Classic MPLS: The Family Self Titled Album

1985 was a great year for music The Family's self titled LP falls into that classic realm of albums. With 7 out of 8 tracks being written by Prince this is one of the best associate artist albums and all around great albums. Released August 19th 1985 this record is a mixture of super funk and great jazz to me, this album was the first Prince-related release to feature saxophone by Eric Leeds and string orchestration by Clare Fischer which makes it awesome. This record by far is one of the reason we as fans of Prince love him so much because with this album he proved he could go so far left and make it sound great. I remember the 1st time I heard this record I was blowed away by the different arrangement of music, strings, and vocals. My favorite tracks are High Fashion, Nothing Compares 2 U, And The Screams Of Passion, I'm always in debates about what version of Nothing Compares 2 U is better, The Family's Version Prince and Rosie's Live Version, or Sinéad O'Connor's. Time after time I have to say The Family's version is my favorite. Over all this is a great edition to your collection and great music so check it out if you haven't.

Classic MPLS: Jesse Johnson's Revue 1985

Who knew after the break up of The Time that one of the first artist out of the gate would be Jesse Johnson with the classic 1985 release Jesse Johnson's Revue. With the smashes "Be Your Man" and "I Want My Girl". This album IMHO is up there with the likes of Prince's 1999 or Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life (2 of my favorite albums).

It is classic MPLS sound not matched by a lot coming out of Minneapolis at the time including Morris Day's Color Of Success or I dare say Prince And The Revolution's Around The World In A Day.

Although those releases were great Jesse Johnson's Revue trump the game with great R&B and Funk which really feels like when you listen to it he's  going back to basics. There is great guitar work on this record, the rhythm guitar on "She Won't Let Go" is killer, there's a killer guitar solo on "She's A Doll". Overall this is one of the best all around records you can hear believe me those that has heard it already know and so should you.

Purple Rain 30th Anniversary Release What I Envision.

With this being 30 years since the release of Purple Rain the Soundtrack such a great landmark in pop culture, now we are here an anniversary album announced, new deal with Warners Bros., and New music. This is what I Envision for The Anniversary Release of Purple Rain, 1st how about all of the 12 inch versions and mixes being included like Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix), the unreleased extended versions of The Beautiful Ones, Computer Blue, and Darling Nikki. B - sides 17 Days, Erotic City, Another Lonely Christmas, and God, check it in God (Instrumental) which wasn't released in the states. What about a version of When Doves Cry with a bass line sounds good so far.

What about unreleased material here's where it gets interesting because although it's been stated that there will be unreleased songs will they be original compositions or will Prince himself remake them? Hopefully we will get all originals from 1983-1984 or maybe an original and a remake that would be awesome. I think it's safe to say that Electric Intercourse will be on this release,  I only say that because he did perform it recently in England. Possessed is another unreleased track I would like to see come to light and the instrumental. 

Unreleased tracks like Wednesday and Father's Song should make an official appearance due to them being on earlier configurations of Purple Rain. Now associate artists like The Time songs like Jungle Love, The Bird along with Dez Dickerson Modrenaire and Apollonia 6 Sex Shooter deserves some love. One other thing how about an official Blu-Ray release of the 1985 Live In Syracuse show that would be hot. Overall I know everyone has there own feelings about this but this is just to get the blood jumping and pumping for this release.