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Purple Reign: The magnificence of Prince in the 80s

Started by Nowhere Man, September 23, 2020, 05:33:10 PM

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SweetPomPoms

Easing into the box with the NYE show. Never noticed the crowd in the bootleg of the second half but there are maybe 100 people in the crowd? I know Minneapolis is cold but it's a full blown stadium gig on his own soundstage for the sake of a party.
It's incredible, obviously..

303

Got my copy of the box today,it's beautifully done.
I'm currently listening to the remastered album and it sounds amazing, I'll be listening to the vault discs and concerts tomorrow.

Reissue of the year without a doubt.

non capisco

Yeah, this box set is the absolute tits. I'm wallowing in it. Might post something more articulate later but for the moment as a huge Prince fan I'm as happy as a purple pig in swill. Thank fuck for music.

thugler

The official podcast is worth a look for everyone enjoying this, has all the main players on it chatting about the recordings and a new episode every Thursday for a while

El Unicornio, mang

I've never listened to a Prince studio album before so thought I'd start things off with this new Sign O' the Times remaster, per recommendations here.

I have a friend from Minnesota who very much takes the Prince worship seriously, she's got the Saint Prince candles in her apartment and everything


thugler

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on September 26, 2020, 11:56:58 AM
I've never listened to a Prince studio album before so thought I'd start things off with this new Sign O' the Times remaster, per recommendations here.

I have a friend from Minnesota who very much takes the Prince worship seriously, she's got the Saint Prince candles in her apartment and everything



I can't imagine what that's like, i found it a bit intimidating at first definitely. But I'd heard the hits/bsides set so i had a vague idea. It took me a while to properly get into the sound, but once i did I became pretty obsessed. Sott is probably the best introduction i would think.

kalowski

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on September 26, 2020, 11:56:58 AM
I've never listened to a Prince studio album before so thought I'd start things off with this new Sign O' the Times remaster, per recommendations here.
Wow. Just imagine the treats you have to come. I'm taking it carefully with the new remaster, so I've only played Disc one and most of 2. Boy it sounds better than ever. There is not a bad track of SOTT. Even my least favourite track (It) was just brilliant.
I lover work from throughout his career. One of the greatest ever and still can't believe he's dead.

Egyptian Feast

I have the box on my lap at the moment and the way the light is catching whatever that invisible gluey stuff is makes it look like the title is spelt out in streaks of fresh jism. Nice touch.

Is the remaster of the original 2x set sonically noticeably superior?

kalowski

Just remembered Simple Minds covered Sign O' The Times.
Bring death.

Egyptian Feast

Quote from: Better Midlands on September 26, 2020, 03:24:27 PM
Is the remaster of the original 2x set sonically noticeably superior?

It does sound much better than the old CD (and my old vinyl copy, but that had seen better days by the time we met). I've been finding songs that were never among my favourites on the album (mainly on the first disc) are really popping out of the speakers at me. It's definitely an improvement. I could never have the old version on my iPod for long as it sounded so quiet compared to everything else (especially later Prince).

'Adore' has always given me the shivers. Sexy shivers. That bit in the second verse from where he sings "They know we need each other, they know you are my fix" feels like he's running his tongue down my spine and even more so now.  It's such a perfect closer and definitely my favourite of his sexy ballads (followed by 'International Lover'). Seems like quite a late addition to the album, as the coffee table says he  originally had one of the vault tracks pencilled in as the closer.

magval

Managed to pick up a cheap 1987 copy of Sign O the Times yesterday at a local CD/Record fair (as well as too many BOLT THROWER LPs) and will have to make do with it while youse all enjoy your brand new Fancy Dan ultra editions. I'll let you know how I get on though. Feels overdue, this.

DrGreggles


thugler

Quote from: Better Midlands on September 26, 2020, 03:24:27 PM
Is the remaster of the original 2x set sonically noticeably superior?

I've not heard the vinyl, but judging the other recent reissues it's a bit of a double edged sword. The new ones will definitely have less dynamic range, as they're obsessed with making everything as loud as possible so there'll be less difference in volume between quiet and loud bits. This also has the effect of making some of the subtler parts a bit more audible now. In terms of the job they've done on cleaning up the sound in general I think it sounds a lot clearer and more detailed now. Always found it a bit thin sounding, lots of prince records are a bit like that actually. I slightly prefer the remastered purple rain, and 1999 they did a fantastic job of it, this sounds similarly great to me. Some people say the original vinyl mixes were better but I've mostly not heard them.

Pingers

Quote from: Better Midlands on September 24, 2020, 08:04:31 AM
Has to be Sign 'O' the Times, maybe Parade as an alternate for a shorter walk.

I listened to Parade last night for the first time in years (thanks to this thread). What a great album. Mountains! Fucking hell!

Famous Mortimer

Paul Westerberg tells a story about recording at Paisley Park; he had to leave to deal with the death of a friend. When he got back, Prince had filled the studio with balloons. He loved the guy.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-westerberg-remembers-prince-i-cant-think-of-anyone-better-191244/

Dr Rock

Quote from: magval on September 24, 2020, 07:34:56 AM
Can someone recommend me a great Prince album to listen to all of on a big long walk? What's the best one for an attentive music listener and fan of detail and arrangement and wank like that but who DOESN'T listen to Prince?

The ULTIMATE Around The World In A Day

Around the World in a Day
Paisley Park (extended version)   
Condition Of The Heart
Raspberry Beret   
Tamborine   
Hello (full version)
America (14.11 minute version)   
She's Always In My Hair (full version)   
Girl (full version)
Pop Life (extended re-edit)
The Ladder
Temptation


Quote from: Dr Rock on September 28, 2020, 09:56:08 AM
The ULTIMATE Around The World In A Day

Around the World in a Day
Paisley Park (extended version)   
Condition Of The Heart
Raspberry Beret   
Tamborine   
Hello (full version)
America (14.11 minute version)   
She's Always In My Hair (full version)   
Girl (full version)
Pop Life (extended re-edit)
The Ladder
Temptation

That's a fantastic album too, the 14.11m version of America is one of my favourite Prince things ever.

Quote from: Pingers on September 27, 2020, 11:13:32 PM
I listened to Parade last night for the first time in years (thanks to this thread). What a great album. Mountains! Fucking hell!

The extended 9.35m version of Mountains is a belter.

kalowski

Oh, how lovely is that Guide Vocal version of Forever In My Life?

SavageHedgehog

This Beeb article about 30 years of Sign narked me off with its intro, about Under a Cherry Moon sweeping the Razzies. Like he gave a toss what a bunch of failed gossip tabloid writers said.

DrGreggles


thugler

Quote from: SavageHedgehog on September 28, 2020, 06:47:21 PM
This Beeb article about 30 years of Sign narked me off with its intro, about Under a Cherry Moon sweeping the Razzies. Like he gave a toss what a bunch of failed gossip tabloid writers said.

It's not even that bad really. It's just a silly fun piece of fluff, the music is great and there are a few funny/ridiculous moments. I've actually never seen the Graffiti Bridge film.

SpiderChrist

Remastered vinyl arrived today - first album is labelled Side 2 on both sides, which is a good start.

magval

So when yousins are listening to Sign O The Times, and coming onto the Internet to recommend it to me as this great album, youse have just chosen to ignore the fucking chipmunked vocals on If I Was Your Girlfriend aye?

Like, if Fred Durst is a clown for doing it (he is), so's Prince, right?

First disc was class throughout, mind.

I'm half joking to be honest, I don't want to come into a thread for Prince fans and anonymously slag off Prince, that's stupid. That's abuse of the Internet. But how do you, as fans, feel about the pitched-up vocals on that track? It really made me wince when I listened to it there.

phantom_power

He is playing a feminine character, Camille. Pitched up vocals have been used by loads of good people though. Bowie did it quite a bit as well

magval

It doesn't make him sound female, but. It's very clearly still Prince, but obscured by a weird trick. It's a swizz.

kalowski

Quote from: magval on October 10, 2020, 08:18:00 AM
It doesn't make him sound female, but. It's very clearly still Prince, but obscured by a weird trick. It's a swizz.
No, it's brilliant. I assume you missed the same effect on Housequake and Strange Relationship.
He planned an album...

magval

Quote from: kalowski on October 10, 2020, 09:24:03 AM
No, it's brilliant. I assume you missed the same effect on Housequake and Strange Relationship.
He planned an album...


No, I didn't miss it elsewhere but that's the song I was listening to when I had a strong conscious reaction to it. I'm not a Prince fan so my only other exposure to that technique is when it's used in cartoons. It's hard to shake that association.

Did he do this on other albums?

Sebastian Cobb

Sheila E was great wasn't she? I only really found out about her recently while watching Krush Groove and thinking 'she sounds a lot like Prince'.

SpiderChrist

Quote from: magval on October 10, 2020, 08:03:46 AM
So when yousins are listening to Sign O The Times, and coming onto the Internet to recommend it to me as this great album, youse have just chosen to ignore the fucking chipmunked vocals on If I Was Your Girlfriend aye?

Alongside The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, that's my favourite tune on the album.