Album
The Black Album
1987 · Hip Hop, Jazz
17 collectors on Gatefold own this
The Black Album is a Soul & Funk album by Prince, originally released in 1987. On Gatefold: 145 pressings tracked, owned by 17 collectors.
About
The Black Album is the untitled sixteenth studio album by Prince that was released on November 22, 1994 due to a contract dispute. Just before the album was released to the market in 1987, Prince recalled all copies and abandoned the entire project, leaving roughly 100 European promotional copies in circulation, and several US copies that would be widely bootlegged in the coming years. Several reasons, including speculative ones, have been given as to why the release was derailed: Prince became convinced that the album was evil or represented an ominous portent. Prince experienced a crisis of conscience and marketing identity over the eroticism and violence of its lyrics. Warner Bros. Records, his record label, reached the same conclusion Further evidence that Prince felt the album was a mistake: In his first music video of his next album, "Alphabet St.", the video can be paused after it shows him holding a cane and the words "Don't buy The Black Album. I'm sorry" can be read running vertically. Immediately after the decision to pull the album from stores, it emerged on the streets in bootleg form, arguably becoming popular music's most legendary bootleg since The Beach Boys aborted 1967 album Smile. Several celebrities, including U2's frontmen the Edge and Bono, cited it as one of their favorite albums of 1988 (Rolling Stone magazine celebrity poll). The album was originally planned for release on December 7, 1987, as the follow-up to Sign o' the Times and was to appear in a entirely black sleeve with no title or even a credit to Prince; hence it was referred to as The Black Album. Dubbed The Funk Bible by preceding press releases, and in a hidden message within the album itself, the work seemed to be a reaction to criticism that Prince had become too pop-oriented. It was his attempt to regain his African-American audience. The 1987 promo-only release had no printed title, artist name, production credits or photography printed; a simple black sleeve accompanied the disc. On promotional copies, only a song listing and catalog number—25677—were printed on the disc itself. The commercial version was to only have the catalog number printed in the color pink on the spine. The original compact disc pressing was made by Sony DADC rather than WEA Manufacturing. The album was withdrawn a week before its release date, and was replaced with the album Lovesexy, a brighter pop-oriented album with elements of religious affirmation.
via Last.fm
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Sound DNA
- Soul & Funk
- Funk
- polished
- hedonistic
- club
The Black Album is the sixth studio album by American musician and songwriter Prince.
It was initially intended to be released as an untitled album (no artist credit, no title etc.) on 8 December 1987, but was canceled on Prince's request just one week prior to release.
The entire 1987 production was subject of a worldwide recall. However, copies already circulating were used for numerous bootleg releases between 1988 and 1993. A second wave of bootlegs (most of them clear, or other colored vinyl) surfaced after Prince passed away in 2016.
Known as "The Black Album," it was finally given a limited-time release, which was only available from late November 1994 until 31 January 1995, with a 'The legendary Black Album' hype sticker.
Some of the bootlegs may have additional tracks which are not part of the original album.
How to spot an Unofficial vinyl record:
• The most prominent flaw is the black color '33' [RPM] within the orange triangle on the labels. The original is white.
• The runouts are hand-etched. On original German pressings the matrix is machine stamped and may have some minor etchings.
• Track B4 is misspelled: 'Rockard' [sic: read Rockhard] in a Funky Palce'. This error carries over to almost all bootlegs.
• The legal text in the labels rim-text reads 'OUTISIDE' instead of 'Outside'.
• The publisher credit is incorrectly capitalized: 'G.B. Only' instead of 'G.B. only'.
Remarks:
Only one track, 'When 2 R In Love,' was subsequently released on the Lovesexy album and appears on the B-Side of Scandalous!.
German studio musicians created cover versions of the entire album (see The Black Album).
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Atlanta BlissTRUMPET
- Boni BoyerKEYBOARDS
- Cat GloverVOCALS
- Eric LeedsSAXOPHONE
- Levi Seacer Jr.BASS
- Matt FinkKEYBOARDS
- Mico WeaverGUITAR
- Sheila E.DRUMS
- Unknown Artist
17 collectors on Gatefold own this · 145 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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