New Prince: 4Ever (2016) & Purple Rain Deluxe (2017)

After the Crystal Ball pre-order fiasco, my incredibly low expectations for Prince releases were set: as long as I actually receive the product I've paid for, I'll consider myself satisfied. I'm keeping my expectations low as usual for this one.

 

A recording time line of inclusions and notable un-inclusions.

1983 XXX XX: 17 Days
- Unreleased extended version known to exist.

1983 May 24: Possessed
- Re-recorded into the leaked version on 17 March 1984

1983 Apr 19: Velvet Kitty Cat
- Intended for The Time’s Ice Cream Castles

1983 Early XX: Wonderful Ass
- Snippet of this version has leaked.
- Updated by Wendy & Lisa in 1986

1983 Aug XX: Darling Nikki
- Longer version leaked

1983 Aug 03: I Would Die 4 U
- Longer version leaked.

1983 Aug 03: Baby I’m A Star
- Longer version leaked.
- Demo recorded in 81/ 82 leaked

1983 Aug 15: Computer Blue
- Recorded live 3 August 1983
- Recorded at St Louis Park August 1983 has leaked

1983 Sep 15: Irresistible Bitch (NOT INCLUDED)
- B-Side to Let’s Pretend We’re Married
- Longer version known to exist

1983 Sep XX: The Beautiful Ones
- Longer version leaked.

1983 Sep XX: Purple Rain
- Recorded Live on 3 Aug 1983
- Longer version leaked.

1983 Sep XX: Electric Intercourse
- Recorded live in Aug

1983 Oct XX: Let’s Go Crazy
- Recorded live 3 August 1983

1983 Oct 24: Wednesday (NOT INCLUDED)
- Version recorded with Jill Jones later.
- Placed on early configuration of Purple Rain

1983 Oct 29: Father’s Song
- Described as having very heavy synths.

1983 Nov XX: Katrina’s Paper Dolls (worked on as early as October)
- 4 Version of this song are known to exist.

1983 Dec 31: We Can ****
- Later rerecorded into We Can Funk on Graffiti Bridge.
- Snippet of this version has leaked.

1984 Jan 27: Take Me With U
- Longer version has leaked.

1984 Feb 7: God (Love Theme From Purple Rain)

1984 Feb 18: Another Lonely Christmas

1984 Feb 27: Love & Sex
- Snippet leaked.

1984 Feb 27: Traffic Jam (NOT INCLUDED)
- 2 versions leaked, one incomplete.

1984 Mar 01: When Doves Cry
- Version with bassline known to exist.

1984 Apr XX: Erotic City
- Originally recorded on 20 Dec 1983.
- Several alternate mixes are know to exist and have leaked.

1984 Jun 25: Purple Rain album is released.​

1984 Aug 17 : The Dance Electric
- Rerecorded and released by Andre Cymone in 1985

1984 Aug 24 : God

1984 Sep 29: Our Destiny/ Roadhouse Garden
- Recorded live on 7 June 1984

1986 Jul XX: All Day All Night (NOT INCLUDED)
- Recorded live on 7 June 1984

 

Nice list BlueGangsta. one more track got leaked that you didn't point out: Velvet Kitty Kat got leaked in 2016

 

and could you maybe add G-Spot to your list?

 

This really isn't happening again, is it!

 

Good point on both counts. G-Spot was considered for the movie, but then replaced with Darling Nikki.

If only I could edit.

 

Shouldn't "She's Always In My Hair" also be on the list (since "Irresistible Bitch" is included, although both belong elsewhere by association)? Initial recording was made same days as "Erotic City", wasn't it (not sure if, and if so when, additional recording was made)?

 

The history of this one still confuses me. What we know that's "out there" is the instrumental version as heard in the movie. This is the '84 version correct? Then there's the slightly slower one with vocals that I'm thinking is the '83 version. There's also the recently leaked "Possessive" instrumental one that bares a slight resemblance to "Possessed" but may something else entirely. All versions should be released but I wonder which WB is going with here?

 

Can you really hear a gain in sound quality on Blu-ray in relation to the DVD? Is it that flagrant?

 

Audio aside, going back to DVD over Blu-Ray, its a lesser experience. The menu systems are all clunky, no menu overlays. There is so much presentation-wise you can do with a Blu-Ray than you can a DVD

 

Well that's an anecdotal detail really. Blu-ray's advantage would really be picture quality and that is only appreciable if the original film/video is apt for super high definition. There's no point in seeing the film grain or video imperfections more clearly.

 

I'm still waiting for some packaging specs and the sort... I keep hoping it's going to be nice and classy like the sets Warner have been putting out for Fleetwood Mac the past few years

 

With the proper audio equipment, yes, the difference is substantial. There are a couple of HD audio formats that Blu-ray supports (that DVD does not) that are lossless, and are able to deliver quality that is very close to the original master recordings. The audio heard on DVDs is quite compromised, by comparison.

 

I'm with you and BlueGangsta. I don't care about speculation. I just want to know what is going to be released, and in what configurations. Someone tag me when that finally comes up.

I do not care for concert footage. I just want the music.

 

Technically, a video DVD can have up to 24-bit 96 kHz lossless audio. At what point would a Blu-ray release of standard definition video with lossless audio become overkill?

 

....but DVD video rarely has 24-bit 96 kHz lossless audio, most times it's lossy, that's just a fact.

 

That's a very good point!

Okay from what I understand, there are quite a few.

1983 - Vocal version of leaked instrumental.
1983 - Leaked Instrumental as hear in movie.
1984 - Supposedly the version on this set.
And possibly another version that resembles the live one.

 

Yeah but really, what is the point of trying to get as close as possible to the original master recording? The music has sounded sensational for decades and decades without having to try and reproduce the same experience as the sound engineer. This ridiculous quest to hear the thing as RAW as possible is ludicrous and it detracts from the original production which was engineered for the living room or the flippin' radio. I've heard high resolution audio of The Everly Brothers, Presley, Led Zep and The Beatles and all it tends to do it strip away the original magic that was lovingly crafted.

 

This comment makes absolutely no sense.

 

I guess all I can say is if you ever get the chance to do an A/B comparison of a nice recording in a lossy vs. lossless format, your ears will hear quite a difference.

Not sure what you've heard before, or what you were listening to it on, but lossless audio gets you closer to the original source material, not further away.

 

Purple Jim is awesome, but yeah, little sense.

Now granted I have heard hi-rez albums where the mastering was botched, but RBCD mastering has been botched, as well. Then of course there are the upsamples of recordings that some companies have tried to pawn off as hi-rez, and there's also upsampled DSD, which might shape a person's experience.

Lastly, there are flat transfers that are a mixed bag, and yes, some suck the life from the music, while others fix poor mastering choices dating back to right after the album was recorded.

I'm reminded of a flat transfer of the Sgt. Peppers album that I have in my collection. Bright and hideous! When I put on the 24/48kHz of the 2009 remasters, or even the original master, it sounds great!

 

There are some sources stating that the official press release for PR Deluxe will be out in the next couple of days. Think of that what you will.

 

The 28th

 

Why do you want to get closer to the original source material? The music will sound different but not necessarily "better". It's like watching old movies in high resolution and they end up looking like video rushes. Too raw:

.
That is what I'm on about. Good transfer and mastering is the key. I suppose it's a lottery, just like buying vinyl.

Why thank you Sir!

Go fook y'self.

 

Haha! Awesome!