"Reckoning with the Ethics of the Ever-Unfurling Prince Vault -- The demos, b-sides and rarities keep coming. How should we feel about listening?"

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https://www.pastemagazine...thics.html

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The umpteenth article in this genre, and quite frankly once you get past the ridiculous errors (they still think PP is managed by Graceland Holdings, they think Prince's ashes are still part of the tour, they think he started complaining about the 1992 deal in 1996,...) it doesn't really offer any insight that you haven't read before in similar articles months and years earlier.

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But that's just my opinion.

Just fluff. Prince himself said he expected his unreleased material to be released posthumously so there's no 'ethics' involved.

BartVanHemelen said:

"Reckoning with the Ethics of the Ever-Unfurling Prince Vault -- The demos, b-sides and rarities keep coming. How should we feel about listening?"

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https://www.pastemagazine...thics.html

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The umpteenth article in this genre, and quite frankly once you get past the ridiculous errors (they still think PP is managed by Graceland Holdings, they think Prince's ashes are still part of the tour, they think he started complaining about the 1992 deal in 1996,...) it doesn't really offer any insight that you haven't read before in similar articles months and years earlier.

.

But that's just my opinion.

A lazy article by someone who's not close to the issue.
Thanks for pointing out the errors.

NouveauDance said:

Strive said:

I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it

I think you're overthinking it.

Strive said:

NouveauDance said:

Just fluff. Prince himself said he expected his unreleased material to be released posthumously so there's no 'ethics' involved.

I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it [Edited 10/24/19 9:12am]

Nah, Prince's latter-day homophobia isn't something that needs to be honored or upheld. It can be argued that Prince's transgressive lyrics were more about shock value than any kind of genuine solidarity with the LGBTQ community, sure, but there's nothing wrong with using his work to shine a light on marginalized people who have taken something positive from it. Enough with this 'modern agenda' bullshit, as if basic acceptance and celebration of other humans is something insidious.

The music speaks for itself.

Looks like the author has corrected some of the most atrocious errors (though they don't mention this elsewhere, something a good journalist would do), but there are still plenty of errors in there.

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[Edited 10/25/19 8:36am]

Yeah, I started reading that article the other day but couldn't get through it. Too many basic factual errors--not worth the slog.

NouveauDance said:

Just fluff. Prince himself said he expected his unreleased material to be released posthumously so there's no 'ethics' involved.

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Simply the ethics of money!

Strive said:

I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it [Edited 10/24/19 9:12am]

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What matters more about any particular song is Prince's mindset at the moment of its creation, not what he thought about it 20 years later.

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TheBoneRanger said:

Strive said:

I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it [Edited 10/24/19 9:12am]

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What matters more about any particular song is Prince's mindset at the moment of its creation, not what he thought about it 20 years later.

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And not what the current 'generation' at WB/Estate/etc thinks about certain songs.

If he was so opposed ti it being released he could have destroyed it all. The writer is a hack.

Who cares. Release it.

Strive said:

NouveauDance said:

Just fluff. Prince himself said he expected his unreleased material to be released posthumously so there's no 'ethics' involved.

I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it [Edited 10/24/19 9:12am]

What was weird about it?

leecaldon said:

Strive said:

NouveauDance said: I think there should be some ethics about transforming Prince's image into something he rejected in the last 20+ years of his life. With the release of Make Up and Vagina, there was weird moments of Michael Howe trying to push how progressive and LGBT oriented they were. Or the weird placement of We March at the end of the post WB best of. tl;dr - free the music, don't assign modern agendas to it [Edited 10/24/19 9:12am]

What was weird about it?

Can't speak for the NoveauDance, but it's weird because it's not a fitting "closing song." It one of the weakest tracks on the Gold Experience. The song is not one of his "newer classics" or even a live staple/signature song. It's (maybe) an anthem...but less anthemic than a dozen of other songs that he released in the 2nd half of his career. It's like if "The Hits" would have closed out with "Vicki Waiting." Now that I think about it, the entire sequencing of The anthology is screwed up.

skywalker said:

leecaldon said:

What was weird about it?

Can't speak for the NoveauDance, but it's weird because it's not a fitting "closing song." It one of the weakest tracks on the Gold Experience. The song is not one of his "newer classics" or even a live staple/signature song. It's (maybe) an anthem...but less anthemic than a dozen of other songs that he released in the 2nd half of his career. It's like if "The Hits" would have closed out with "Vicki Waiting." Now that I think about it, the entire sequencing of The anthology is screwed up.

Ok, I agree totally that it's a poor choice. And probably the weakest track on TGE imo.

But yes, the anthology sequencing is just plain poor in parts. Opening with Emancipation may make thematic sense, but is just such a weak start to the collection.

Honestly I am 2 minds of it. My personal music taste does not care for 'unfinished' tracks. In other words, listening, I can't get around what's missing (a mumbled vocal in lieu of finished lyrics, etc.)

what has been released so far I am okay

but Prince has also stated 'they are in the vault because they are not finished'

the acoustic 'I feel for You' has been my fav release so far.

A thought about longer tracks with more sexually explicit in your ear type of thing:

Think about it. Are parents (purchase power people) going to want to have their kids listen to that? Do we want to pass on freaky and explain it?

I remember in 80's MN tracts that were played in clubs or radio (exception Erotic City) were the shortened dance portions.

We had to get the albums and go out of our way to find that stuff.

Just watched this very good video of Terry Lewisbeing interviewed after Prince passed.

Notice he mentions having talked to Prince about the vault, and Prince giving Jimmy the OKAY

https://www.youtube.com/w...iozb_8DanQ

EDIT I wrote Jimmy Jam instead of Terry. All this good purple goin to my head. Sorry. 😁

[Edited 11/3/19 9:14am]