneapolis, MN, USA, under the name Love Is Forever, using Chris Moon's original lyrics

In 1976-1977, Prince re-wrote some of the lyrics, and recorded the song at Sound 80, Minneapolis, MN, USA, under the title My Love Is Forever prior to signing a contract or beginning work on the album. Specific recording dates for the album version of song are not known, but the album was recorded at the Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, USA, from 1 October 1977 to 22 December 1977, before overdubs and mixing took place, in early January 1978 at Sound Labs, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

-PrinceVault

You're always on my mind
Day and night, baby, all the time
(All the time)
You mean so much to me
A love like ours just hard to be

You're the wind and the rain
You've got a river that takes away my pain
And the sky that's, oh, so blue
You're everything girl, don't you know I need you
(Need you)

You are the only thing that keeps me goin'
You are the only thing that keeps my love alive
You are the only thing that I'll ever need
You don't have to worry, you see, my love is forever

Sugar, I don't have to dream
'Cause you give me what I want
Girl, you know what I need
Forever until my love is through, I, I will love you
(Love you)

Oh, oh, what does it take to make you see
That you are the only one for me
I'll never, never stop loving you
Never, never stop wanting you
Never, never get enough of you, love is forever

You are the only thing that keeps me goin'
You are the only thing, keeps my love alive
You are the only thing that I'll ever need
You don't have to worry, my love is forever

jdcxc said:

What is Moon doing now? It would be interesting to hear from him in a doc.

April 22, 2016 06:35 PM

Chris Moon, the man who discovered Prince, is speaking out about a man he describes as an explosive tornado of creativity and talent.

Moon told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS about how quiet and shy Prince was during his first recording at 18 years old.

"He was singing. I could see his lips moving and I had my volumes turned all the way up, but I couldn't get the needles to move," Moon said. "I thought I had broken equipment, and I replaced the microphone and the cable, came back and I had the same problem and finally realized he was singing so quietly that even the electronics at full volume couldn't pick him up."

If you've not seen this, it's a really interesting documentary (made in 1992) called 'Prince Unauthorized' in which there are interviews with Chris Moon, Owen Husney, and Chaz (P's cousin) amongst others.



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Behind The Brands With Chris Moon

http://hifipig.com/behind...hris-moon/

Chris Moon is the owner of HigherFi, the US based company whose claim is to be “the world’s largest online dealer of luxury audio”, but, amongst other things, he’s also a songwriter and producer with 12 Million sales to his name. Chris is credited with the discovery of the artist Prince, writing of the first hit song (Soft & Wet), naming the artist, teaching him to record and produce in the studio and writing 3 of the 4 songs on the demo tape that got him signed with Warner Bros. Records. He’s lived with a tribe of “head-hunters” In New Guinea and a whole lot more.

How did you get into/what was your first job in the industry?

I was a the recording engineer, producer and writer who discovered Prince when he was 16 years old, taught him to engineer, produce and write his own songs and wrote his first hit song for him, Soft & Wet.

When I wanted to learn about music I got on a plane at age 17, flew to Hong Kong and purchased myself a multi-channel reel to reel and a camera as I also wanted to be a fashion photographer. I came back and built my first recording studio in the basement of the house I lived in in Minneapolis and did fashion photography on location – this way I was able to pursue my two passions. I guess I was a better engineer/producer than photographer as that was the one I made all my money with. Great sound was always linked to great music for me – what’s the point of one if you don’t have the other?

Proudest moment/product you’re most proud of?

One of my four goals in life which I set in my teens was to write a hit song and the first time I heard my song playing on the radio I was in a grocery store. It was that first hit song for Prince and I remember thinking, I wonder when everyone in this store is going to break into dance, I really thought they would. Then, when my parents heard my music on the radio and it was in the Billboard Top 100 they finally said to me, “we always thought you were wasting your time in the recording studio but I guess we were wrong, we’re so proud of you”. That’s all any child ever wants to hear from their parents – some recognition for doing something right.

What Did You Learn About Music In The Studio Producing Prince?

The funny thing is what I learned about music that made the biggest difference for both Prince and myself was that the music wasn’t the most important thing. You can have great talent, great music, great production and great songs, but without great marketing no one will ever hear it and its all a waste of time.

The most important thing about MUSIC (and great audio equipment) is being able to get it into the hands/ears of the audience … without that what have you really done other than satisfy yourself? If you are in business and serious about it, understanding how to actually deliver your song/product/equipment/message to the audience is Job #1, making it great comes after that but many people seem to get these two things reversed and make truly great products THEN try and figure out how to get it into the marketplace. There seems to be a story floating around out there that if you make it, they will come … WRONG!

The story should be: If you can reach enough people, some of them will buy even if the product isn’t great. Look around you for plenty of evidence of that statement.

What product do you wish you had never conceived/launched?

I launched a speaker that was truly unique and created sound in a way no other speaker ever had...

Tell Hifi Pig readers about your next project and what they can expect in the future from you and your company.

We just released a magnetic audio levitation stand that has been selling well worldwide and is a fun product that both enhances the sound of a device on it but also aesthetically enhances the appearance of it...

You and your system

What component do you miss the most?

Prince – the main component of a stereo system is the Artist – without that you have nothing to listen to

How often do you listen to music?
Every night from midnight to 3:00am, doesn’t everybody?

The state of the industry

The high-end audio industry is dead as we know it, its just almost none of the manufacturers still left have really figured it out yet...

Having safely ushered your loved ones out of the house as it is burning down to the ground, you ignore all standard safety advice and dash back inside to grab just one recording – what is it?

The recording I would grab would be Prince’s first demo tape that I made with him singing 3 of my own songs and the demo tape responsible for getting him signed to Warner Brothers, I still have it and its probably the only one left in the world.

Many thanks Chris for taking the time out to chat with Hifi Pig.

not 1984

WOW, amazing article, thank you.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Behind The Brands With Chris Moon

http://hifipig.com/behind...hris-moon/

Chris Moon is the owner of HigherFi, the US based company whose claim is to be “the world’s largest online dealer of luxury audio”, but, amongst other things, he’s also a songwriter and producer with 12 Million sales to his name. Chris is credited with the discovery of the artist Prince, writing of the first hit song (Soft & Wet), naming the artist, teaching him to record and produce in the studio and writing 3 of the 4 songs on the demo tape that got him signed with Warner Bros. Records. He’s lived with a tribe of “head-hunters” In New Guinea and a whole lot more.

How did you get into/what was your first job in the industry?

I was a the recording engineer, producer and writer who discovered Prince when he was 16 years old, taught him to engineer, produce and write his own songs and wrote his first hit song for him, Soft & Wet.

When I wanted to learn about music I got on a plane at age 17, flew to Hong Kong and purchased myself a multi-channel reel to reel and a camera as I also wanted to be a fashion photographer. I came back and built my first recording studio in the basement of the house I lived in in Minneapolis and did fashion photography on location – this way I was able to pursue my two passions. I guess I was a better engineer/producer than photographer as that was the one I made all my money with. Great sound was always linked to great music for me – what’s the point of one if you don’t have the other?

Proudest moment/product you’re most proud of?

One of my four goals in life which I set in my teens was to write a hit song and the first time I heard my song playing on the radio I was in a grocery store. It was that first hit song for Prince and I remember thinking, I wonder when everyone in this store is going to break into dance, I really thought they would. Then, when my parents heard my music on the radio and it was in the Billboard Top 100 they finally said to me, “we always thought you were wasting your time in the recording studio but I guess we were wrong, we’re so proud of you”. That’s all any child ever wants to hear from their parents – some recognition for doing something right.

What Did You Learn About Music In The Studio Producing Prince?

The funny thing is what I learned about music that made the biggest difference for both Prince and myself was that the music wasn’t the most important thing. You can have great talent, great music, great production and great songs, but without great marketing no one will ever hear it and its all a waste of time.

The most important thing about MUSIC (and great audio equipment) is being able to get it into the hands/ears of the audience … without that what have you really done other than satisfy yourself? If you are in business and serious about it, understanding how to actually deliver your song/product/equipment/message to the audience is Job #1, making it great comes after that but many people seem to get these two things reversed and make truly great products THEN try and figure out how to get it into the marketplace. There seems to be a story floating around out there that if you make it, they will come … WRONG!

The story should be: If you can reach enough people, some of them will buy even if the product isn’t great. Look around you for plenty of evidence of that statement.

What product do you wish you had never conceived/launched?

I launched a speaker that was truly unique and created sound in a way no other speaker ever had...

Tell Hifi Pig readers about your next project and what they can expect in the future from you and your company.

We just released a magnetic audio levitation stand that has been selling well worldwide and is a fun product that both enhances the sound of a device on it but also aesthetically enhances the appearance of it...

You and your system

What component do you miss the most?

Prince – the main component of a stereo system is the Artist – without that you have nothing to listen to

How often do you listen to music?
Every night from midnight to 3:00am, doesn’t everybody?

The state of the industry

The high-end audio industry is dead as we know it, its just almost none of the manufacturers still left have really figured it out yet...

Having safely ushered your loved ones out of the house as it is burning down to the ground, you ignore all standard safety advice and dash back inside to grab just one recording – what is it?

The recording I would grab would be Prince’s first demo tape that I made with him singing 3 of my own songs and the demo tape responsible for getting him signed to Warner Brothers, I still have it and its probably the only one left in the world.

Many thanks Chris for taking the time out to chat with Hifi Pig.

not 1984

That first article says they didn't know how P met Chris Moon but I'm pretty sure I heard Own Husney say that he discovered P and introduced P to Chris Moon who was an aquaintaince of his.

jdcxc said:

What is Moon doing now? It would be interesting to hear from him in a doc.

I don't know about now...but about 25 years ago or so I worked for him briefly where had a video office set-up in his basement (including a special "Soft and Wet" framed single on the wall) when I worked in corporate filmmaking in Minnesota. One of the projects I was involved with was a safety video for a chicken-slaughtering warehouse.

LBrent said:

That first article says they didn't know how P met Chris Moon but I'm pretty sure I heard Own Husney say that he discovered P and introduced P to Chris Moon who was an aquaintaince of his.

The video I posted a couple of posts up ^^^ has interviews with them both - and they both say that it was CM who introduced P to OH.

It's a good film - I really enjoyed it! In some ways it's quite sad too...

.

Dibblekins said:

LBrent said:

That first article says they didn't know how P met Chris Moon but I'm pretty sure I heard Own Husney say that he discovered P and introduced P to Chris Moon who was an aquaintaince of his.

The video I posted a couple of posts up ^^^ has interviews with them both - and they both say that it was CM who introduced P to OH.

It's a good film - I really enjoyed it! In some ways it's quite sad too...

.

Ohhh. Ok.

I got it bacwards then. So many purple folks to keep straight. Heck, even after all these years there are muses and proteges that I only remember vaguely and don't know their names. Lol

LBrent said:

Dibblekins said:

The video I posted a couple of posts up ^^^ has interviews with them both - and they both say that it was CM who introduced P to OH.

It's a good film - I really enjoyed it! In some ways it's quite sad too...

.

Ohhh. Ok.

I got it bacwards then. So many purple folks to keep straight. Heck, even after all these years there are muses and proteges that I only remember vaguely and don't know their names. Lol

Awww - no problem...I'm with you re the muses / proteges (especially the latter day ladies, lol)! But yes - if you get a chance to watch the documentary, you should...

Dibblekins said:

LBrent said:

Ohhh. Ok.

I got it bacwards then. So many purple folks to keep straight. Heck, even after all these years there are muses and proteges that I only remember vaguely and don't know their names. Lol

Awww - no problem...I'm with you re the muses / proteges (especially the latter day ladies, lol)! But yes - if you get a chance to watch the documentary, you should...

Pretty good.

Love the clock radio story. Lol

LBrent said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I would love a quality collectors item book set from each album period.
This period 1977 into 1978 the early years with all the people that were there, the photo sessions the different studio band configurations sessions Loring Park Sessions Moonsound sessions Chris Owen Dale Alexander Bobby Z Sonny T Andre Dez Fink Gayle Tommy Vicari Kim Upsher Jamie Shoop Sue Ann Carwell David Rivkin Steve Fontano Pepé Willie ALPHA Studio 4.1979 LA the Capri Theatre Minneapolis SOUND 80 sessions the Record Plant Sausalito sessions etc would be a wonderful read. Love the 70s

oliviacamron said:

laurarichardson said: