They can still release D & P deluxe.

I don't think there's going to be the same nostalgia over those 90's records in the US, but maybe overseas it would be huge. I can't picture a younger generations discovering those records in the same way as the 80's material with all the synthesizers or people really feeling like they need a cleaner copy of Cream. I think 7 is one of his greats, but if they released it the same year as a Parade deluxe, Parade is going to be a lot more compelling to the kids. They just need to put the material out either way. I don't care how the Estate manages their finances or how many opportunities they miss to cash in on people. They're already walking a fine line with what they have approved.

I agree they should take adventage of the NPG being (mostly) alive and well.

lavendardrummachine said:

dm3857 said:

keeping the “image” and “the hits” relevant and alive is the only thing that should be important as far as the general public goes… all of the unreleased material / demos and new material is only going to appeal to already established fans.

Expanding the audience for future generations is what any Estate is going to do, but I agree that's going to be primarily using the hits. I disagree that newer fans aren't going to take an interest in unreleased Parade, or Dirty Mind material if it's interesting, or good songs got shelved. 90's era has good outtakes too, but the sounds alone aren't going to cut it, they need to be good songs.

lavendardrummachine said:

misiu said:

lavendardrummachine said:

Expanding the audience for future generations is what any Estate is going to do, but I agree that's going to be primarily using the hits. I disagree that newer fans aren't going to take an interest in unreleased Parade, or Dirty Mind material if it's interesting, or good songs got shelved. 90's era has good outtakes too, but the sounds alone aren't going to cut it, they need to be good songs.

Btw. Been listening to parade the other day.. what a crap album. 5 great songs the rest is meh…im with prince on this one … not enough good songs. Not really surprised it boomed Cant image this generation checking this up [Edited 1/22/22 7:31am]

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Parade is widely regarded as one of Prince's most complex, elegant and audacious albums, and every time we had a poll here about P's best albums, it inevitably ended-up in the Top 5 with PR, SOTT, 1999 and DM, usually at #3. It's also probably his 80's album that aged the least, thanks to its timeless production values. And it didn't bomb at all: with 4M+ units sold at the time, it was on a similar level as ATWIAD, SOTT and back then (and honestly, if selling 4M copies is a failure, it's the kind of failure that would allow anyone here to retire for the rest of their life, so gimme one like that any day). And according to global sales and streaming figures from 2018, it was P's 4th best selling/streaming album after PR, 1999 and D&P.

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You don't have to like it (who doesn't think some masterpieces are boring to death? I certainly do), but just because you don't like it doesn't mean you should assume it's not good music and/or that it's not popular. It is, and it is.

.

As for Prince's comments about the album, I honestly have no clue where that was coming from, particularly since the basis for his reasoning was that the album was recorded and compiled too quickly, when we know it wasn't a faster process than any of his other records at the time. I think he was just BSing, or maybe it was his whim of the day, but he revisited 9 of 12 songs on stage thoughout his career (i.e. after the Parade Tour ended), so I guess he didn't despise the material that much after all

This fixation with anniversaries is becoming ridiculous. It's just a number. It's not like there's a rule which dictates you now have to wait ten years to release a D&P SDE.

Having said that, I really wish they would focus on the first decade and SDE the hell out of that period which contains so much more vault gold than the nineties and beyond. When that's exhausted, they can continue with the following decades.

databank said:

garneren said:

This fixation with anniversaries is becoming ridiculous. It's just a number. It's not like there's a rule which dictates you now have to wait ten years to release a D&P SDE.

Having said that, I really wish they would focus on the first decade and SDE the hell out of that period which contains so much more vault gold than the nineties and beyond. When that's exhausted, they can continue with the following decades.

I'm looking forward to the 1st Anniversary of the Welcome 2 America release, when they decide to rerelease it as a Blu-ray only edition. Not only that, for an extremely reasonable price. Moreover, you'll be able to buy it from your local record store or own country's Amazon. Wow. Just imagine that. I mean, it sounds so perfect. Am I dreaming?

misiu said:

databank said:

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Parade is widely regarded as one of Prince's most complex, elegant and audacious albums, and every time we had a poll here about P's best albums, it inevitably ended-up in the Top 5 with PR, SOTT, 1999 and DM, usually at #3. It's also probably his 80's album that aged the least, thanks to its timeless production values. And it didn't bomb at all: with 4M+ units sold at the time, it was on a similar level as ATWIAD, SOTT and back then (and honestly, if selling 4M copies is a failure, it's the kind of failure that would allow anyone here to retire for the rest of their life, so gimme one like that any day). And according to global sales and streaming figures from 2018, it was P's 4th best selling/streaming album after PR, 1999 and D&P.

.

You don't have to like it (who doesn't think some masterpieces are boring to death? I certainly do), but just because you don't like it doesn't mean you should assume it's not good music and/or that it's not popular. It is, and it is.

.

As for Prince's comments about the album, I honestly have no clue where that was coming from, particularly since the basis for his reasoning was that the album was recorded and compiled too quickly, when we know it wasn't a faster process than any of his other records at the time. I think he was just BSing, or maybe it was his whim of the day, but he revisited 9 of 12 songs on stage thoughout his career (i.e. after the Parade Tour ended), so I guess he didn't despise the material that much after all

Well, the only song that really saved this album from being a disaster is kiss and maybe helped selling it. And Kiss was not even produced by him. No other single could do anything on the charts. The album sold 1,6 million copies in us at the time (1,9 europe -book days of wild - per n.) Yes it sounds different - but that doesnt mean equally good . Lot of trashy fillers ( i wonder u, ctp, under the cherry moon…i still cant imagine young people checking this songs…and raving about them) But i gotta say, lot of respect for prince. U go to have big balls, to release such an album.

Young people with a curious mind and a taste for sophisticated music will like it (or, at least, respect it) just as much as we did 35 years ago.

Young people who don't understand anything but Top 40 hits won't, and neither did their ancestors 35 years ago.

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And what you call "fillers", I call daring compositions and essential songs in the context of the album and its narrative.

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Besides, charts and sales say NOTHING about the quality of a work of art. Sales are mostly the result of efficient marketing, not the music being marketed. I mentionned sales because you said it bombed and, clearly, this isn't a term one can use for a record that sold several millions copies (3,6 at the time according to your figures, but they do not include Japan, Oceania and the rest of the world, and even if that was it, 3,6M remains a very respectable figure).

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And indeed, it took HUGE balls for a popular artist to release such an album in the context of 1986. It was a tremendous artistic risk, at odds with the sounds that were popular at the time. And it paid off, because even if sales weren't as impressive as WB would have liked, the album cemented Prince's reputation as an unpredictable, audacious and sophisticated artist. When he played in France in 1986, it was by far the concert of the year in Paris, with every French gatekeeper and tastemaker wanting to attend. This wasn't because Prince was in the charts, this was because he was considered the most brilliant musician of his generation, and Parade had helped tremendously in that regard.

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Now don't misunderstand me, you are perfectly entitled to dislike this record. As I said, I myself am rather bored by some albums that are considered landmarks, but I'm not going on social media saying Bob Dylan's or Led Zeppelin's most respected records are shit. Leave Parade alone, it's a great record that honors Prince's legacy. Just say "I don't like it" and leave it at that: don't try and demean it by explaining why it's bad: it's not.

databank said:

misiu said:

databank said:

Young people with a curious mind and a taste for sophisticated music will like it (or, at least, respect it) just as much as we did 35 years ago.

Young people who don't understand anything but Top 40 hits won't, and neither did their ancestors 35 years ago.

.

And what you call "fillers", I call daring compositions and essential songs in the context of the album and its narrative.

.

Besides, charts and sales say NOTHING about the quality of a work of art. Sales are mostly the result of efficient marketing, not the music being marketed. I mentionned sales because you said it bombed and, clearly, this isn't a term one can use for a record that sold several millions copies (3,6 at the time according to your figures, but they do not include Japan, Oceania and the rest of the world, and even if that was it, 3,6M remains a very respectable figure).

.

And indeed, it took HUGE balls for a popular artist to release such an album in the context of 1986. It was a tremendous artistic risk, at odds with the sounds that were popular at the time. And it paid off, because even if sales weren't as impressive as WB would have liked, the album cemented Prince's reputation as an unpredictable, audacious and sophisticated artist. When he played in France in 1986, it was by far the concert of the year in Paris, with every French gatekeeper and tastemaker wanting to attend. This wasn't because Prince was in the charts, this was because he was considered the most brilliant musician of his generation, and Parade had helped tremendously in that regard.

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Now don't misunderstand me, you are perfectly entitled to dislike this record. As I said, I myself am rather bored by some albums that are considered landmarks, but I'm not going on social media saying Bob Dylan's or Led Zeppelin's most respected records are shit. Leave Parade alone, it's a great record that honors Prince's legacy. Just say "I don't like it" and leave it at that: don't try and demean it by explaining why it's bad: it's not.

Yes i dont like it, but never said it was shit.

My bad, then. It was my impression but you know what you meant, so we're fine.

It maybe be respected on prince boards and by (paid) critics, but the general audience dont give a … u know.

The general audience doesn't give a shit about 99% of the music I listen to, so I don't see why I (or anyone in their right mind) should care about that

I will still buy it , when they release it remastered . But i doubt it will do anything for me, like the 1999 remaster couldnt change my mind.

If you don't like neither 1999 nor Parade, you're a very unusual Prince fan

With prince its more quantity that quality.

This is very debatable

databank said:

misiu said:

Yes i dont like it, but never said it was shit. It maybe be respected on prince boards and by (paid) critics, but the general audience dont give a … u know. I will still buy it , when they release it remastered . But i doubt it will do anything for me, like the 1999 remaster couldnt change my mind. With prince its more quantity that quality.

I assumed you were being sarcastic with your comments regarding Parade...but if you were serious--you wrote: "Btw. Been listening to parade the other day.. what a crap album. 5 great songs the rest is meh…im with prince on this one … not enough good songs. Not really surprised it boomed"

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So you didn't say it was shit...you said it was crap. Can you provide the difference between "crap" and "shit" (and perhaps "doo-doo" and "poop" in case they make it into a post)?

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And "5 great songs" and still be a "crap" (but not "shit") album? (You did end the statement saying you weren't suprised it "boomed"--I'm not nitpicking here if that was just a typo...but I'm still trying to figure out if you're being serious--so I can make an informed decision regarding paying attention to anything you opine upon in the future.)

stephaniebrown said:

misiu said:

stephaniebrown said:

I assumed you were being sarcastic with your comments regarding Parade...but if you were serious--you wrote: "Btw. Been listening to parade the other day.. what a crap album. 5 great songs the rest is meh…im with prince on this one … not enough good songs. Not really surprised it boomed"

.

So you didn't say it was shit...you said it was crap. Can you provide the difference between "crap" and "shit" (and perhaps "doo-doo" and "poop" in case they make it into a post)?

.

And "5 great songs" and still be a "crap" (but not "shit") album? (You did end the statement saying you weren't suprised it "boomed"--I'm not nitpicking here if that was just a typo...but I'm still trying to figure out if you're being serious--so I can make an informed decision regarding paying attention to anything you opine upon in the future.)

For a so called classic, out of 12 songs just five great , thats weak, Disappointing. Overhyped record…. But if you like it that’s okay… [Edited 1/23/22 10:29am]

I'm wondering which songs from Parade you don't think are classics?

The only two I can think of are I Wonder U and Do U Lie? (although I love Do U Lie.).

misiu said:

For a so called classic, out of 12 songs just five great , thats weak, Disappointing. Overhyped record…. But if you like it that’s okay… [Edited 1/23/22 10:29am]

I think we all try to give people space for their idiosyncratic Prince preferences, but that criteria isn't real. You like "Kiss" which is one of his most commercial pop hits, and that's okay, that's your taste, but it's also his more experimental and timeless record in a positive way, so the point of a deluxe would be to reframe it not as a soundtrack but to really help people appreciate how solid it is, maybe more than we give it credit. Of all his records, a Parade deluxe stands to do the most to get redefined.

"Mountains" and "Girls & Boys" hasn't aged a day, those are classics that take zero learning curve to appreciate. Producers are still trying to catch up at how pop and inventive they are, and they were full of Prince signatures. "Anotherlover", "New Position", and "Sometimes it snows" are considered Prince classics, and live staples that fit with every release he did after, so that's half the album. Really though, Mountains, G & B, and Kiss alone are enough. Younger folks know Kiss but the other 2 singles will benefit from re-release.

"I wonder u" is so short, but it's charming, there's no reason to dislike it it other than it's short, and maybe we get a long version with the Vault material. "Life can be so nice" is one I think a new generation might appreciate more than we did, but again, it's non threatening, and could have been on Controversy, 1999, ATWIAD, or SOTT, and I think a reissue is going to really elevate how we think of this one.

"Under the Cherry", "Christopher Tracy", "Venus de Milo", "Do u lie", the real soundtrack songs, those aren't the strongest group, and easy to ignore but that's just 4 songs. You can group them with the other Parisian influenced tracks and it flows better. The sequencing made this one more challenging then it is. You might really develop a newfound appreciation and grow to love it.