PRINCE Purple Rain 1984 US WB COLOR VINYL PROMO LP with extras

$

154

The Backstory

Prince’s “Purple Rain” LP was initially released in vinyl and cassette form in late spring 1984. To promote sales, Warner Brothers Records gave a limited number of unsealed copies of “Purple Rain” to radio stations and record stores, for in-store play. Their promotional efforts paid off because “Purple Rain” sold 20 million copies. This is one such promotional copy, and it happens to be purple vinyl. I have only seen one other purple vinyl LP in person, and it was specially displayed (and expensive) that was perhaps 15 years ago. I bought this one (more affordably) in 1986 because this was a very special album to me.  I am sure you will appreciate it even more.

Promo copies of this album in color vinyl are available today because the seller worked for Warners, worked in radio, or worked in music retail (in my case, a used record store), or bought it from one of us. Colored vinyl LPs were not particularly common at the time. Picture disks were somewhat more common. We called the label Warner or "WEA" (wee'-ah: Warner/Electra/Asylum) at the time.

Prince was probably fairly comfortable financially after having made and sold millions of copies of “1999.”  He was already an A-lister. “Purple Rain” shot him into the stratosphere. He wrote the whole album and almost certainly kept the members of the Revolution on salary or retainer, so he didn't have to share any of it. Anything he wanted was his. He was universally respected in the music industry, and copied more than anyone else, mostly by artists that have mostly been forgotten. Prince was also giving a ton of songs away. Though somewhat eccentric and reclusive apart from his music business activities, he was supremely talented: the best songwriter of the 1980s. “Purple Rain” was such a good album, it basically sold itself.

My mother asked me if the song "Oh Sheila" (1985) was Prince singing about Sheila E. (a perfectly logical, though incorrect, assumption given the sound). It was Ready for the World, one of many imitators. Scritti Politti ripped off Michael Jackson similarly with "Perfect Way" (1984).

Caveats

Payment required immediately and no later than within 12 hours, otherwise I have to relist.  Buyers with 10 or more positive feedbacks sought. Otherwise message me.

Postage quoted assumed to be within the continental U.S. I will have to ship using tracking (and require adult signature) because of the cost of the item. If I ship outside of the U.S., I have to raise the cost and I will message that to you.

Returns accepted if I have inadvertently made any error or omission about disk or cover condition (though I doubt it). I really kept it as well as anyone could have without sticking it in a barium chamber. No crybabies. 

“Purple Rain” LP copies with purple vinyl appear to have been released in the U.S. and Mexico.  All the writing on this one is in English.  The U.S.-only ones like this might be slightly more valuable.

“Purple Rain” (the single) was also released in a 12” format on purple vinyl. Its B-side was not included on the album (“God”).  A great many of these 12-inches were pressed and sold to the public the whole time it was a hot seller (call it six months during 1984). As I recall, this 12" was deleted off the Warner catalog (i.e., became out of print) and the last copies to be found were pressed in purple vinyl. There are a great many "Purple Rain" 12" singles and far fewer of these "Purple Rain" LPs.

The Contents and Condition

The disk is purple vinyl and I have never played it through, and only twice for a few seconds in the 30 years I have owned it.  I played :10 of it immediately before listing so I could confirm no warping. No sign of this, of other or prior playing. There is no warping. The photos cannot show this but I took a video.

Vinyl condition NM.  There are no fingerprints or scratches, no water or cleaning fluid marks, or signs of dust accumulation. No sign of audible wear or usage. Photos cannot show this. 

There are faint signs of contact of the paper dust sleeve with the vinyl, when the vinyl is viewed from certain angles, which occurs with normal shipping or removal of the disk from the dust jacket. This has happened a million times with sealed and new albums I bought, and even with great care, it is not always avoidable. Photos cannot show this, either.

The cardboard album cover shows faint shelf and corner wear. No cut out marks. I kept this one apart from the albums I actually played and listened to. There are no creases. There is faint ring wear. No mold, mildew, smoke, spots, stains, foreign substances or writing (other than the gold promo caveat). Looks good for 32. Condition is otherwise visible from close up examination of photos.

The disk includes the original dust jacket. The dust jacket appears as it did when it was new. There are one cm tears both at the right and left side of the dust jacket, which was unavoidable from the time the disk was viewed for purposes of grading (and by me). Picture otherwise accurately reflects condition.

The package includes the original poster with which the album was shipped. I opened it only to take the attached photo, it is not creased and has never been hung.

Extras:

I have a two-sided dust sleeve/poster for the 45 rpm single “Delirious”/"Horny Toad” (no disk enclosed).  There is a “1999” calendar on the reverse. It’s yours, Winning Bidder. 

Likewise, Winning Bidder, I have another Prince and the Revolution “Purple Rain” poster.  It is the same poster, but in slightly inferior condition to the one that came with the purple disk, but nice enough to hang.  That, too, will be yours.  So you may keep the other in pristine condition.

Happy bidding (and listening)!