HELLO ORG HEADS

WHAT CAN YOU GUYS TELL ME ABOUT "THE REBELS" PROJECT.
IS 12 TRACKS THE "OFFICIAL" COUNT FOR THE TRACKS ON THIS PROJECT?
IF IT'S NOT OKAY TO DISCUSS IT HERE, MAYBE SOMEONE CAN SEND ME AN ORG NOTE.
IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
IT SAYS IT'S FROM 1980.

first off, in all actuality the project took place in mid-1979 (july of that year, to be precise). there were 7 songs that were done:

you

hard to get

disco away

turn me on

if i love you tonight

thrill you or kill you

too long

...the rebels project was sorta like prince's first experimentation with the 'ghost band' concept that he would later take on in the '80s with the time, vanity/apollonia 6 and such. i think that about covers the basics of it...

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

What about Tick Tick Bang? The original demo sounded totally like a part of this project.

otan said:

That was from the Controversy sessions wasn't it?

I can tell you catagorically that Tick Tick Bang was NOT recorded during the Rebels sessions. Those sessions were done as a way to have the band gel together and the songs they recorded included ones written and performed by several of the band members.

There were more than 7 songs worked on during these sessions, but the songs listed were the ones that were finalized. There is more information about this in DOW, DMSR and in two articles in UPTOWN (one about The Rebels session alone, and one in the latest issue with the interview with Gayle Chapman).

Hope that helps.

Where does We can Work it out come from...I miss You, Donna, etc. They seem really old yet are cystal clear sounding. Are these from that project as well?

r1ghteousone said:

that it was.

superspaceboy said:

we can work it out = circa 1977, right after p signed with warner bros.

i miss you & donna = circa 1978-79

There were only 7 songs and 2 instrumentals recorded for the Rebels project.

Tracks written by Prince...
> YOU.
later re-recorded and released by Paula Abdul on her album Spellbound (as "U")
> HARD TO GET
> IF I LOVE YOU TONIGHT (lead vocals by Gayle Chapman)
later re-recorded and released by Mica Paris on her album Contribution (as "If I Love U 2nite")
and again by Mayte on her album Child Of The Sun (as "If Love U 2night")
> TURN ME ON

Tracks written by Dez Dickerson...
> DISCO AWAY
> TOO LONG
> UNTITLED INSTRUMENTAL #1

Tracks written by Andre Cymone...
> THRILL YOU OR KILL YOU
> UNTITLED INSTRUMENTAL #2

The tracks were recorded between July 10th-21st. 1979 at Mountain Ears Studios, Colorado.
The Rebels was very much a 'band' project and featured a much more 'rock' sound than
most of Prince's output to that point.

i forgot about those two instrumentals...i always skip 'em

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Yeah, I sequenced my own copy of 'The Rebels' way back, and used the instrumentals as an
'intro' and an 'outro' (most boots stick them in the middle of the tracklist), it seemed to make
more sense that way. Anyway, since the actual running order has never been made known,
I sequenced the tracks as follows (which seems to flow pretty well)...

1. Intro (1:08)
2. You (2:50)
3. Hard To Get (3:38)
4. Disco Away (4:30)
5. If I Love You Tonight (4:40)
6. Thrill You Or Kill You (6:07)
7. Too Long (4:11)
8. Turn Me On (2:03)
9. Outro (1:04)

BorisFishpaw said:

[you know better than to ask.--Dansa]

GeSmi1

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

"Tick, Tick, Bang, Bang", was recorded from the Controversy sessions.

GeSmi1

even if it was an album it wasnt that good. The tracks are mish mash rock and sounds very tired.

even though prince doesn't sing, did he play most (or all) of the instruments? or just guitar?

The whole project was very much recorded as a band, so Prince probably just played guitar
on most of the tracks (maybe some keybords too). He avoided singing lead on most of the
songs, instead getting Gayle Chapman to sing the tracks that he wrote. Andre sang lead on
his tracks, and Dez sang lead on his.

BorisFishpaw said:

interesting. thanks, boris.

The Rebels is part of the Studio Nights Set (6 cd’s) …
It’s a very good set of demo’s / outtakes, but I have to say that “The Rebels” album is the least interesting part of this set. The “Work In Progress” cd (Pre Warner Brothers Boom Box Demos) is the most interesting, the other 4 cd’s are mostly covered by “The Work Volume 1”.

I wouldn't find The Rebels so cool if it wasn't from that era and it wasn't such a clear recording.I like P's song and I like how Dez sounds like PaUL sTANLEY ON HIS CUT.