I think Prince would be on a completely different path than he is on today if the original plan of releasing the triple lp of Crystal Ball and Black Album came true. I feel that we would have a darker,grittier Prince with alot more funk. TRC is good, but everything from the mid 90's is very repetitious. If it wasn't for that X pill(yellow smiley offers me X)Mayte, and Larry, we would possibly have a Prince with raunchy lyrics, pounding beats and great record sales. I think its time to resurrect Camille, pull Jamie Starr out the gutter, get Christopher Tracy la-aid, and bring back the dark Batman/Joker Gemini Evil Twins. They Can Funk!

hmmm....makes me think....

I don't think his career would be different at all. Not ONE bit. He only changed his "direction" because we all get aware of our actions the older we get. "just trying to get into heaven" blah blah blah

The Black album was HYPED as this dark, sinister album...but infact..it was nothing more than Prince at his funkiest!!! SHALL THE COURT SING TOGETHER!!??!

The one thing that changed Prince drastically was the death of his son. Just my opinion...but look at the events that occured around that time.

Our view of Prince might have been different but not the final outcome. My opinion is that Prince should have used the Black Album to help him make his point in LoveSexy. What do I mean you might ask? I mean release both those albums as one album. Front side Black backside White. I think that would have said o the whole world...eye know this is dark, but it brought me to a higher spiratual level.


Dan

NOPE

if that had happened, it would have begun what he has been going thru since '91. we would have gotten rainbow children in lets say '95. then in 2002 we would be getting a full blown gospel album!!!!

npgdan said:

I think that would've been a great idea.

Ive often thought about that. I think it would have given Prince the cult status he enjoys now much earlier. Around that time he was at an all time high in terms of popularity especially in Europe, i think the Black album would have sold bucket loads and with the follow up being crystal ball i think in retrospect Prince would have had a lot more artistic freedom, simply because Warners would have no choice because of his popularity and sales.

I often wonder about that 2. What if Prince hadn't released a certain album.

But usually, I wonder what would've happened if he had not released "BATMAN".

I mean, he planned 2 take some time off after Lovesexy until that film came up.

He was working on "Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic" at the time them folks from Tim Burton's team contacted Prince. [He even offered them RAVE for the Batman movie -or so I've read somewhere- but they didn't think it would fit the overall feel of the movie [what, and 'Vicky Waiting' did?]




But no doubt the whole involvement with BATMAN made him look in2 the script 4 his own movie again -which then turned in2 Grafitty Bridge.

So, without BATMAN, there may have never been a GB. Or at least not in the form in which it finally appeared.

And GB sort of introduced the New Power Generation -which was no doubt cooked up 4 the film -think Coco Boys, the Kid etc etc. I know, the NPG wasn't properly introduced as his band until the Diamonds&Pearls album, but they were 'conceived' with GB. [Much like the revolution entered with 1999, instead of with Purple Rain].

So without BATMAN & GB there might not have even been an NPG.

AAAAARGHHHH. My mind is starting 2 melt right now.

I had a chance to cop a bootleg of BLACK ALBUM. Any one know how the boots stand up to the WARNERS offical release?

joyinrepetition said:

Question: would higher record sales validate your view of Prince?

Question: is he supposed to always write "raunchy" lyrics as long as he's a working musician for the rest of his life?

The suggestiveness is still there, but Prince is growing out of certain things. His longtime fans should too.

Interesting question.

I don't believe the market was right for "The Black Album" at that time and Prince knew it. "Lovesexy" rates as 1 of my favourite albums whereas Black I rarely listen 2. Whilst it is a funky piece of work, the only 2 tracks that really do it 4 me r "Superfunkycalifragisexy" and "Bob George" (the latter being particularly dark, but also extremely good).

The rest of the album is good, but doesn't really rate in comparison to "Lovesexy".

As to how his career would have gone.....we'll never know.

I honestly think that he should have had some more singles from SOTT, and toured the states instead of releasing the movie. I always thought SOTT was never given much of a chance when it came out. That album had at least 2 more good singles (Strange Relationship, Play In The Sunshine,& Starfish and Coffee...take your pick)and if he toured the states, his star would have risen a bit. THEN, release The Black Album & Lovesexy as a double album. They both compliment each other. I remember when I got a boot of Black, I immediately made a tape with Black on one side and Lovesexy on the other. The two pieces as a whole made one slammin jam!

I think that stopping SOTT in it's tracks, NOT releasing the Black Album then releasing Lovesexy with a nude Prince on the cover, damaged his rep, commercially. Not like I ever cared, I still love his shit, but it might have helped him convert a few more fans if they heard some more of the great tracks that were on SOTT.

Xenophobiac said:

I ain't dissin' u but the NPG concept was actually introduced on Lovesexy "Welcome to the New Power Generation, the reason there's no..."

Pagey and Xenophobiac are both right:

I also always thought Black/Lovesexy would have made a killer double album OR take the best trax and have a black side and a white side - how cool (in fact I've burned a CD like this). A 'concept' album about how Prince went from Dark (spooky electric) to Light = cool!

I also agree that SOTT was not given adequate promotion in the USA - it should have been massive and needed a full scale tour - US fans really missed out.

I also think it was a pity that Batman ever happened. Had it not we would have got the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic album in 1989 which was, from what I have read, a "positivity" follow up to Lovesexy.

"What if" games are fun, but who knows really? It's still an interesting and sometimes frustrating ride being a Prince fan!

I'm glad that the 'Batman' soundtrack happened! By 1989,Prince was in desperate need of a "hit",and that album shut all the naysayers up (you know,the people who were insisting that "Prince is over!").I was glad to see him back at the top of the charts.Plus,the album is very good,imo.

Jaypatton, U're right. I didn't think off that at the moment I was typing that post. But U're right. He did come up with that as early as Lovesexy.

Pagey said:

This may be pretty accurate. Lots of the hardcore funkstas I know that dug the hell out of SOTT were totally tripped out by LOVESEXY's cover. Seems this is the time the ambiguity around Prince's sexuality hit 'em full on: Dudes were like deer frozen in the headlights. "I ain't into that gay shit". BLACK ALBUM not coming out got Prince labelled as being anti-rap, despite it's dark sounds having an influence on gangsta rap, in general.