Being the control freak that he was I wouldn't be surpised if Prince recorded the sound of EVERY SINGLE SHOW he performed in....

What if The Estate put every show online - similar to what Bruce Springstein and Tori Amos do - catalogued by tour - and allowed the public to purchase the concerts for $5 a pop??

I alone would probably buy 100 shows, no lie.

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

But if they were somewhere where they could only be streamed and not downloaded, win win.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

But if they were somewhere where they could only be streamed and not downloaded, win win.

Well, no. Lose lose. Because there's no guarantee of continued availability with a stream, and (ha ha!)--people would still figure a way to capture them and share them. So do it at a low price point, and more people will actually support it. $5 is pretty good, I'd guess. Enough to be worth it to them, low enough that lots of people who might not buy at a higher price would pay that amount.

I can't stand the idea of anything being officially available only as a stream.

[Edited 7/26/17 14:48pm]

How much profit would it make, that's the issue.

I think it would be cool if Warners sets up a special collectors imprint just for Prince releases, similar to how Sony/RCA did for Elvis with Follow That Dream

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

If that was the case then all records would only sell one copy. And not all downloads equate to a sale lost. I downloaded most of P's official albums from leaks in the past 10-15 years but then still purchased them on release day. I've downloaded hundreds of live shows, some of them soundboard, but would still pay the estate for official releases of the same shows. Not everybody is a dishonest thief!

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

But if they were somewhere where they could only be streamed and not downloaded, win win.

There isn't a stream in the world which can't be ripped or captured. It's a mild inconvenience, not a problem. Freeloaders gonna freeload whatever someone tries.

Problem is, niche market product sold on a mass market platform will make little money. It will be copied and won't hold an asset value.

The optimum model for niche is subscription, but it needs to offer a level of exclusivity to maintain its membership numbers.

If they have any sense, they will build it around a model that charges an annual fee, but sends out physical, time limited product. Like a deluxe package gig or outtake CD every quarter.

They will rise in value so the membership will have worth.

They need to look at the business model of things like Rock / movie poster commissioning, which is a highly lucrative business through people like Mondotees, Or Hotel Chocolat' which sends out exclusive product every month to its subscribers.

TheEnglishGent said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

If that was the case then all records would only sell one copy. And not all downloads equate to a sale lost. I downloaded most of P's official albums from leaks in the past 10-15 years but then still purchased them on release day. I've downloaded hundreds of live shows, some of them soundboard, but would still pay the estate for official releases of the same shows. Not everybody is a dishonest thief!

+1

Knightoflight said:

Please contact RHINO to help you with Quality Released CONCERTS... I've been a Prince/DeadHead forever (First Dead Show 3/10/81 First Prince Show April '85 (Worchester MA) and I have almost 100 Dead Shows released by Rhino that are just incredible.

I Prince Engineer can work with them and make sure allllll Quality Standerds are included.

It's worth it... dont release sub-par style for P's best performances

Hoping for NYC 6/16/06 at Butter ... anyone else at this gem??? Jay Z & Queen B were there + many others...

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

FunkOnTheOne said:

The problem is the problem that faces most modern music. Once the first copy us out there on the Internet, it will simply be shared for free.

But if they were somewhere where they could only be streamed and not downloaded, win win.

Not for me. I want my own hard copy for anytime, anywhere.

$9.99. That's a fair price point and I would give them a lot of my money for this.

Perhaps the top 10 most popular shows would become easily available to download for free, but if you're looking for specific shows you've attended, or you are after particular songs live from particular eras etc, then you will not be able to find 1 of 10,000 shows online very easily. Most would simply pay the $5. Nice packaging would be even better (the artwork already exists for each tour).

[Edited 7/27/17 1:20am]

Marrk said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

But if they were somewhere where they could only be streamed and not downloaded, win win.

Not for me. I want my own hard copy for anytime, anywhere.

...the OP's right - the Springsteen model is the one to go for. Check this out

http://live.brucespringsteen.net/

He's releasing shows from his current tour on an almost as-played basis, and simultaneously releasing archive performances from his vaults on a regular basis. He's pretty much covered all his major tours from the past 40 years. The releases are on a number of download formats (mp3/lossless/hi-res) and also available as physical cd's. I do think this is a pretty niche exercise but the costs must be pretty minimal on this so it's almost pure profit.

If I was in charge of the estate, I'd start releasing "classic" shows from each major tour every couple of months, interspersing them with aftershow performances...

[Edited 7/27/17 5:17am]

Coo-Coo Dreamland.

Depeche Mode have also been releasing all their shows.

.

It's a no brainer really that tons of people that attended the show will fork out another $10 to have a copy, plus the hardcore fans will want everything!

.

You can't expect them all to expensively and time consumingly mixed and perfect, but they'll still be very good!

.

Or just do 1, 2 or 3 shows from each tour... or more if they're diverse enough.

soladeo1 said:

hw3004 said:

Marrk said:

Not for me. I want my own hard copy for anytime, anywhere.

...the OP's right - the Springsteen model is the one to go for. Check this out

http://live.brucespringsteen.net/

He's realeasing shows from his current tour on an almost as-played basis, and simultaneously releasing archive performances from his vaults on a regular basis. He's pretty much covered all his major tours from the past 40 years. The releases are on a number of download formats (mp3/lossless/hi-res) and also available as physical cd's. I do think this is a pretty niche exercise but the costs must be pretty minimal on this so it's almost pure profit.

If I was in charge of the estate, I'd start releasing "classic" shows from each major tour every couple of months, interspersing them with aftershow performances...

i used to visit that springsteen site from time to time and wish prince would start doing that.

now i hope the estate will do it. it's the best possible way to go.

once in a while a very memorable show or album can be released with more fanfare and be
promoted on more visible platforms.

and all the while warners can release deluxe pacakges of the classic albums he did for them.

soladeo1 said:

What if The Estate put every show online - similar to what Bruce Springstein and Tori Amos do - catalogued by tour - and allowed the public to purchase the concerts for $5 a pop??

.

Not gonna happen. Not soon anyway.

.

First of all: pre-1996 shows would likely be objected to by WBR, since they could use those for deluxe packages and because they might have some hold on them anyway.

.

Later shows? Same problem: you risk diluting the offer for companies bidding on post-WBR releases, because they'd need such live shows to sell deluxe versions.

.

Unless such a venture is part of a major plan which is agreed upon by the companies involved, the risk of poisoning the well is too great.

.

Right now we're in a sort-of massive stalemate.

.

Oh, and blame Prince for all this: he could have organised such a venture ages ago, but didn't.

IF it would practically be possible, 5$ per show and an EASY way to get to it and pay it (no sign-ups and all that shit) would be sufficient for many to buy it, not to share it freely, if so many concerts would be around.
It's a bit like the official 'bootleg' live CD's of Pearl Jam, which i also bought officially from the concerts I was at.

It is obvious to me that some form of subscription service or online library should be setup. The masses maybe interested in remastered, expanded and repackaged versions of the official classic albums. But only us hardcore fans will be interested in all the live stuff. Even then with so much to choose from it would probably be narrowed down to an individuals desire for a classic concert or the ones they attended.

So an online searchable database with a pay as you go or subscription service is the best way forward for this live stuff in my opinion.

[Edited 7/27/17 7:46am]

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

It is obvious to me that some form of subscription service or online library should be setup. The masses maybe interested in remastered, expanded and repackaged versions of the official classic albums. But only us hardcore fans will be interested in all the live stuff. Even then with so much to choose from it would probably be narrowed down to an individuals desire for a classic concert or the ones they attended.

So an online searchable database with a pay as you go or subscription service is the best way forward for this live stuff in my opinion.

[Edited 7/27/17 7:46am]

"U've just accessed the Online-Vault.

Please enjoy Ur Xperience."

How cool would that be?

BartVanHemelen said:

soladeo1 said:

What if The Estate put every show online - similar to what Bruce Springstein and Tori Amos do - catalogued by tour - and allowed the public to purchase the concerts for $5 a pop??

.

Not gonna happen. Not soon anyway.

.

First of all: pre-1996 shows would likely be objected to by WBR, since they could use those for deluxe packages and because they might have some hold on them anyway.

.

Later shows? Same problem: you risk diluting the offer for companies bidding on post-WBR releases, because they'd need such live shows to sell deluxe versions.

.

Unless such a venture is part of a major plan which is agreed upon by the companies involved, the risk of poisoning the well is too great.

.

Right now we're in a sort-of massive stalemate.

.

Oh, and blame Prince for all this: he could have organised such a venture ages ago, but didn't.

All problems have a solution and recently from the court docs an admenment was made to the WB agreements. All contracts can have admendments and modifications

Do you any idea how much investment it would have taken for him to pull this off independently?

soladeo1 said:

Being the control freak that he was I wouldn't be surpised if Prince recorded the sound of EVERY SINGLE SHOW he performed in....

What if The Estate put every show online - similar to what Bruce Springstein and Tori Amos do - catalogued by tour - and allowed the public to purchase the concerts for $5 a pop??

I alone would probably buy 100 shows, no lie.

Although the greatest live performer ever, I think most long timers know he'd not want all shows put out this way. I think that the estate should put together boxed sets of each tour. A complete show of the soundboard, a disc of special performances from the tour and aftershows and of course, blue ray discs of great shows. They should charge a lot for this as we all know it'll all be copied and shared. Remember, the aim is the hardcore who will buy it all.

I don't like the idea of $5 for all shows we don't want his greatness and legacy watered down with 50 shows from one tour.

I listen to the incredible soundboards from Lovexexy...If I Had A HArem from Milan, the amazing funk after Head from Nagoya or the Purple Rain performance in Sendai and it blows me away that the public and many Prince fans have never heard these incredibley inspired performances in the perfect sound we have it in.

The estate needs some fans to inject opinions.

JoeyCococo said:

soladeo1 said:

Being the control freak that he was I wouldn't be surpised if Prince recorded the sound of EVERY SINGLE SHOW he performed in....

What if The Estate put every show online - similar to what Bruce Springstein and Tori Amos do - catalogued by tour - and allowed the public to purchase the concerts for $5 a pop??

I alone would probably buy 100 shows, no lie.

Although the greatest live performer ever, I think most long timers know he'd not want all shows put out this way. I think that the estate should put together boxed sets of each tour. A complete show of the soundboard, a disc of special performances from the tour and aftershows and of course, blue ray discs of great shows. They should charge a lot for this as we all know it'll all be copied and shared. Remember, the aim is the hardcore who will buy it all.

I don't like the idea of $5 for all shows we don't want his greatness and legacy watered down with 50 shows from one tour.

I listen to the incredible soundboards from Lovexexy...If I Had A HArem from Milan, the amazing funk after Head from Nagoya or the Purple Rain performance in Sendai and it blows me away that the public and many Prince fans have never heard these incredibley inspired performances in the perfect sound we have it in.

The estate needs some fans to inject opinions.

Like the estate gives a damn about what Prince would have wanted.