PennyPurple said:

Genesia said:

Does that rock you've been living under have a physical address?

Huh? I've not ever heard 1 person say they know Prince only because he was a competitor with MJ.

I was commenting on your original statement - not the revised statement you just made.

SMDH

DarkKnight1 said:

herb4 said:

LOL. How long have you been on the forums? Because the answer to this "fuck no".

Listened to a few tracks and liked it better than I thought I would. It's interesting to listen to him sort of "sketch" and work stuff out. I always like looking at visual artist's processes and their sketches leading up to a finished painting or storyboards for feature films. Stuff like that. That's what this feels like to me and it's pretty amazing to listen to music just oozing out of Prince stream of consciousness style.

Also, for years undreds of people around here would constantly clamor for a stripped down acoustic unplugged look at his work and, now that we get it, the bitching is hilarious.

That said, it does really feel like something that would have worked better as a supplemental disc in a larger set but I'm not sure how. Maybe 2 discs of rarities from that era and this one as a bonus.

The album is fine but I doubt I'll bust it out much.

[Edited 9/22/18 13:09pm]

Nothing is going to bust out. NOTHING. Unless there is an album titled Purple Rain 2 somewhere in that vault, the chart topping mega hit doesnt exist, regardless of quality. I want uncirculated material as much as the next person, but if its not wrapped in a Purple Rain blanket, the common music fan will dismiss it pretty quickly. Unfortunately, the only hope for a massive hit would be to have Bruno Mars or Taylor Swiftduet on a Prince track, and sweet baby Jesus, I hope that never happens.

read what I wrote again. I said "I won't bust it out that much", meaning "play it personally.

PennyPurple said:

Genesia said:

Does that rock you've been living under have a physical address?

Huh? I've not ever heard 1 person say they know Prince only because he was a competitor with MJ.

I have. MJ's name comes up a lot when casual fans discuss Prince. The two are compared and contrasted quite often and thier rivalry, real or not, has certainly been cemented in common discourse, even right here on this forum.

They're quite connected in terms of casual perception.

herb4 said:

PennyPurple said:

Huh? I've not ever heard 1 person say they know Prince only because he was a competitor with MJ.

I have. MJ's name comes up a lot when casual fans discuss Prince. The two are compared and contrasted quite often and thier rivalry, real or not, has certainly been cemented in common discourse, even right here on this forum.

They're quite connected in terms of casual perception.

I agree, but most of that competition was media creation back in '83/'84 when Prince was coming up behind MJ on the charts, and then beat him at the awards in 1985 for PR. No doubt Prince wanted to equal and/or surpass his success, but he also would have watched him as a kid with Jackson 5, and learned from him. One of the NPG band members stated in an interview that MJ would send Prince tapes of old Jackson 5 shows, and Prince would stop rehearsal to have them watch the shows. They respected each other more than anything.

^

I really don't understand why people try to compare them, other than that they are both black artists who crossed over and had huge success. They were very different, and had their own styles. MJ was a fantastic performer and a great singer, but could not play any instruments. Prince could play most instruments fantastically, was a great singer, and an engaging performer. MJ was mainly "Pop" genre, while Prince was a mix of rock, funk, jazz and pop.

violetcrush said:

herb4 said:

I have. MJ's name comes up a lot when casual fans discuss Prince. The two are compared and contrasted quite often and thier rivalry, real or not, has certainly been cemented in common discourse, even right here on this forum.

They're quite connected in terms of casual perception.

I agree, but most of that competition was media creation back in '83/'84 when Prince was coming up behind MJ on the charts, and then beat him at the awards in 1985 for PR. No doubt Prince wanted to equal and/or surpass his success, but he also would have watched him as a kid with Jackson 5, and learned from him. One of the NPG band members stated in an interview that MJ would send Prince tapes of old Jackson 5 shows, and Prince would stop rehearsal to have them watch the shows. They respected each other more than anything.

^

I really don't understand why people try to compare them, other than that they are both black artists who crossed over and had huge success. They were very different, and had their own styles. MJ was a fantastic performer and a great singer, but could not play any instruments. Prince could play most instruments fantastically, was a great singer, and an engaging performer. MJ was mainly "Pop" genre, while Prince was a mix of rock, funk, jazz and pop.

Totally agree with al this. I was just saying that for whatever reason their names get mentioned together a lot. Especially amongst more casual fans. Aside from being fairly effeminate, insanely popular black pop stars during the same time period, I never understood the comparisons either.

I'd say Prince has more in common with Rick James than Michael.

I wouldn't of minded if they released boots I already have, i just think out of everything he's got in there this is such a strange and underwhelming choice. Somebody said a release of 85/86 unnoficial tracks would of been great and I very much agree (add the complete cobo '86 video & unseen Katz shots & I will be ecstatic). I also find the packaging not up to scratch.

PRD bugged the crap out of me because of the messed up Erotic City intro!! the incorrect liner notes & the abundance of 7" vers.
To be frank I have found most things Prince post '16 to be shabby, shoddy & slapdash. Also the vast majority of things done in his name or in "tribute" to him.
I feel various individuals are doing him a disservice in various ways.
(If anyone with any clout is reading, please improve the art/packaging in future, please contact Michael Birawer & Cbabi Bayoc)

[Edited 9/26/18 0:53am]

Graycap23 said:

Prince probably has more material in his vault than any artist the ever recorded on a professional level.

I don't recall seeing any artist's posthumous releases over 2 years after they have died be as unsatisfying as this.

Maybe there was so much material that they were overwhelmed? Unorganized?

Etc.........

I don't know the reason's behind it, but this 1st release is not a good start imho.

They r going 2 have 2 do better than this.

This will be the 1st Prince official release that I won't be buying.

It is only the first release, and it is great music. If this is the worst you've ever seen... with all due respect you haven't seen much! This is a nice collection of audio recordings that shed more light on the man, not just for us bit for the non-orgers who may have never heard this side of Prince otherwise. Not to mention, different eras may have different licensing issues and may take more time than others to get out.

My X husband who is a musician casual fan ,came to visit me today..

First thing he said..

"Hey have you heard that new prince Album that eveyone is Raving about ?"

Lovejunky said:

My X husband who is a musician casual fan ,came to visit me today..

First thing he said..

"Hey have you heard that new prince Album that eveyone is Raving about ?"

it is interesting isn`t it? especially in light of some of the "ho hum" reviews some of his projects recieved while he was still with us

Here's an article on P&M and Tom Petty's Estate

The estates of Prince (who died in April 2016) and Tom Petty (who died in October 2017) are very eager to avoid this sort of catastrophe. Blessedly, the first major releases from both camps are pretty fantastic. Last Friday came Prince’s Piano & a Microphone 1983, a digital release of a recently discovered cassette tape featuring solo runs through long-treasured B-sides, future album tracks, and covers of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” and the spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep.” And this Friday brings Tom Petty’s An American Treasure, a career-spanning, four-disc, 60-track box set packed with unreleased songs, live favorites, alternate versions, and deep album cuts, all proof that his five-decade career is unassailable even if you avoid many of his best-known songs.

---------

That cloud hangs over Piano & a Microphone 1983, where the whole appeal is the rawness, the incompleteness, the immaculate imperfection. You, the listener, are eavesdropping. He flubs notes, and chords. He audibly sniffles. He calls out technical futzes to the engineer. He vamps and preens on a goofy romp called “Cold Coffee & Cocaine,” improvising lyrics on the fly, reaching for a rhyme for house and settling on mouse. The two most tantalizing tracks by name recognition alone—“A Case of You” and “Purple Rain”—are both embryonic sketches that last about a minute and a half apiece before dissolving.

https://www.theringer.com...um-box-set

PennyPurple said:

Here's an article on P&M and Tom Petty's Estate

The estates of Prince (who died in April 2016) and Tom Petty (who died in October 2017) are very eager to avoid this sort of catastrophe. Blessedly, the first major releases from both camps are pretty fantastic. Last Friday came Prince’s Piano & a Microphone 1983, a digital release of a recently discovered cassette tape featuring solo runs through long-treasured B-sides, future album tracks, and covers of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” and the spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep.” And this Friday brings Tom Petty’s An American Treasure, a career-spanning, four-disc, 60-track box set packed with unreleased songs, live favorites, alternate versions, and deep album cuts, all proof that his five-decade career is unassailable even if you avoid many of his best-known songs.

---------

That cloud hangs over Piano & a Microphone 1983, where the whole appeal is the rawness, the incompleteness, the immaculate imperfection. You, the listener, are eavesdropping. He flubs notes, and chords. He audibly sniffles. He calls out technical futzes to the engineer. He vamps and preens on a goofy romp called “Cold Coffee & Cocaine,” improvising lyrics on the fly, reaching for a rhyme for house and settling on mouse. The two most tantalizing tracks by name recognition alone—“A Case of You” and “Purple Rain”—are both embryonic sketches that last about a minute and a half apiece before dissolving.

https://www.theringer.com...um-box-set

60 track box set.....vs 35 minute hiss filled practice set.

That is the ENTIRE point of my post here.

^^^THIS..all day^^^

Graycap23 said:

PennyPurple said:

Here's an article on P&M and Tom Petty's Estate

The estates of Prince (who died in April 2016) and Tom Petty (who died in October 2017) are very eager to avoid this sort of catastrophe. Blessedly, the first major releases from both camps are pretty fantastic. Last Friday came Prince’s Piano & a Microphone 1983, a digital release of a recently discovered cassette tape featuring solo runs through long-treasured B-sides, future album tracks, and covers of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” and the spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep.” And this Friday brings Tom Petty’s An American Treasure, a career-spanning, four-disc, 60-track box set packed with unreleased songs, live favorites, alternate versions, and deep album cuts, all proof that his five-decade career is unassailable even if you avoid many of his best-known songs.

---------

That cloud hangs over Piano & a Microphone 1983, where the whole appeal is the rawness, the incompleteness, the immaculate imperfection. You, the listener, are eavesdropping. He flubs notes, and chords. He audibly sniffles. He calls out technical futzes to the engineer. He vamps and preens on a goofy romp called “Cold Coffee & Cocaine,” improvising lyrics on the fly, reaching for a rhyme for house and settling on mouse. The two most tantalizing tracks by name recognition alone—“A Case of You” and “Purple Rain”—are both embryonic sketches that last about a minute and a half apiece before dissolving.

https://www.theringer.com...um-box-set

60 track box set.....vs 35 minute hiss filled practice set.

That is the ENTIRE point of my post here.

Exactly. This is what the Prince estate needs to do here. Bowie Estate has put out the deluxe boxed sets, too.

On the Prince Estate site where it asks for opinions, I sent in I would love a box set of outtakes like Tom Petty's

Wow, on Oct 12, David Bowie estate is releasing David Bowie: Loving the Alien, complete with 11 CDS and a 15 piece vinyl collection that contains exclusive new production, instrumentation and remastering.

PennyPurple said:

Wow, on Oct 12, David Bowie estate is releasing David Bowie: Loving the Alien, complete with 11 CDS and a 15 piece vinyl collection that contains exclusive new production, instrumentation and remastering.

Don't worry....Prince fans have a 35 year old cassette tape to enjoy.

Graycap23 said:

PennyPurple said:

Wow, on Oct 12, David Bowie estate is releasing David Bowie: Loving the Alien, complete with 11 CDS and a 15 piece vinyl collection that contains exclusive new production, instrumentation and remastering.

Don't worry....Prince fans have a 35 year old cassette tape to enjoy.

David Bowie had a will. Prince didn't. That's probably 90% of the reason for the difference in releases.

Graycap23 said:

PennyPurple said:

Wow, on Oct 12, David Bowie estate is releasing David Bowie: Loving the Alien, complete with 11 CDS and a 15 piece vinyl collection that contains exclusive new production, instrumentation and remastering.

Don't worry....Prince fans have a 35 year old cassette tape to enjoy.

Graycap23 said:

PennyPurple said:

Wow, on Oct 12, David Bowie estate is releasing David Bowie: Loving the Alien, complete with 11 CDS and a 15 piece vinyl collection that contains exclusive new production, instrumentation and remastering.

Don't worry....Prince fans have a 35 year old cassette tape to enjoy.

Bowie probably had his material way easier to calalougue than old analogue tapes that needed transfering, in control by an estate that had to be established after a long time because Prince didn't leave a will. Prince has only been dead for a short while the business scheme of things, let's see how it all plays out

they must be overwhelmed with the job of figuring out WHAT to release...

ForceofNature said:

Graycap23 said:

Don't worry....Prince fans have a 35 year old cassette tape to enjoy.

Bowie probably had his material way easier to calalougue than old analogue tapes that needed transfering, in control by an estate that had to be established after a long time because Prince didn't leave a will. Prince has only been dead for a short while the business scheme of things, let's see how it all plays out

Exactly. No doubt that Bowie and Petty's catalogue was updated, organized, and a plan was in ploace regarding how to release future material. No will or written plan = delays in the release process.

*

Prince's statement on The View when asked if all of the music in the Vault will ever be released: " Someone will release them...I don't know that I'll get to release them"...

*

He did not have a legal plan in place, or an updated, well organized Vault. I imagine it will take many man hours to get it together and figure it all out.

herb4 said:

violetcrush said:

I agree, but most of that competition was media creation back in '83/'84 when Prince was coming up behind MJ on the charts, and then beat him at the awards in 1985 for PR. No doubt Prince wanted to equal and/or surpass his success, but he also would have watched him as a kid with Jackson 5, and learned from him. One of the NPG band members stated in an interview that MJ would send Prince tapes of old Jackson 5 shows, and Prince would stop rehearsal to have them watch the shows. They respected each other more than anything.

^

I really don't understand why people try to compare them, other than that they are both black artists who crossed over and had huge success. They were very different, and had their own styles. MJ was a fantastic performer and a great singer, but could not play any instruments. Prince could play most instruments fantastically, was a great singer, and an engaging performer. MJ was mainly "Pop" genre, while Prince was a mix of rock, funk, jazz and pop.

Totally agree with al this. I was just saying that for whatever reason their names get mentioned together a lot. Especially amongst more casual fans. Aside from being fairly effeminate, insanely popular black pop stars during the same time period, I never understood the comparisons either.

I'd say Prince has more in common with Rick James than Michael.

Yes, I would put Prince in the "Rick, James B, Jimi, Sly" group for sure. Prince wanted shock value, mystery, and salacious rock/pop. MJ was more of the G rated teen pop idol image - probably because he started at such a young age, and he was already identified as that cute, sweet black kid who had a beautiful voice.

violetcrush said:

herb4 said:

Totally agree with al this. I was just saying that for whatever reason their names get mentioned together a lot. Especially amongst more casual fans. Aside from being fairly effeminate, insanely popular black pop stars during the same time period, I never understood the comparisons either.

I'd say Prince has more in common with Rick James than Michael.

Yes, I would put Prince in the "Rick, James B, Jimi, Sly" group for sure. Prince wanted shock value, mystery, and salacious rock/pop. MJ was more of the G rated teen pop idol image - probably because he started at such a young age, and he was already identified as that cute, sweet black kid who had a beautiful voice.

Yep. Prince exuded sexuality wheras MJ was almost asexual. I wrote a paper on it my freshman year of college. The assignment was "Compare 2 Things that are Similar Yet Different ". I went with MJ and Prince. My professor didn't know what "asexual" meant when used it to describe Michael and asked me "don't you mean homosexual'"?

No, that's not what I meant. Yeah, I dropped that course.

And people here need to chill. The stuff will come out.

Some theories

Maybe this piano tape is because they know the real Piano and Microphone tour will be released next year and they are just capitalizing on that with 80's material. Perhaps the next release from the vault will be longer.

If I had my wish, they would release a boxset of his original demos (remastered) of songs that eventually went to others. Songs like 101, Nothing Compares to U, the Sex of It, Manic Monday, Screams of Passion, Time songs when Prince's vocals were on them (if they exist), Yo Mister, Glamorous LIfe, G-spot, (maybe even stuff he wrote with/or for Andy Allo and Bria Valente. Is his version of Elixer anywhere?) etc. Hardcore fans would moan because they have heard many of them before, but the mainstream listener and the press would probably love it, judging by the reaction of the piano and microphone 83. Then I would reissue his released albums and make them all deluxe versions like PR Deluxe but do a better job of promoting the additional material. I would also release every professionally shot and recorded concert footage I could get my hands on. Really, his live stuff is really where its at. Dream Factory would be cool as well. Another package they could release is one consisting of limitedly released songs like That Girl Thang, La Bourgesoise, Glasscutter, etc. Another release could revolve around covers he's done both live and in the studio. We can't assume that the stuff coming out will be new to old school fans. It may not be. Maybe a lot of the vault material is floating around somewhere already but it needs focus and attention.

Graycap23 said:

Prince probably has more material in his vault than any artist the ever recorded on a professional level.

I don't recall seeing any artist's posthumous releases over 2 years after they have died be as unsatisfying as this.

Maybe there was so much material that they were overwhelmed? Unorganized?

Etc.........

I don't know the reason's behind it, but this 1st release is not a good start imho.

They r going 2 have 2 do better than this.

This will be the 1st Prince official release that I won't be buying.

It could be worse. George Harrison has been dead 17 years, and his estate (wife and son) have so far issued one CD of ten tracks.

That's it.

I must say, I don't get this anger Prince-fans have over his releases. The guy's corpse is still fresh, so everyone relax! Stuff is already starting to come out and there'll be more.

Graycap23 said: