MADHOUSE

Madhouse is the creation of Prince, teaming up with reed man Eric Leeds.
This collaboration resulted in two albums, "8" and "16", both filled with instrumental jazz-funk, Prince-style.

Madhouse released two albums, both in 1987 and on the Paisley Park record label.
The albums are rather difficult to find and both have been counterfeited including the Madhouse singles as bonus material.

Both albums had been on my want list for quite a while, so when I recently came across the counterfeits, I did not hesitate.

 

• Madhouse: 8
      (????, cd, --, paisley park n108)
      = “8” + two bonus tracks

• Madhouse: 16
      (????, cd, --, paisley park n116)
      = “16” + 4 bonus tracks

Here's a the official video for 'Ten' :

NEW PRINCE ALBUM ANNOUNCED

"Timeless" is a brand-new 10 track compilation featuring rare and unreleased studio recordings from Prince's legendary vault.

PRINCE - WITH THIS TEAR

Prince's NPG Records Release Previously Unreleased Vault Single “With This Tear”.

'With This Tear' is a previously unreleased studio recording from Prince’s legendary vault. Recorded in November 1991 at Paisley Park, the track has been newly mixed and mastered by GRAMMY-nominated engineer/producer Chris James, a longtime Prince collaborator (HITnRUN Phase Two, Art Official Age, Plectrumelectrum) and features Prince producing, arranging, composing, and performing all instrumentation. Shortly after its creation, Prince offered the song to Céline Dion, who recorded her own version in 1992. This track is the beginning of a number of unreleased Prince recordings scheduled for release this year, as part of a never before released Prince album project.

PRINCE SINGLE(S) INCLUDED WITH GERMAN ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

From Funkatopia on Facebook: 

Rolling Stone magazine in Germany has two exclusive Prince singles as the covermount this month. The February issue of Rolling Stone comes with the single “Fallinlove2nite” / “Hardrock Lover.” and then they did a second world-exclusive single featuring “Baltimore” / “Stare.”

You can get them here:

https://www.musik-magazine.de/prince-2026-bundle/

-- info: Funkatopia (on Facebook), and Harald Häring

PRINCE'S "HITNRUN" ALBUMS TO BE RELEASED ON VINYL

To celebrate their 10th anniversary,  Prince's "HITnRUN Phase One & Two" will be released on vinyl for the first time.

PRINCE - CHAMELEON 1-10

• Prince: Chameleon 1-10
      (2025, 10 cd bootleg box, --, playtime records)

The "Chameleon" series is a set of Prince bootleg albums that exist on vinyl and on CD.
I'm quite happy with this recent re-release that collects all 10 volumes in one box set.

Demos, outtakes, remixes, you name it...
A pretty amazing collection.
If you're into Prince, try to find this set !
Nice artwork as well.

I've only listened to the first disc so far.
Must have listened to it eight times already  :-)

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If you're looking for rare Prince material / downloads, visit the Guitars101 forum.

PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY

• Prince And The Revolution: Around The World In A Day
      (2025, 2cd, --, npg records)

Originally released in 1985.
Monumental.

This 'deluxe re-release' presents the remastered album, an extended version (21 minutes) of 'America', and several remixes.
I went for the 2 CD set but there are a lot of options, even a picture disc.

PRINCE - VAULT SERIES VOL. 1

• Prince: Vault Series Vol. 1
      (2024, cd3" ep bootleg, --, eye records)

I received this little CD as a gift a little while ago.
It's a bootleg 3" CD EP, presenting 4 tracks.

1. Adore (Unreleased Version)
2. 7 (E Flat Version)
3. Life O The Party (Unreleased Version)
4. All A Share Together Now

Track 3 is a so-called Camille version.
Vocals were run at a higher speed to give a higher pitch.
Apparently, Prince had prepared an entire album called "Camille".

Here's another track from the Camille period:

PRINCE - "AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY" DELUXE EDITION

Prince's seventh studio album, and the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution, Around The World In A Day, was released on April 22, 1985. Featuring no fewer than four singles, Around The World In A Day saw Prince and the Revolution change musical direction yet again, experimenting with psychedelic textures, incorporating new instrumentation, and expanding the genres of songs within the album.

With audio newly remastered by original mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, with additional mastering by Chris James, the Around The World In A Day Deluxe Edition includes the original album plus an entire bonus disc of extra material. The B-Sides & Bonus Tracks disc includes the extended versions of the A & B sides including the remix of Paisley Park, the extended version of Girl and Hello (Fresh Dance Mix), the nearly 22-minute 12" version of America (which makes its debut on CD), and two versions of the 1985 song, 4 The Tears In Your Eyes.

A November 21, 2025 release.

2 CD and / or 3 LP 

EXPERIENCE PRINCE IN IMAX

For the first time ever, the iconic concert film Prince – Sign O’ The Times will be released exclusively in IMAX theatres globally for a limited time, beginning August 29, 2025. The critically acclaimed 1987 film, directed by Prince and featuring Prince with his talented band of musicians including Sheila E., has undergone IMAX’s proprietary Digital Media Remastering (DMR) process to deliver unprecedented image and sound quality, offering audiences an immersive experience of Prince’s legendary performance like never before.

Sign O’ The Times is widely celebrated for capturing the artist at his creative peak—blending electrifying concert footage with cinematic storytelling, powerful visuals, and genre-defying sound. Now, enhanced with IMAX’s precision surround sound audio, customized theatre geometry, and crystal-clear images, Prince’s virtuoso performance is set to mesmerize fans old and new in the most epic format available. Prince – Sign O’ The Times features some of Prince’s most iconic tracks, including “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” the anthemic title track “Sign O’ The Times,” and “U Got The Look,” Prince’s smash hit duet with Sheena Easton. The film showcases Prince’s unparalleled musicianship, stagecraft, and style, highlighting his timeless impact on music and popular culture.
Tickets can be purchased at www.imax.com/prince.

MORE PRINCE COUNTERFEITS

All of the below Prince albums were only made available as digital downloads.
Fortunately, for those who like their albums as physical items, they have been released on CD, and some even on LP. Not by the Prince Estate, but by bootleggers.
Illegal? Yes, I guess so. But also filling a void.

• The NPG Orchestra: Kamasutra
      (1997, download, --, npg records)
      (????, cd counterfeit, --, npg records npg k1)

• Prince: Xpectation
      (2003, download, --, npg records)
      (????, cd counterfeit, --, npg records npgmc13)

• Prince: C-Note
      (2003, download, --, npg records)
      (????, cd counterfeit, --, npg records npgmc14)

• Prince: The Chocolate Invasion
      (2004, download, --, npg records)
      (????, cd counterfeit, --, npg records npgmc18)

• Prince: The Slaughterhouse
      (2004, download, --, npg records)
      (????, cd counterfeit, --, npg records npgmc19)

As I said, all these albums are available as official downloads.

In the case that you would like to have them on CD, they're out there somewhere. Happy hunting.

PRINCE COUNTERFEITS

t's no real surprise that the albums that got released by Prince as download-only some twenty years ago, have been surfacing on both LP and CD.
Counterfeits, sure, but sounding great, looking superb, and definitely deserving some space in the physical discography (while the downloads float around somewhere on my hard drive).

• Prince & The New Power Generation: C-Note
      (2004, download, --, npg records)
      (20??, cd counterfeit, --, npg records)

The above picture shows the fe-issue (counterfeit) with different artwork.
5 tracks, and said to be recorded during soundchecks.
Funky & superb.

THE NEW POWER GENERATION

Earlier today, someone told me that the recent weather conditions asked for Prince's 'Hot Summer'.
An excellent suggestion, but I went for some recent acquirements instead:

• The NPG: Get Wild (The Single)
      (1995, cd5", Europe, npg records)

• New Power Generation: Newpower Soul
      (1998, cd, Europe, npg records)

Actually a Prince album. Pop and ballads. Not his best album IMHO, but still fun to listen to.

Oh well...
Here's 'Hot Summer':

THE NEW POWER GENERATION - GOLD NIGGA

• The New Power Generation: Gold Nigga
       (1993, cd, USA, new power generation)
  

Originally released in 1993 and pretty hard to find: The New Power Generation's first album.
A collaboration between Prince and his backing band.
(Fortunately) for those who want to get hold of an actual CD, it got counterfeited earlier this year (on the L4OA label).

PRINCE, AND MORE

Checking out the Prince discography the other day, I noticed some releases that I wasn't aware of.
Time for some catching up.

• Various Artists: 1-800 New Funk
      (1994, cd, USA, npg records)

Most of the songs written and arranged by Prince.
Feat. George Clinton, Prince, the N.P.G., Madhouse…
Great stuff.

• The New Power Generation: Exodus
      (1995, cd, USA, npg records)

NPG was Prince's backing band for quite a number of years.
The "Exodus" album was NPG's second album. It has Prince's signature all over it.
Pure funk.

• The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince): Rave Un2 The Year 2000
      (2000, dvd, --, eagle vision)

A 1999 Paisley Park concert that got released on DVD in 2000 to support the release of "Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic".
It's all over YouTube, but it's great to see and hear it perfect quality.
Party time with Larry Graham, Lenny Kravitz, Maceo Parker,...

SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL

Aliocha T.'s solo guitar version of Prince's 'Sometimes It Snows In April'

PRINCE - WELCOME TO AMERICA

From 2010.
Prince, with Tal Wilkenfeld on bass.
'Welcome to America'

 

PRINCE - THE BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE

• prince: the beautiful experience
      (1994, cdep, europe, npg records)

The day started with Prince's "The Beautiful Experience" 7-track CD EP.
7 remixes of 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World'.
7 pieces that sound quite different, and perfect.

 

PRINCE'S "PURPLE RAIN" REISSUED ON PURPLE SPLATTER VINYL

It's been a trend since a couple of years: colored vinyl editions and re-issues.
And not only for the big selling artists.

That being said, Prince's "Purple Rain" is get repressed on purple splatter vinyl.

PRINCE FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

Prince Feat. Kendrick Lamar - What´s My Name
2014

-- info: Harald Häring