So, Prince thinks that he is groundbreaking in doing things such as shunning contracts, starting his own record labels, being his own Manager and doing his own promotion and distribution. huh????

Well, over the past couple of weeks I have been reconnecting with one of my fave bands of the 60s/70s/80s, The Moody Blues, and even way back then in the late 60s/early 70s, this band were true Visionaries!!!!

They became their own Managers

They started their own Record Label and Corporation, Threshold Records

They even shunned the CONtract CONcept and never signed any formal contracts

They refused to be dictated to by any record label or Corporation

They did their own promotion

The thing is, how come that this independance has worked for them and hasnt really worked for Prince??? Right now The Moody Blues are on a huge worldwide tour and they are still killing it everywhere and packing out arenas and are STILL hugely successful and garnering new younger fans even today!! Not bad for 40 odd years in the business,huh!!!

And also, this band doesnt treat their fans like shit in the way Prince does!!!

Maybe Prince could learn a thing or 2 from them!!!!

...never heard of that band before.It must not have paid off too much.

Havent u heard of one of the greatest classics of all time, Nights In White Satin?????

But then I am 31 years older than U!!!!!

I had to cosign on the "who?"

and then I was like "the point?"

Prince is Prince...he is looking out for himself, expressing himself and his personality. YTF does he need to "justify" himself? Either like his music, or don't. That's really all he owes you.

Im kind of young, but I know about the Moody Blues and that their longevity should truly be acknowledged.But I never heard Prince say he groundbreaking or the first to do anything of the sort.Didn't Herb Albert start A&M records back in 68 or something?.I wasnt born yet but i read about it.My point is, you didnt have to knock down Prince to build up the Moody Blues.

I've been thinking about this recently and Prince's online distrubution of songs and albums, while filled with many faults (the fact that much of it is out of print and you had to join a frigging expensive club to get it), was definately groundbreaking for an artist that had much major label success. I want those NPGMC albums... (not asking anyone for them but I just wish he would have released them on CD for everyone).

I really like the Moody Blues ("In Your Wildest Dreams" is a beautiful song) but I don't think they are in competition with Prince considering what he did and continues to do is kind of a mix of everything.

ok 1 Prince is not the lord and savior of music
2. Prince is the worst businessman
3.the cat needs a serious reality check on how to run a successful business
4. Ray Charles was doing it before the Moody Blues


Ray started TRC ( The Tangerine Record Corporation) and had his 1st 24 track studio built and designed by Mr. Tom Dowd of Atlantic records and Stax. Ray also had owned his masters from his tenure from Atlantic to ABC/Paramount. So yeah Ray did it 1st

Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, the Isley Brothers, the Beatles, Curtis Mayfield, etc.

IAintTheOne said:

Ray did it better than the rest too. His label's building the only one to get a historic landmark.

IAintTheOne said:

Come on with it!!!

Timmy84 said:

Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra

TD3 said:

Yeah them too.

Timmy84 said:

that's right Frank owned Reprise Records and Jimi did a little nod to frank during "Wild thing" he played "strangers in the night" i'm guessing it was a thank you.

So prince was just the biggest baby and loudest about it ehh? Sounds about right...

I guess all Prince really was was naive. From what everyone's posting, he could have had his masters, could have done things his way...he just didn't know music history like he should have.

sosgemini said:

He was never shown the right way to do things. He never had people show him being the stubborn Gemini that he is he wanted to do things his way and not ask for help. In this business you should never ever be too proud to ask for help. Yes he could've had his masters but he was blind with fame and and all about making records and recording not knowing that he could've owned everything he committed to tape.

SavonOsco said:

Pretty much.

Desire2006 said:

Wait, we're still talking about Prince right? Like, that skinny muthacuffer with the high voice?

This is not a competition thing and when did Prince ever start calling himself the first one to do any of those things? I certainly haven't heard him say that before. Prince is Prince and The Moody Blues or whoever else is who they are too. It sounds like someone's trying to dig for something that isn't there.
[Edited 8/24/09 8:42am]

dance4me3121 said:

Are you f*cking kidding me?? You might want to turn off top 40 radio station and tune in to some real music.

The Moody Blues are a great band. I've seen them twice in concert and they still put on a great show. Good for them.

Are you on crack?

I never heard P say he was the first to break away from the record labels.
In addtion, he seems to be doing a good job being independent he was able to Loutus Flower into a major retailer and sold 300,000 copies if he keeps half of the 12.00 sales prices he has made a cool 2million.

As well as these 500.00 euro shows.

In addtion he did not do to bad for himself in 2004 grossing over 100million.

If you reall knew what you are talking about you would use Sam Cooke as in example of an artist who owned his own publishing and record label in the early 60s a little sooner than the Moody Blues.

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Desire2006 said:

IAintTheOne said:

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Maybe he believed his manager would negotiate a good deal for him. You guys knock him now because he has no manager and your knocking him when he had one.

IAintTheOne said:

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You always no how to come with negativity.(LOL)

No one thinks P is the lord and savior of music. Just not as stupid as a lot of the rappers(LOL) In addtion, I am sure dude did not get into the music business thinking he would have to do totally for himself oneday he kind of got thrown into this situation so I think he is doing the best he can do with the industry being in the state it is in right now.

This should be interesting.

BTW I agree with the OP.

I don't think Prince ever claimed to be the first, he only suggested that more artists should be more involved in their own business affairs.

He's certainly not the first to feel he got screwed by contracts & men in suits.

Desire2006 said:

Moody Blues is in no way rocking houses in the creative ways Prince does, nor in any way influenced music a pop tastes the way he has. I saw them in concert a few years ago, so I know!

moody blues isn't that a contradiction?

anyway, never heard of them but good for them that they did all of what you said they did. so what Prince wasn't the first...he won't be the last either.

laurarichardson said:

Not negative just truthful. what's next am i gonna be called a racist too?

When did Prince make that claim?

IAintTheOne said:

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No your not a racist. You just don't know what your talking about. P never said he was the first person to do his own thing and he appears to be making money on his own and in economic terms that makes him successful.

I think some fans think every project P does is not successful because they don't care for it when it really has nothing to do with your likes or dislikes

How would u possibly know what Prince thinks he is?