I was watching the george michael documentary freedom recently and when he was having his court case trying to get out of his contract with sony in a press conference he said he was frustrated because no one in the industry was supportive of what he was trying to do yet ive read many times that at the time prince was fully behind him and they were in contact. I wonder why he wouldnt mention he had the support of such a big name?

lonelyalien said:

Because GM saw their struggles as different. And Prince agreed. They were both fighting record companies but their causes and arguments were entirely different.

That's why.

He didn't know what name he was going by at the time

spacedolphin said:

George Michael had already discussed this at length in previous interviews.

George said he had a phone call with Prince which ended with George telling Prince to f**k off. Prince wanted to use George for his own cause but George wasn't having any of it!

George was very down-to-earth.

Incidenatlly, there is no reason for George to particularly mention Prince as many pop artists have gone to court over similar issues. One of the most important court cases was between ZTT and Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes To Hollywood in 1988 - Holly won and this court case was industry defining. So if Prince wanted an ally he should have called Holly.

On another note, George did not intend to win this case as the case itself was enough to force Sony's hand who then sold George's contract. The case was based on 'restrictive trade practices' which can only be a successful tort if in the public's best interest - naturally in this case it was not. However, George got his point across and 'won' in that sense!

darkroman said:

Thanks for all the answers.

I believe I heard in the Tom Petty story on Netflix that Petty also fought his record company in the 80's to get his masters

Mikado said:

George Michael was suing Sony in court because they failed to promote his (objectively excellent) Listen Without Prejudice album, and when he felt it was appropriate to resign under those circumstances, he couldn't as he was locked into a contract (thereby having no right to resign or quit from his recording contract).

Prince's battle was more complicated and had to due with him not being able to release music on his own time frame due to Warner's objections, as well wanting his master recordings. He primarily fought this battle in the court of public opinion, as opposed to George who went to court for a year and pretty much killed his career in America.

That's it. Prince always said record companies work hard at promoting, and it shows. It was the time frame for him, & masters.

The thing w/ GM's case is that he ultimately got what he wanted. Sony just wanted to see him dragged through the mud a bit because they had the money and time to do so. It's odd that he ended up back at Sony for Patience. He stayed with EMI/Virgin for Older and Symphonica, though.

If there any silver lining to GM's case, it was that we did get Older. A more mature album, a wide breadth of style, and just beautiful music, and he finally came out. I always said that Prince was best when he had conflict in his life because that was when he made his best music. When he got free, in my opinion, his music suffered a bit. His mid-80s and mid-90s output is arguably his strongest and most focused music, compared to the Lackadaisy style he sometimes seemed to have in the 21st century.

TrivialPursuit said:

Mikado said:

That's it. Prince always said record companies work hard at promoting, and it shows. It was the time frame for him, & masters.

The thing w/ GM's case is that he ultimately got what he wanted. Sony just wanted to see him dragged through the mud a bit because they had the money and time to do so. It's odd that he ended up back at Sony for Patience. He stayed with EMI/Virgin for Older and Symphonica, though.

If there any silver lining to GM's case, it was that we did get Older. A more mature album, a wide breadth of style, and just beautiful music, and he finally came out. I always said that Prince was best when he had conflict in his life because that was when he made his best music. When he got free, in my opinion, his music suffered a bit. His mid-80s and mid-90s output is arguably his strongest and most focused music, compared to the Lackadaisy style he sometimes seemed to have in the 21st century.

I would say the silver lining was his Magnum Opus Patience which we got tracks like Patience and Round Here and American Angel

Dilan said:

I would say the silver lining was his Magnum Opus Patience which we got tracks like Patience and Round Here and American Angel

I meant immediately after, but I cannot disagree with your assessment either. Patience is beautiful in a whole different way.

spacedolphin said:

He didn't know what name he was going by at the time

Best answer ever

darkroman said:

George Michael had already discussed this at length in previous interviews.

George said he had a phone call with Prince which ended with George telling Prince to f**k off. Prince wanted to use George for his own cause but George wasn't having any of it!

George was very down-to-earth.

Incidenatlly, there is no reason for George to particularly mention Prince as many pop artists have gone to court over similar issues. One of the most important court cases was between ZTT and Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes To Hollywood in 1988 - Holly won and this court case was industry defining. So if Prince wanted an ally he should have called Holly.

On another note, George did not intend to win this case as the case itself was enough to force Sony's hand who then sold George's contract. The case was based on 'restrictive trade practices' which can only be a successful tort if in the public's best interest - naturally in this case it was not. However, George got his point across and 'won' in that sense!

Maybe Prince was still insulted by Holly cracking that joke about him having "sex on the phone" with him at the Brit Awards in 1985.

I was a massive FGTH fan back then but sometimes they didn't come across well. Holly was very dry and I think some people didn't always get him.

InThisBedIDream said:

darkroman said:

George Michael had already discussed this at length in previous interviews.

George said he had a phone call with Prince which ended with George telling Prince to f**k off. Prince wanted to use George for his own cause but George wasn't having any of it!

George was very down-to-earth.

Incidenatlly, there is no reason for George to particularly mention Prince as many pop artists have gone to court over similar issues. One of the most important court cases was between ZTT and Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes To Hollywood in 1988 - Holly won and this court case was industry defining. So if Prince wanted an ally he should have called Holly.

On another note, George did not intend to win this case as the case itself was enough to force Sony's hand who then sold George's contract. The case was based on 'restrictive trade practices' which can only be a successful tort if in the public's best interest - naturally in this case it was not. However, George got his point across and 'won' in that sense!

Maybe Prince was still insulted by Holly cracking that joke about him having "sex on the phone" with him at the Brit Awards in 1985.

That was Boy George making the joke, not George Michael

Banjer said:

InThisBedIDream said:

Maybe Prince was still insulted by Holly cracking that joke about him having "sex on the phone" with him at the Brit Awards in 1985.

That was Boy George making the joke, not George Michael

I'm talking about Holly Johnson presenting an award to Prince and saying something along the lines of "we've never met but we've had sex on the phone."

Prince was not amused.

InThisBedIDream said:

Banjer said:

That was Boy George making the joke, not George Michael

I'm talking about Holly Johnson presenting an award to Prince and saying something along the lines of "we've never met but we've had sex on the phone."

Prince was not amused.

I remember it well! That comment from Holly was hillarious - another legend in his own right!

FGTH certainly left a lasting imprint on music.

TrivialPursuit said:

Mikado said:

That's it. Prince always said record companies work hard at promoting, and it shows. It was the time frame for him, & masters.

The thing w/ GM's case is that he ultimately got what he wanted. Sony just wanted to see him dragged through the mud a bit because they had the money and time to do so. It's odd that he ended up back at Sony for Patience. He stayed with EMI/Virgin for Older and Symphonica, though.

If there any silver lining to GM's case, it was that we did get Older. A more mature album, a wide breadth of style, and just beautiful music, and he finally came out. I always said that Prince was best when he had conflict in his life because that was when he made his best music. When he got free, in my opinion, his music suffered a bit. His mid-80s and mid-90s output is arguably his strongest and most focused music, compared to the Lackadaisy style he sometimes seemed to have in the 21st century.

Everything post the Sony case was licensed so George owned all his recordings and masters.

This is important because once a contract is signed, a career can be crippled from day one.

Yet it's worth saying some bands have got it right. For example the Pet Shop Boys have owned all of their own masters from day one of signing a label deal other than the BobbyO very early recordings which was just a production deal.

Over the past few years the Stereophonics continue to be extremely successful with running their own independent label.

So it can be done, but sadly Prince wasn't good at business or seeing things through. He should have just stuck to music and watched the money roll in while other people ran things

darkroman said:

InThisBedIDream said:

I'm talking about Holly Johnson presenting an award to Prince and saying something along the lines of "we've never met but we've had sex on the phone."

Prince was not amused.

I remember it well! That comment from Holly was hillarious - another legend in his own right!

FGTH certainly left a lasting imprint on music.

Yea, I loved FGTH, they were the first band I saw live.

Holly was great, I know he was diagnosed with HIV in the 90's, I'll have to do a little Google search and see how he is and what he's been up to.

InThisBedIDream said:

darkroman said:

I remember it well! That comment from Holly was hillarious - another legend in his own right!

FGTH certainly left a lasting imprint on music.

Yea, I loved FGTH, they were the first band I saw live.

Holly was great, I know he was diagnosed with HIV in the 90's, I'll have to do a little Google search and see how he is and what he's been up to.

Wow to have seen FTGH live would have been a dream come true!

Check out his most recent album 'Europa' in 2014 - it's bloomin' awesome and was one of my top albums of 2014!

it doesn't make real sense why george didn't join forces with Prince, their cases were different but so what, both were being screwed, therefore, i just think george had an ego issue with Prince. Kinda ironic because he made a lot of fans ripping off Prince's sound.

darkroman said:

InThisBedIDream said:

Yea, I loved FGTH, they were the first band I saw live.

Holly was great, I know he was diagnosed with HIV in the 90's, I'll have to do a little Google search and see how he is and what he's been up to.

Wow to have seen FTGH live would have been a dream come true!

Check out his most recent album 'Europa' in 2014 - it's bloomin' awesome and was one of my top albums of 2014!

First time was here in Liverpool then I went to Manchester a few months later. We missed our coach home and my sister had to come and get us, my Mum went mental when I got home 'cause she didn't know I'd gone.

I've got Frankie to thank for introducing me to Prince and Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run). I was aware of Prince but took more notice after seeing him at the Brits and then seriously got in to him the following year.

I'd like to think Holly and Prince would've got along, he wasn't the cool of cools but still cool none the less.

Thanks, I'll check out Europa and maybe give the Pleasuredome a dust off for nostalgia's sake too.

[Edited 1/15/18 8:26am]

PeteSilas said:

it doesn't make real sense why george didn't join forces with Prince, their cases were different but so what, both were being screwed, therefore, i just think george had an ego issue with Prince. Kinda ironic because he made a lot of fans ripping off Prince's sound.

I'm not that clued up on George Michael but didn't he suffer with depression?

Maybe it was around the time of Prince's battle and he was just like,,,, "I've got my own issues to deal with and can't be a*sed getting involved in yours". Or maybe it was just down to ego like you say.

InThisBedIDream said:

PeteSilas said:

it doesn't make real sense why george didn't join forces with Prince, their cases were different but so what, both were being screwed, therefore, i just think george had an ego issue with Prince. Kinda ironic because he made a lot of fans ripping off Prince's sound.

I'm not that clued up on George Michael but didn't he suffer with depression?

Maybe it was around the time of Prince's battle and he was just like,,,, "I've got my own issues to deal with and can't be a*sed getting involved in yours". Or maybe it was just down to ego like you say.

I was a fan of George's but nothing like I was of Prince's so I didn't know much about his personal issues, I didn't hear he was jumping out of cars trying to kill himself until about a week before he died, ironically. We had a thread on here about George and Prince discussing something or other, probably even this topic and I went and read up and saw that he was heavily involved in drugs and had been in rehab, i didn't have a clue about any of that. Of course it was sad when he died the next week too, just ridiculous that these guys have all these resources and they can't find peace and health.

PeteSilas said:

it doesn't make real sense why george didn't join forces with Prince, their cases were different but so what, both were being screwed, therefore, i just think george had an ego issue with Prince. Kinda ironic because he made a lot of fans ripping off Prince's sound.

The issue with George Michael however was that he took the money Sony gave him and then decided he suddently did not want to promote his work.

Sony was having any of that. Prince at least made music videos etc promoted his work, showed up and showed face.

Prince actually reached out to female artists on the subject like Janet Jackson (unsuccessfully) and Mariah Carey on owning masters...of which they ended up doing later.

PeteSilas said:

InThisBedIDream said:

I'm not that clued up on George Michael but didn't he suffer with depression?

Maybe it was around the time of Prince's battle and he was just like,,,, "I've got my own issues to deal with and can't be a*sed getting involved in yours". Or maybe it was just down to ego like you say.

I was a fan of George's but nothing like I was of Prince's so I didn't know much about his personal issues, I didn't hear he was jumping out of cars trying to kill himself until about a week before he died, ironically. We had a thread on here about George and Prince discussing something or other, probably even this topic and I went and read up and saw that he was heavily involved in drugs and had been in rehab, i didn't have a clue about any of that. Of course it was sad when he died the next week too, just ridiculous that these guys have all these resources and they can't find peace and health.

I knew he had a few "mishaps" in his car. A friend of mine used to live in Hampsted and I saw the Snappy Snaps he crashed into.

I agree completely with the bolded, to have yourself and your life scrutinised must be awful but then I suppose some would argue that it comes with the territory.

I'm happy to be a who.

paisleypark4 said:

PeteSilas said:

it doesn't make real sense why george didn't join forces with Prince, their cases were different but so what, both were being screwed, therefore, i just think george had an ego issue with Prince. Kinda ironic because he made a lot of fans ripping off Prince's sound.

The issue with George Michael however was that he took the money Sony gave him and then decided he suddently did not want to promote his work.

Sony was having any of that. Prince at least made music videos etc promoted his work, showed up and showed face.

Prince actually reached out to female artists on the subject like Janet Jackson (unsuccessfully) and Mariah Carey on owning masters...of which they ended up doing later.

it was also that george had signed away his life pretty much at the age of 18 to some onerous contracts and Prince never had it that bad. Either way, the issue was power, control and money once you scrape off all the bullshit, you go up against a leviathan, you better have your ducks in order because most likely you're not gonna win.

Two sources worth reviewing:

1) http://www.nme.com/news/m...el-1924208

2) http://prince.org/msg/7/27837?pr

ive read Georges interview where he said that Prince emberres him with that slave thing on his face and he said wipe of that shit from your face