Kares said:

JorisE73 said:

Prince hinted at it on teh NPGMC chat that suits made him shelf the set for the moment, my interpretation was WB.
Someone on here mentioned Puff Daddy claiming to have the 'Prince sample collection' and they probably thought he meant the 7 CD set or something.

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It's possible that "the suits" simply talked him out of it, convincing him that it wasn't a good idea. Anyway, I don't know.

Even if the samples came from the multitracks, not the masters, WB could possibly have had a point in court. I remember Morris Hayes said in a podcast that, besides thinking it was a bad idea to let everyone use his own trademark sounds, he warned Prince WB might have legal ground to object.

It's funny, for example, when the Estate released The Dance Electric, then Love Thy Will Be Done, I wondered if Sony could have objected that they owned the backing tracks and reclaimed a licence for "samples" since the songs were first released by them. But apparently either they didn't bother, or the fact that the tracks came from a different, pre-existing master than the ones used by Sony (which contained later overdubs) made it impossible for them to object. The Estate doesn't seem to have any issue releasing songs given to others with the same backing tracks, so I guess their legal team cleared this anyway. (not to mention that LTWBD contains an unlicenced Cocteau Twins sample that belongs to 4AD, anyway )

databank said:

It's funny, for example, when the Estate released The Dance Electric, then Love Thy Will Be Done, I wondered if Sony could have objected that they owned the backing tracks and reclaimed a licence for "samples" since the songs were first released by them. But apparently either they didn't bother, or the fact that the tracks came from a different, pre-existing master than the ones used by Sony (which contained later overdubs) made it impossible for them to object. The Estate doesn't seem to have any issue releasing songs given to others with the same backing tracks, so I guess their legal team cleared this anyway. (not to mention that LTWBD contains an unlicenced Cocteau Twins sample that belongs to 4AD, anyway )

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I doubt Sony gives a fuck about Dance Electric. That track probably made them peanuts and simply bothering for a second about it would cost them more money than they'd ever make. If they even know that's one of "their" tracks. If you read stories about minor artists managing their record company payments etc. then you'll see that's a shitshow. I recently saw a case where IIRC an artist gained control of their masters because the record company simply couldn't provide paperwork to prove they were the owners, because it was one of those cases where there had been so many takeovers and mergers etc. that such documentation had gone lost.

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LTWBD probably made them some nice pocket change, but I doubt that track has made them much in the past decade or two. Considering that Cherry Red licensed that album from them for a 2CD edition, it doesn't seem they're that bothered about it. If anything getting the Prince version out there could mean the Martika version got some extra streams.

databank said:

Kares said:

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That's what I always took it to be. He just played/recorded a medley, not separate, full songs that were later cut up and edited together.
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I mean there could be a couple of bits of original recordings in there, like the opening Batdance – that's definitely from the original album. But the rest (as much as I remember) sounds the same, it has the same snare and other instrumentation, and most importantly, it has some transitional parts that are not part of the original songs.

It never crossed my mind that he could have recorded all the Purple Medley songs in their entirety, it clearly sounds like something he recorded in a take, instrument after instrument as he used to, bar a few samples from the original songs.

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As for the question about sampling and rerecording, the point of rerecording is precisely to own the masters, it has nothing to do with sampling which demands a licence (which didn't stop Prince from occasionally sampling some WB era songs on post-WB recordings, but he knew they just wouldn't bother going to court about it, and they didn't).

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Regarding his project to rerecord everything, the only solid information we have about him rerecording anything is obviously 1999, which he released, and HM Buff mentioning an attempt at a drum'n'bass version of Let's Pretend We're Married IIRC. Outside of those two, I'm not aware of any evidence he rerecorded anything else and if he did, it probably wasn't much.

Now you've said it, it makes sense. Given his claims that he could play whatever he thought.

But as an (at best) amateur/beginner when it comes to making music. It never occured to me that he could make a (not) megamix, without having the full songs to "mix"... if that makes sense.

The idea that in his head, he throught of the songs, where one would become another, and how he'd only need to play this and that excerpt in order to achieve the desired result, is some 3D chess type musicianship.

Ndorphinmachina said:

databank said:

It never crossed my mind that he could have recorded all the Purple Medley songs in their entirety, it clearly sounds like something he recorded in a take, instrument after instrument as he used to, bar a few samples from the original songs.

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As for the question about sampling and rerecording, the point of rerecording is precisely to own the masters, it has nothing to do with sampling which demands a licence (which didn't stop Prince from occasionally sampling some WB era songs on post-WB recordings, but he knew they just wouldn't bother going to court about it, and they didn't).

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Regarding his project to rerecord everything, the only solid information we have about him rerecording anything is obviously 1999, which he released, and HM Buff mentioning an attempt at a drum'n'bass version of Let's Pretend We're Married IIRC. Outside of those two, I'm not aware of any evidence he rerecorded anything else and if he did, it probably wasn't much.

Now you've said it, it makes sense. Given his claims that he could play whatever he thought.

But as an (at best) amateur/beginner when it comes to making music. It never occured to me that he could make a (not) megamix, without having the full songs to "mix"... if that makes sense.

The idea that in his head, he throught of the songs, where one would become another, and how he'd only need to play this and that excerpt in order to achieve the desired result, is some 3D chess type musicianship.

Yeah--that's a Prince super-power.

databank said:

Regarding his project to rerecord everything, the only solid information we have about him rerecording anything is obviously 1999, which he released, and HM Buff mentioning an attempt at a drum'n'bass version of Let's Pretend We're Married IIRC.

Outside of those two, I'm not aware of any evidence he rerecorded anything else and if he did, it probably wasn't much.

Well, there's the Muppets Show.

But thank God he didn't push the project further, I still cringe at the "Starfish and Coffee" massacre.

BonnieC said:

databank said:

Regarding his project to rerecord everything, the only solid information we have about him rerecording anything is obviously 1999, which he released, and HM Buff mentioning an attempt at a drum'n'bass version of Let's Pretend We're Married IIRC.

Outside of those two, I'm not aware of any evidence he rerecorded anything else and if he did, it probably wasn't much.

Well, there's the Muppets Show.

But thank God he didn't push the project further, I still cringe at the "Starfish and Coffee" massacre.

That version was a lweftover from his abandoned Happy Tears book/CD accordoing to some, so aimed at kids. I don't like the version but I understand him wanting to update it and make it more sing songy for kids.

JorisE73 said:

BonnieC said:

Well, there's the Muppets Show.

But thank God he didn't push the project further, I still cringe at the "Starfish and Coffee" massacre.

That version was a lweftover from his abandoned Happy Tears book/CD accordoing to some, so aimed at kids. I don't like the version but I understand him wanting to update it and make it more sing songy for kids.

Ah OK then.
It makes much more sense this way, and sadly brings me back to the Amiir tragedy.

What do you guys think about that medley on the 1999 SDE?

There was also a pretty cool one he did for Versace that had ATWIAD and Black Sweat in it.

BonnieC said:

JorisE73 said:

That version was a lweftover from his abandoned Happy Tears book/CD accordoing to some, so aimed at kids. I don't like the version but I understand him wanting to update it and make it more sing songy for kids.

Ah OK then.
It makes much more sense this way, and sadly brings me back to the Amiir tragedy.

I was a fan of the new Starfish & Coffee - it had elements that had been developed in live shows after the original recording. I'm glad it exists.

nayroo2002 said:

What do you guys think about that medley on the 1999 SDE?

There was also a pretty cool one he did for Versace that had ATWIAD and Black Sweat in it.

That tour sampler thing? I thougth it was great and energetic, not like his tired medleys during his later tours.

Germanegro said:

Another great example of this type of recording by Prince is the CD Single of "Damn U" from the album.

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There, he presents the tune "2 Whom It May Concern" which is basically a promo for the album that overlays samples of each album song over an original rhythm track and instrumental licks with unique lyrical content.

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It's actually one of my favorite Prince cuts!

absolutely true. nearly forgot about that one...

Kares said:

JorisE73 said:

Those are on the the Metropolis bootleg that has Hayes's/Barbarella's samples from there synths.
Teh 7 CD set was said to be sold only to some artists in the Industry after Prince canceled it because WB wouldn't allow it or they couldn't get a agreement.
Puff Daddy and Dr.Dre were rumpored to have paid Prince for the set but no idea if this is true because it seems they have ever used anything from those sets in there releases.

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I don't believe that rumour. Why would P.D. or Dre pay a (presumably) shitload of money for 7 CDs worth of Prince samples that most likely they'd never use? If they ever wanted to use a P-sample they could just get clearance for the bit they want - but I don't think they would want to use something iconic and instantly recognisable such as the scream from Gett Off, for example.
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Anyway, Warners has no say in one of their artists selling samples, it's a publishing deal.

Because when you're rich, you sometimes buy something exclusively, just to have it, and don't necessarily use it. Why not?!

leecaldon said:

Kares said:

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You're not seriously trying to compare Prince's catalog (either in volume or variety) to Swift's, are you?

It's a proof of concept. I believe 6 of her 12 albums will be re-recorded. Prince will have had around 12-14, I think.

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The rumour was that the 'Best of 0-|->" CD that was advertised as part of NPGMC Year 2 would have contained re-recorded hits from his career.

"Rumour"... but did it happen?

I doubt seriously.

Vannormal said:

leecaldon said:

It's a proof of concept. I believe 6 of her 12 albums will be re-recorded. Prince will have had around 12-14, I think.

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The rumour was that the 'Best of 0-|->" CD that was advertised as part of NPGMC Year 2 would have contained re-recorded hits from his career.

"Rumour"... but did it happen?

I doubt seriously.

If it was the intent, it's possible that it hadn't been recorded yet, but Prince could record and mix a project of that sort in the course of a couple of weeks, so I don't think it mattered to him whether it was already done when he announced it

JorisE73 said:

Vannormal said:

leecaldon said:

It's a proof of concept. I believe 6 of her 12 albums will be re-recorded. Prince will have had around 12-14, I think.

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The rumour was that the 'Best of 0-|->" CD that was advertised as part of NPGMC Year 2 would have contained re-recorded hits from his career.

"Rumour"... but did it happen?

I doubt seriously.

Teh rumours were that it was a compilation of re-recordings of 'Prince' tracks by and live versions. Days of Wild was one of the tracks supposedly pon it and it was a live version and not the studio version.

Germanegro said:

Another great example of this type of recording by Prince is the CD Single of "Damn U" from the album.

>

There, he presents the tune "2 Whom It May Concern" which is basically a promo for the album that overlays samples of each album song over an original rhythm track and instrumental licks with unique lyrical content.

>

It's actually one of my favorite Prince cuts!

"2 Whom It May Concern" is phenomenal.
On paper, it shouldn't be, but it truly is.

Vannormal said:

leecaldon said:

It's a proof of concept. I believe 6 of her 12 albums will be re-recorded. Prince will have had around 12-14, I think.

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The rumour was that the 'Best of 0-|->" CD that was advertised as part of NPGMC Year 2 would have contained re-recorded hits from his career.

"Rumour"... but did it happen?

I doubt seriously.

It would seem to be the most likely explanation for that title. When Warner released The Very Best of Prince against his wishes (was the Celebration tour cancelled in 2001 because he didn't want to promote it?), he talked about releasing a re-recorded set in competition with it. Not outlandish to suggest that was prepared, not released in 2001 and was then proposed as one of the NPGMC discs in 2002.

Vannormal said: