Paisley Park Records

"Paisley Park" redirects here. For the song, see Paisley Park (song).
Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota

Paisley Park Records was Prince's record label, which was distributed by and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, 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" on his 1985 Around the World in a Day album.[1]

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 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2).

Artists who recorded for Paisley Park include Mazarati, Good Question, Madhouse, Eric Leeds, The Time, Sheila E., The Family, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Carmen Electra, Jill Jones, The Three O'Clock, Ingrid Chavez, Dale Bozzio, Rita Ora, Taja Sevelle, and the late Tony LeMans.

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 (the label's debut non-Prince release), Tevin Campbell's single "Round and Round," and The Time's 1990 release, "Pandemonium," the label had little commercial successes by artists other than Prince. In 1994, amid Prince's feud with Warner Bros., Warner ended its distribution deal with Paisley Park, effectively closing the label. Prince later started NPG Records.

The President of Operations for the label was Alan Leeds. Alan won a Grammy for writing the liner notes for a James Brown album, and at one point served as Prince's tour manager on several tours. Craig Rice served as President shortly after Alan Leeds left.

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.

Discography

Prince albums

Other albums

Note: all titles were distributed by Warner Bros. Records, except for those denoted with §, which were distributed by sister label Reprise Records.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Paisley Park
  2. ↑ "Kahoru Kohiruimaki - Time The Motion (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  3. ↑ "T.C. Ellis - True Confessions (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2004-12-05. Retrieved 2011-10-19.

External links