With Prince being one of the most highly bootlegged artists out there from WAAAAY back, one has to wonder, how the hell did all of these songs get out of the fault or even off the soundboard for that matter into somebody's greedy little hands? One would think that they are heavily protected, or at least are now. Who or what group of people, probably within Paisley Park itself, does it, how do they do it? Thats a question worth pondering for a minute at least.
Id love to hear your theories.

CDs and stuff used to get sneaked out of Paisley all the time but i think it's a lot harder now, they've tightened up security in the last few years and CDs don't just get keft lying around anymore. I believe quite a lot of former Paisley staff got kicked out for stealing.

Prince himself allows his unpublished demos to be published by getting paid for his "second-rate songs". In essence, I think Prince himself sells his songs to the bootleg companies and then tries to cover it up by acting all pissed off when they get released. Think about it. Why not get paid for songs that you otherwise wouldn't get paid for?? I don't think he personally sells them to a company like "Moonraker" for example, but I think what he'll do is have a friend of his sell them to the company and make his money that way. He finally decided to skip the middleman ("Moonraker") by starting his NPGMC web site, where now he gets paid directly for his second rate songs. I have no priveleged info on this, this is just my opinion.

Can't wait for Atlanta April 3 !!!!!

-phunk

Yeah, I had that idea that he was letting them get out for some reason or another. I was very suspicious on that take and now it holds more weight.

The first bootleg, "The Black Album" was released by Warner Brothers execs that didn't give a crap about the album after Prince pulled the plug. They created - 60 CDs. These CDs were given away to friends (probably all lived in L.A.) Some die-hard paid big bucks. Next thing you know, one of the original "TBAs" was worth $11,000 - it was reported in the Chicago Sun-Times in 1994 that a buyer paid this amount for the original. Four months later, WB releases the album and Prince is pissed.

I had a boot of TBA in March of 1988 on cassette. I received it from a girl who's then boyfriend was working with Miles Davies at Paisley during the 1987 sessions. His creations just laid around the studio - so employees took to impress their friends. In April of 1988, I received a tape from a friend in L.A. called "Camille." It had a lot of stuff not on the released version of Parade and Graffiti Bridge album on it (e.g., Little Wendy's Parade, We Can Funk, etc).

I think (theory) the money idea came from Prince himself. His greatest bootleg that's not a concert is "Music Box." Read the liner notes of MB and you will agree with me on the following statement. Only the creator of the songs him/herself would know when the song was written and who it was written for and what mood Prince was in. That creator and bootlegger would be none other than Prince Roger Nelson. It surely explains all those trips he made to Paris, France in the mid to late 80s. Isn't Moonraker and that other company that puts out the boots in France?

MrHappy a great question I have often wondered about myself after seeing some of the excellent quality of some of them that r floating around out here.

Several boots I saw, the quality was so excellent and the packaging was so well done, I couldn't believe it. I felt like I had been out of the mix of some great secret!

But now the word is out, yet they continue to still be made, but once again, itsa 'for those who know' affair! Or maybe I should say 'for those that know the somebody that can hook em up affair' lol.

Phunk, interesting theory, sounds possible, esp given his rep with WB for saying too much is too much, I could se him doing that just to get it out.

Its so funny today most kids can't produce, write or even make their own music to even keep up with the schedule the record companies give them so they gotta get other folks to help em.

To think they had a Prince in their midst and all they could be concerned with is "oversaturating the market"?!?

Only cuz it conflicts with their plan for making their money off of you in theri specified time given theri other artists and more. Its a mess.

Maybe Prince will be a example to WB and other companies that serious fans are so quick and into what a artist is doing , esp these days , they eat it up like crazy and r ready for the next! Whatsup?!?

Rock on man!
Peace!

There are certain people who used to work for Prince that have access to his recordings prior to their finished state or prior to their release. Some of these people copy and sell them all the time.

1crush said:

*exactly*. a couple of those losers even freqent the .Org.

i'm amazed at how these type of people can call themselves "fans". they justify it by saying they are "fans of the music" and not of "the man" they say the music should be "set free" and that Prince is holding out by not releasing music *THEY* feel should be released; so they take it upon themselves to get the music out.

in reality all they are are thieves and opportunists who took advantage of a situation where Prince had entrusted them.

Prince, non-music...? Why here I wonder.