Paisley Park Records
Encyclopedia
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, associated with and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. It was started in 1985
1985 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...
, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain. The label shares its name with Prince's recording complex Paisley Park Studios and the song "Paisley Park
Paisley Park (song)
"Paisley Park" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first single in both the UK and Australia to be released from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The song has a psychedelic feel, similar to some of The Beatles' later work with echoed guitar and finger cymbals...
" on his 1985 Around the World in a Day
Around the World in a Day
Around the World in a Day is the seventh studio album by Prince and the second by The Revolution, released on April 22, 1985 on Warner Bros. In compliance with Prince's wishes, the record company released the album with minimal publicity, not even releasing an accompanying single until almost a...
album.
History
The studio was designed by architect firm BOTO Design Inc, of Santa Monica, California, and was completed in 1988. It contains a recording and stage complex, and covers 55000 sq ft (5,109.7 m²).Artists who recorded for Paisley Park include The Time
The Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, Sheila E.
Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
, The Family
The Family (band)
The Family is a band formed by Prince, and one of the first signed to his record label, Paisley Park Records. The band renamed themselves Fdeluxe in 2009.-History:...
, Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
, George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, Rosie Gaines
Rosie Gaines
Rosie Gaines is an American vocalist, musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer from Pittsburg, California. She released a number of dance hits, the most notable being "Closer Than Close".-Ensemble career:...
, Carmen Electra
Carmen Electra
Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an American glamour model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer...
, Jill Jones
Jill Jones
Jill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
, The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
, Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Julia Chavez is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer.-Personal life:Chavez was born January 21, 1965 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and raised in Marietta, Georgia...
, Dale Bozzio
Dale Bozzio
Dale Bozzio, born Dale Frances Consalvi in Medford, Massachusetts March 2, 1955, is an American progressive rock and new wave vocalist. She is best known as co-founder and lead singer of the 1980s pop/new wave band Missing Persons. She is also known for her work with Frank Zappa...
, and Taja Sevelle
Taja Sevelle
Taja Sevelle is a music recording artist, songwriter, novelist and inventor from Minneapolis, Minnesota who began her music career in 1987 when she was signed to the Paisley Park Records label by Prince. In the same week, she was accepted into the Berklee College of Music in Boston.Sevelle's first...
.
While Prince had great chart success in the 1980s, the success did generally not transfer to other acts. With the exception of Sheila E.'s 1985 album Romance 1600
Romance 1600
Romance 1600 is the second album from singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E.. Whilst Prince wrote and played on the whole album, barring the instrumental "Merci for the Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer", the only track he is credited for openly on the album sleeve itself is "A Love Bizarre", which...
(also the label's debut non-Prince release), Tevin Campbell's single "Round and Round", and The Time's 1990 release, "Pandemonium", the label never had any commercial successes by artists other than Prince. In 1994
1994 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
, amid Prince's feud with Warner Bros., Warner ended its distribution deal with Paisley Park, effectively closing the label. Prince later started NPG Records
NPG Records
NPG Records is the current active record label owned by Prince, founded in 1993 to release his music after Paisley Park Records. Paisley Park was shut down by Warner Bros. Records in 1993. Warner Bros. distributed one NPG release in 1995, The Gold Experience. "NPG" is short for "New Power...
.
Paisley Park Records also released albums by Mazarati
Mazarati
Mazarati was an American R&B band formed in the mid-1980s by former Prince and The Revolution bassist Brown Mark. Originally hailing from Minneapolis, they are now defunct as a group. The band's sole hit was a song called "100 MPH", which was written and co-produced by Prince.-Debut at Paisley...
, Good Question
Good Question
Good Question was an R&B and dance music vocal duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of brothers Sean and Marc Douglas. Their only chart hit came in 1988 when they hit number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Got a New Love". The song also reached the R&B and pop charts in...
, Madhouse, Eric Leeds, and the late Tony LeMans
Tony LeMans
Tony LeMans was a singer and songwriter associated with Prince and signed to Prince's Paisley Park Records.-Biography:He released his self titled debut album in 1989 on that label and it peaked at #58 on the Billboard R&B Album chart. Three singles were released without much chart success...
, whose debut album was produced by David Gamson
David Gamson
David Gamson is a keyboardist/musician . He has worked with, among others, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, Chaka Khan, Meshell Ndegeocello, Green Gartside, Sheila E., George Benson, Luther Vandross, Donny Osmond, Miles Davis, Al Jarreau and Roger Troutman.He is perhaps best known for his distinctive...
of Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes to the line-up, Cardiff-born singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's...
. Also of note, the President of Operations for the label was Alan Leeds, brother of saxophonist Eric Leeds, who played sax in Sheila E.'s band, The Family and also toured with The New Power Generation. Alan won a Grammy for writing the liner notes for a James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
album, and at one point served as Prince's tour manager on several tours. Craig Rice
Craig Rice
Craig Rice may refer to:* Craig Rice , pseudonym of Georgiana Ann Randolph Walker Craig, American author of mystery novels and short stories* Craig L. Rice , American politician...
also served as President shortly after Alan Leeds left.
Prince's management firm at the time, Cavallo, Ruffalo & Fargnoli, affectionately known as the "Spaghetti Bros.", began signing artists to the label, at times even without Prince's knowledge or permission. That precipitated the beginning of the end to a successful partnership. Shortly after firing the management team, lawsuits ensued and it was discovered that the label was mismanaged from the outset, with Warner Bros. taking heavy losses due to exorbitant advances paid to Prince and his management team for the label. Warner Bros. also helped to pay for the recording studio built in Chanhassen, a US$10 million world-class recording facility that also was a soundstage. Warner executives insisted on a return on their investment, which resulted in several major artists recording their albums at Paisley Park Studios, at times even against Prince's wishes.
Paisley Park Records folded with Prince retaining the masters of all artists, artists advances that were kept by the company, and no support from the label. All releases are out of print, including releases by George Clinton, whose albums recorded on Prince's label are the only recordings of his that are currently out of print.
There were catalog numbers for both the original pressing of The Black Album (25677) and for Camille, but they were canceled and abandoned and, therefore, it can be said that both of those albums (which showcase the Camille alter ego) and certainly the numerous unreleased music and full length films and video work that are known to have been created in Prince's state-of-the-art Paisley Park studios are among the rarest of the Prince catalog on the Paisley Park record label.
Prince albums
- 1985: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and The RevolutionThe Revolution (band)The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
: Around the World in a DayAround the World in a DayAround the World in a Day is the seventh studio album by Prince and the second by The Revolution, released on April 22, 1985 on Warner Bros. In compliance with Prince's wishes, the record company released the album with minimal publicity, not even releasing an accompanying single until almost a... - 1986: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and The RevolutionThe Revolution (band)The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
: Parade - 1987: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
: Sign "☮" the Times - 1988: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
: LovesexyLovesexyLovesexy is the tenth studio album by Prince, released on May 10, 1988. Lovesexy was issued as a substitute record after the release of the infamous The Black Album had been suddenly cancelled. The Black Album and Lovesexy almost act as companion pieces, sharing the song "When 2 R in Love", but... - 1990: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
: Graffiti BridgeGraffiti Bridge (album)Graffiti Bridge is the twelfth studio album by Prince and the soundtrack to the 1990 film Graffiti Bridge.The album was much better received in sales than the film, reaching #6 in the US and #1 in the UK. Nearly every song on the record was written by Prince despite the handful of artists... - 1991: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and The New Power Generation: Diamonds and PearlsDiamonds and PearlsDiamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, released October 1, 1991, on Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. It is his first album to have The New Power Generation, his backing band at the time, receive co-billing... - 1992: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and the New Power Generation: Love SymbolLove Symbolis the fourteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, released October 13, 1992 on Paisley Park and Warner Bros. Records. Due to its official title being an unpronounceable symbol, which Prince later adopted as his name, the album has been referred to as the Love Symbol Album, or... - 1993: PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
: The Hits/The B-SidesThe Hits/The B-Sides-Disc 2 :-Disc 3 :...
Other albums
- 1985: Sheila E.Sheila E.Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
: Romance 1600Romance 1600Romance 1600 is the second album from singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E.. Whilst Prince wrote and played on the whole album, barring the instrumental "Merci for the Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer", the only track he is credited for openly on the album sleeve itself is "A Love Bizarre", which... - 1985: The FamilyThe Family (band)The Family is a band formed by Prince, and one of the first signed to his record label, Paisley Park Records. The band renamed themselves Fdeluxe in 2009.-History:...
: The Family - 1986: MazaratiMazaratiMazarati was an American R&B band formed in the mid-1980s by former Prince and The Revolution bassist Brown Mark. Originally hailing from Minneapolis, they are now defunct as a group. The band's sole hit was a song called "100 MPH", which was written and co-produced by Prince.-Debut at Paisley...
: Mazarati - 1987: Sheila E.Sheila E.Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
: Sheila E.Sheila E. (album)Sheila E. is the third solo album from Sheila E., released on Paisley Park Records.Sheila E. produced two singles, "Hold Me" and "Koo Koo" in the U.S. "Love on a Blue Train" was the first single released in Japan. The album is notable for its Latin influence and prominent presence in this hybrid of... - 1987: Taja SevelleTaja SevelleTaja Sevelle is a music recording artist, songwriter, novelist and inventor from Minneapolis, Minnesota who began her music career in 1987 when she was signed to the Paisley Park Records label by Prince. In the same week, she was accepted into the Berklee College of Music in Boston.Sevelle's first...
: Taja Sevelle § - 1987: Jill JonesJill JonesJill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
: Jill JonesJill Jones (album)Jill Jones is the self-titled debut solo album from the artist of the same name; Jill Jones. The album was released in 1987 on Paisley Park / Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Jones and Prince.... - 1987: MadhouseMadhouse (band)Madhouse is a jazz-fusion band from Minneapolis that was created by Prince. Two Madhouse albums were officially released in 1987.-History:...
: 8 - 1987: MadhouseMadhouse (band)Madhouse is a jazz-fusion band from Minneapolis that was created by Prince. Two Madhouse albums were officially released in 1987.-History:...
: 16 - 1988: Dale BozzioDale BozzioDale Bozzio, born Dale Frances Consalvi in Medford, Massachusetts March 2, 1955, is an American progressive rock and new wave vocalist. She is best known as co-founder and lead singer of the 1980s pop/new wave band Missing Persons. She is also known for her work with Frank Zappa...
: Riot in English - 1988: The Three O'ClockThe Three O'ClockThe Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
: VermillionVermillion (album)Vermillion is the 4th and last album by the The Three O'Clock, released in 1988..-Track listing:Side A#Vermillion - 0.38#Love Explosion - 4.01#To Be Where You Are - 3.55#When She Becomes My Girl - 3.30#World On Fire - 3.31...
§ - 1988: Good QuestionGood QuestionGood Question was an R&B and dance music vocal duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of brothers Sean and Marc Douglas. Their only chart hit came in 1988 when they hit number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Got a New Love". The song also reached the R&B and pop charts in...
: Good Question - 1989: Tony LeMansTony LeMansTony LeMans was a singer and songwriter associated with Prince and signed to Prince's Paisley Park Records.-Biography:He released his self titled debut album in 1989 on that label and it peaked at #58 on the Billboard R&B Album chart. Three singles were released without much chart success...
: Tony LeMans § - 1989: George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
: The Cinderella TheoryThe Cinderella TheoryThe Cinderella Theory is the fifth studio album by American funk musician George Clinton, released August 2, 1989 on Paisley Park Records. It was released three years after his previous studio effort, R&B Skeletons in the Closet, which was his last album for Capitol Records... - 1989: Mavis StaplesMavis StaplesMavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
: Time Waits for No OneTime Waits for No OneTime Waits for No One is an album by American soul singer Mavis Staples. The album was her first on Prince's Paisley Park Records label and was released on May 24, 1989. The album includes six Prince-penned songs and two songs written by Homer Banks and Lester Snell. Shortly after this album, she... - 1989: Kahoru Kohiruimaki: Time The Motion (Japanese release only)
- 1990: The TimeThe Time (band)The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
: PandemoniumPandemonium (The Time album)Pandemonium is a 1990 album by The Time. Much like the three previous albums, the album consists of music in the funk-pop or ballad genre, although this album breaks the 6-song album tradition. Originally, the album began life as Corporate World, with nearly all of the material written and...
§ - 1990: Kahoru Kohiruimaki: Time The Motion Live (Japanese release only)
- 1991: T.C. Ellis: True Confessions
- 1991: Eric LeedsEric LeedsEric Leeds is an American jazz and funk musician who plays the saxophone and other woodwind and brass instruments. He is best known for his work with Prince.- Biography :Leeds was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of a retailer...
: Times Squared - 1992: Ingrid ChavezIngrid ChavezIngrid Julia Chavez is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer.-Personal life:Chavez was born January 21, 1965 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and raised in Marietta, Georgia...
: May 19, 1992 - 1993: George ClintonGeorge Clinton (musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
: Hey, Man, Smell My Finger - 1993: Carmen ElectraCarmen ElectraTara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an American glamour model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer...
: Carmen ElectraCarmen Electra (album)Carmen Electra is the self-titled debut album by Carmen Electra, released in 1993. The album was a project designed by Prince to promote Electra, his latest protégé at the time whom he was also dating, as a sexy female rapper. The album features music written by Prince with some input by band... - 1993: Mavis StaplesMavis StaplesMavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
: The VoiceThe Voice (Mavis Staples album)The Voice is an album by American soul singer Mavis Staples. This album was her second for Prince's Paisley Park Records label and was released on August 24, 1993. The song "Melody Cool" from the 1990 movie Graffiti Bridge appeared on this album as well as the movie soundtrack... - 1993: Eric LeedsEric LeedsEric Leeds is an American jazz and funk musician who plays the saxophone and other woodwind and brass instruments. He is best known for his work with Prince.- Biography :Leeds was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of a retailer...
: Things Left Unsaid - 1993: Tevin CampbellTevin CampbellTevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...
: I'm Ready
Note: all titles were distributed by Warner Bros. Records, except for those denoted with §, which were distributed by sister label Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
.