The announcement about the tour was great. The announcement about Musicology was a disaster. He has the public's attention right now and he does the same stuff that ruined his career before by not having a plan with respect to the album. How many tours is this guy going to do without having an album out to promote sales? In fact, when is the last time that he did a tour in conjunction with the public release of an album? Musicology will be released "later in the year". We all know that means late summer or fall, perhaps even winter.

Uh, don't think so. Everything looks like it will in fact be very late March or more likely April.
But I think he'll have to settle a deal with a major (I don't believe this multiple majors release thing will work) soon, or the release date will really be "later in the year".

calldapplwondery83 said:

How can he release it in March or April? He doesn't even have a deal yet for the album. And is current plan of allowing all labels to release it is just going to delay the project even more. Best case scenario is that he strikes a deal within the next week or two, which will be mid-March. It wouldn't come out until May at the earliest and that is ambitious, especially if he is wanting it to get adequate promotion. In order to promote it properly, he has to release a single, get some airplay, release a video build up interest in the album which can take a month or two. It ain't happening.

donnyenglish said:

I so agree with you.

The details surrounding the new album (label, release date, promotional plans) should have been firmly in place before the press conference and the album on the street by the first shows. Downloading and bootlegging will cannibalize sales once Prince starts giving away copies on the tour next month and it's not available in stores. Of course, I've never understood the logic of marrying a new album to a greatest hits tour anyway.

I hope this isn't another one of those projects that starts great then jumps the tracks halfway through. I love both "Musicology" and "Reflection," I'd hate to see such great material whither on the vine.

Peace, David

If he's really going to stick to his multiple-majors-idea it will take more time, you're right (though I don't think it will work at all).
But I'm still hoping for a release date in April. Maybe it's just hoping.

The supposed dls from the Club could hang me over for a while, I guess.

You can be sure he will play some new songs on the tour. And a mostly Greatest Hits Tour will leave more people happy, unfortunately. You know, some people left the 1995 shows early because they were missing hits.
Then maybe when the Musicology video gets some rotation...

calldapplwondery83 said:

It's disappointing because there's been a number of posts on here the last few weeks from fans (myself included) who were excited about the prospect of having an "old skool" record buying experience with this new album — actually leaving the house and going to a record store, buying the album and you haven't already heard every song as an mp3 beforehand, anxiously popping it into your home stereo a bit later and immersing yourself in the music and packaging for the rest of the day...

Is this really too much to ask?

Peace, David

Well, here he goes again. There was so much positive press (for a change) after the Grammy appearance and performance, creating an atmosphere just ripe for Prince to drop a new album and mainstream it. Once again, he's found a way to fuck it completely up.

I agree with the earlier post that the deal with the record label should haave ALREADY been completed before the damn news conference, and that the new album should be out along with the tour. Prince needs a manager, and badly. Don't let anybody fuck with the music, but definitely get somebody to handle these sorts of things. He obviously doesn't have a clue. Musical genius, yes. Marketing genius, no.

Let's just wait to see if he signs with a major label soon.

It's not all that bad.

livewire said:

I know what you mean. But you also know that you don't have to listen to dls beforehand, right? I mean, they're not gonna delete your membership or anything because you're a bad fam.

No matter what this guy tries to do, you people are never happy. Give it a break.

Susann209 said:

EXACTLY it amazes me that you even call yourself fans of his work the way you guys tear him up in here, really, just sit back and chill

nakedpianoplayer said:

What makes this funny is that I've been called an "asskisser" on this board on more than one occasion.

That fact notwithstanding, I Prince and always will. That doesn't mean he isn't making a business mistake, though.

Peace, David

donnyenglish said:

No record company is going to manufacture/distribute/promote "Musicology" without getting their Corporate Logo (TM) stamped on each and every disc and package. That's going to take time to unfold-same with any print and radio campagains Prince is probably expecting.

That's NOT going to happen in a MONTH... so I agree-"Musicology" will probably not hit stores until late spring/early summer.