As President of Prince's Paisley Park Records / PRN Productions, Alan Leeds was trying to bridge a relationship between the mercurial artist, and a major record company and corporation.

In the final part of the interview he discusses the many challenges he faced, but also his favourite tour, and 2-3 special memories of the iconic artists he worked with, including James Brown, Prince and D'Angelo.

Here's a quote from the final episode.

"I remember a conversation I had with Prince...somebody had taken some Jimi Hendrix tracks that were unfinished and had brought in some good, credible musicians into the studio, to add tracks to finish these songs, and they put an album out.

And you knew that the original Hendrix tracks were from back in the day, and the drum / keyboard / rhythm guitar / bass parts were all added on years later by people who never knew Hendrix. We were agreeing that this was a pretty sh*tty thing to do, the producer ought to be shot! And Prince was like 'that'll never happen to my catalogue!'

And I was like, 'Do you have a Will?' And to be fair part of his management - incluing me - had talked to him begging him to get his Will in order, when I was still there. He had a superstition about it, as if somehow working out a Will would hasten your demise."

T

https://how-can-u-just-leave-me-standing.simplecast.com/episodes/alan-leeds-interview-with-sam-bleazard-part-3

What I am always disappointed by is when the interviewer does not ask people like Alan what they think of the vault releases thus far. I mean, the PR Deluxe, SOTT SDE and 1999 SDE are all during his time. Was he blown away, or what?

JoeyCococo said:

What I am always disappointed by is when the interviewer does not ask people like Alan what they think of the vault releases thus far. I mean, the PR Deluxe, SOTT SDE and 1999 SDE are all during his time. Was he blown away, or what?

Hey JoeyCococo, I can't remember if it was Eps1 or 2 but Alan said he felt passionately that all of the recordings based around The Family project should get a release from The Estate. He felt that would be justified and it would be great for anyone who loves that period to lobby for that.

I think you can also take it as read that given how much of a self confessed fan he was of Prince prior to the 1999 tour, that he will have loved that set (SDE).

He intimates in the final episode that he was concerned by what the reaction to The Black Album might have been, and the commercial struggles around Lovesexy.

Also interesting to hear him be brutally frank and honest about the nature of the fact that regardless of the genius of the artist e.g. Prince / D'Angelo, he was always conscious that their music was a product, and one that had to appeal to the market to generate sales.

T

It runs in the family; the Leeds brothers both have good memories and a clear insight in all things Prince from when they worked with him.

Can't wait for that book.

I love listening to Alan.

His stories are acurate, true, and honest.

He is right in how he talks about Ingrid Chavez, Mavis Staples, George Clinton records, and how they were released in that perculiar changing timeframe.

Also how Prince dealth with these artists and releases.

Warner Brother's attitutde and thought about how Prince treated these records... I fully agree on ALan's story and opinion.