Amidst the
plentiful movie watching which I discussed in Mondays’ post (helpful link here
for all the new readers: http://creamybrandenblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/she-performed-surgery-on-me-at-bookstore.html ) my Sunday evening was pleasantly interrupted by the announcement that Prince
is releasing 2 albums on September 30: Plectrumelectrum
and Art Official Age. The
news immediately enabled me to walk on walls and like a hamster on a wheel I
ran circles from the floor to the ceiling and back again in my excitement and frothy
anticipation. It’s been 4 long years since Prince’s last album, the
appropriately titled 20ten, and fans
know 4 years is an eternity when it comes to Prince’s music as he has rarely
let a year pass without releasing something. Instead the past four
years has been filled with doubt, speculation, heartache and dry heaves from
wondering if and when The Artist was going to make his next big move
News trickled
in earlier this year with word that he and Warner Brothers had reconciled their
differences and he would once again be on their record label after nearly two
decades of being essentially a free agent. While no one in the fan
community knew what this meant for new albums we were all plotzed to hear that Purple Rain was going to be remastered
and reissued. My mind raced at hearing this initial news as the
press release did not specify what, if any bonuses would be included on the
remaster. Perhaps even more important, the press release left it
horrifyingly vague as to whether his entire Warners back catalogue would
receive the same treatment [Incidentally I once served as co-anchor on a
popular political debate and news program and I recall one night while
recording live when my co-host pronounced the word “vague” as “vag” (rhyming
with “bag”). He was quick on his feet
upon realizing his error and added that it was a French word, hence the
pronunciation. I have always admired his
quickness]. And so it was that many a
night since I have fallen asleep dreaming about hearing things like “Lady Cab
Driver” and “Adore” in beautiful remastered sound or finally having a
non-bootlegged copy of a song like “Moonbeam Levels” (I would die in an instant if that happened). In regards to
the remaster issue I only have my dreams for now but from all indications these
new albums are very real.
From what I’ve
gathered and based on the track listing and credits (as well as the detailed
press release) it seems Art Official Age
is the one man band style Prince album and with more of a funk/R n’B/electronic
type sound while Plectrumelectrum is
meant to have a live feel with rock instrumentation, analog recording and
writing credits shared with his current band 3rdEyeGirl which consists of Donna
Grantis on guitar, Ida Nielsen on bass and Hanna Ford on drums.
Since I am a vinyl nut the analog thing is especially ear percolating and I
hope these are both released on wax stateside that I may drop the needle down
and party like its 1492. I’m not entirely sure what to expect from Art Official Age but I did have a chance
to see Prince with 3rdEyeGirl at the wonderful Shobox venue in Seattle when
they toured last year and that concert is easily tied as the best I’ve ever attended. Trust
me when I say there is nothing quite like being in the very front row at a
Prince show and singing the opening lines to “Sign O’ The Times” while The
Purple One himself is mere feet from you doing the same thing (albeit in much
better voice and style). This is one of the tightest and most
talented bands he’s ever had with him and their musical combustion is fiery rock
and the dirtiest of funk this side of Funkadelic. Prince is one of
the best guitarists around – possibly my all-time fave – and any chance to hear
Ida’s bass playing must be taken advantage of as she is one of the greats
Regarding the
aforementioned remaster(s?) this year also marked the 30th anniversary
of Purple Rain (hard to believe it’s
been that long! I remember picking it up on vinyl during the summer
of 84’ and then buying the cassette for my car, man those were great
days!) I’m very curious as to the particulars of his new contract with
Warners but am pleased to see the promotion already kicking off on TV and
internet for the new projects. But are
these new albums also serving as publicity for some type of Purple Rain deluxe thing? Would
that type of promotion even work? I have no idea! I’ve
never had much of a mind for publicity or marketing or business so I don’t know
if that would work or if it would be oversaturation or if one simply can never
tell until the pre-orders are in, the digital copies uploaded to iTunes and the
sales figures start tallying up.
Though to that
end it is interesting to note that the cover for Art Official Age has the Purple
Rain platinum records in the background which is an odd choice but aside
from the aesthetic could it also be a key to understanding the plan for the
remaster? There are 4 of these platinum records on the cover. Does
that mean the Purple Rain remaster
will be a 4 disc set? The album, b-sides, outtakes, protégé tracks
(The Time, Apollonia) and a live recording? I can certainly
dream! Or is he still even interested in remasters? And those glasses?! Surely it is no coincidence how strongly they
resemble the glasses from the “When Doves Cry” seven-inch single cover (aside
from the third lens). Remasters can mean
nice money for record companies so I imagine it would be part of his contract
for a series of these. My Warner Brother’s rep has failed to respond
to my queries but I will keep trying. While the subject has been brought
up about the artwork for the albums I must say I love them both. Plectrumelectrum
is stylish and classy but the cover for Art
Official Age is gloriously gaudy and perhaps recalling some funk records of
old? I won’t comment on any possibly
illuminati connections.
Of course the only thing that will
ultimately matter is the music itself (and tours!!!) and for that I am leaving
my mind and heart open. I personally
love when he releases these multidisc projects and I have lots of new music to
absorb. I can say that 2009’s Lotusflow3r (a 3 disc set!) started
strong for me but has since dropped off quite a bit while 2010’s 20ten is something I’m still listening
to and quite enjoying so these albums could go either way. But isn’t that the beauty of it all?! A new Prince era is here and as an entitled
fan I have waited long enough! It’s time
to rejoice!
I need to fix
my life up.
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