Paisley Park Records

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Paisley Park Records

Paisleypark logo.png

Label details


Parent Company: Warner Bros. Records
Founded: February 1985
Ceased operation: February 1994
Founder: Prince
Location: Chanhassen (MN), USA
Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Records (In the U.S.)
WEA International (Outside the U.S.)
Subsidiaries: Paisley Park Enterprises
Discography
First Prince Album Release:
First Prince Single Release:
First Associate Album Release:
First Associate Single Release:

Prince’s first record label, Paisley Park Records, a co-venture with Warner Bros. Records, was founded in 1985 and debuted with the release of Around The World In A Day. The label shares its name with Prince’s recording complex Paisley Park Studios and the song Paisley Park.

Paisley Park was the first name used for the label. It was changed to Paisley Park Records in 1987. The first release to bear the full name was Madhouse ‘s 6 single.

Artists who recorded for Paisley Park Records (or Paisley Park) include The Time, Sheila E., The Family, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Rosie Gaines, Carmen Electra, Jill Jones, The Three O’Clock, Ingrid Chavez, Dale Bozzio, and Taja Sevelle. Paisley Park Records also released albums by Mazarati, Good Question, Madhouse, Eric Leeds, and Tony LeMans.

The label ceased operations in 1994, when Warner ended its distribution deal with Paisley Park Records, effectively closing the label.


History
Label Creation

The idea of the Paisley Park Records label emerged during the summer of 1984. Since 1981, Prince has produced albums for The Time, Vanity 6, Sheila E., and Apollonia 6 under the pseudonym Jamie Starr and offered many songs to various other acts. Paisley Park Records was practically an extension of The Starr Company imprint used on the records he fully produced. With the label, Prince would deliver the master and Warner Bros. Records would do the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of the records. In 1992, the deal between Prince and Warner Bros. Records was revised, as Paisley Park Records would decide how much to spend on videos and promotional activities. Warner Bros. Records and Prince would operate as partners, sharing investments and profits.

Prince’s first album to be released on Paisley Park Records, and also the label’s first release, was Around The World In A Day on 22 April 1985. All the subsequent releases, except for the Batman album and related singles, would be on that label until the compilations The Hits / The B-Sides in 1993. The first acts who released an album with the label imprint were The Family, Sheila E. and Mazarati.

Label Life

Personnel

The President of Operations for the label was Alan Leeds, brother of saxophonist Eric Leeds. Leeds had previously served as Prince’s tour manager. He was replaced by former trade journalist Gaham Armstrong. Craig Rice also served as President shortly after Alan Leeds left.

Mismanagement

Prince’s management firm at the time, Cavallo, Ruffalo & Fargnoli, began signing artists to the label, at times even without Prince’s knowledge or permission. That precipitated the beginning of the end of 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. Records taking heavy losses due to exorbitant advances paid to Prince and his management team for the label.

Warner Bros. Records also helped pay for Paisley Park Studios, with executives insisting 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.

Label Closure

On February 1st 1994, Warner Bros. Records and Paisley Park Enterprises announced that they would be terminating Paisley Park Records. The label became a joint venture between Prince and Warner Bros. Records upon the signing of Prince’s last recording contract in 1992. While under Prince’s sole aegis, the label could likely have survived for as long as he saw fit, but with Warner Bros. Records being in control of the spending, the financial burden proved too great as few of the label’s releases had been big sellers.

Two of the Paisley Park Records acts, Belize and Tyler Collins, were left without contracts when the label folded. Belize had completed an album without Prince’s involvement, but it was never released. Rosie Gaines's Paisley Park album, Concrete Jungle, on which Prince was involved, was due to be released on 22 March 1994. A single for My Tender Heart backed with Pain was also scheduled for release. The album and single were withdrawn when the label was terminated. Gaines later signed a deal with Motown Records, and released an album entitled Closer Than Close in June 1995. Concrete Jungle was eventually digitally released by Rosie Gaines.

Shortly before the closure of Paisley Park Records, Prince had already created a new label called NPG Records, and started distributing his music without the involvement of Warner Bros. Records.


Releases
Catalog numbers are indicated regardless of format, under the year of release, into brackets.
Prince
Albums
1985
(25286)
1986
(25395)
1987
(25577)
1988
(25720)
1990
(27493)
1991
(25379)
1992
(45027)
1993
(45431)
1993
(45435)
1993
(45440)
border border border border border border border border border border
Around The World In A Day Parade Sign O’ The Times Lovesexy Graffiti Bridge Diamonds and Pearls Symbolblue.png The Hits 1 The Hits 2 The Hits / The B-Sides
Singles
1985
(28972)
1985
(29052)
1985
(28998)
1985
(28999)
1986
(28751)
1986
(28711)
1986
(28586)
1986
(28620)
1987
(28399)
1987
(28334)
border border border border border border border border border border
Raspberry Beret Paisley Park
(Europe only)
Pop Life America Kiss Mountains Girls & Boys
(Europe only)
Anotherlover
-holenyohead
Sign O’ The Times If I Was Your Girlfriend
1987
(28289)
1987
(28288)
1987
(28288)
1988
(21858)
1988
(27806)
1988
(27745)
1990
(19525)
1990
(19525)
1991
(19225)
1991
(19175)
border border border border border border border border border border
U Got The Look I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Hot Thing Alphabet St. Glam Slam I Wish U Heaven Thieves In The Temple New Power Generation Gett Off Cream
1991
(19090)
1991
(19059)
1992
(19020)
1992
(5301)
1992
(40480)
1992
(18817)
1992
(18704)
1992
(18599)
1992
(18700)
1993
(18583)
border border border Willingandable single.png border border border border border border
Insatiable Diamonds And Pearls Money Don’t Matter 2 Night Willing And Able
(US promo only)
Thunder
(UK only)
Sexy M.F. My Name Is Prince 7 Damn U The Morning Papers
1993
(18371)
1993
(18372)
1993
(5994)
1993
(18280)
1994
(1278)
border border border border border
Pink Cashmere Peach Nothing Compares 2 U Controversy '93
(UK only)
Pope
(UK promo only)
Associated Artists
Albums
1985
(25322)
1985
(25317)
1986
(25368)
1987
(25545)
1987
(25498)
1987
(25575)
1987
(25546)
1987
(25658)
1988
(25599)
1988
(25717)
border border border border border border border border border border
The Family

The Family

Sheila E.

Romance 1600

Mazarati

Mazarati

Madhouse

8

Sheila E.

Sheila E.

Jill Jones

Jill Jones

Taja Sevelle

Taja Sevelle1

Madhouse

16

Dale Bozzio

Riot In English

Three O’Clock

Vermillion1

1988
(25743)
1989
(25995)
1989
(25994)
1989
(25798)
1989
(29K2-1002)
1990
(27490)
1990
(TDCK-2003)
1991
(27499)
1991
(27497)
1991
(25879)
Good Question Album Artwork Tony LeMans Album Artwork The Cinderella Theory Album Artwork border border border border border border border
Good Question

Good Question

Tony LeMans

Tony LeMans1

George Clinton

The Cinderella Theory

Mavis Staples

Time Waits For No One

Kahoru Kohiruimaki

Time The Motion2
(Japan only)

The Time

Pandemonium1

Kahoru Kohiruimaki

Time The Motion Live2
(Japan only)

Eric Leeds

Times Squared

T.C. Ellis

True Confessions

Ingrid Chavez

Ingrid Chavez

1993
(25338)
1993
(25049)
1993
(PRO-CD-6595)
1993
(25518)
1993
(45199)
border border border border Things Left Unsaid Album artwork
Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra

Mavis Staples

The Voice

Mavis Staples

Gospel Tracks
(US promo only)

George Clinton

Hey Man... Smell My Finger

Eric Leeds

Things Left Unsaid


1 Distributed by Reprise Records instead of Warner Bros. Records.
2 Distributed by Warner-Pioneer instead of Warner Bros. Records.

Singles
1985
Thescreamsofpassion single.jpg
1985
Sisterfate single.jpg
1985
Bedtimestory single.jpg
1985
Alovebizarre single.jpg
1985
Highfashion single.jpg
1986
Playersball single.jpg
1986
Loveonabluetrain single.jpg
1986
Hollyrock single.jpg
1986
100mph single.jpg
1986
Stroke single.jpg
The Family

The Screams Of Passion

Sheila E.

Sister Fate

Sheila E.

Bedtime Story

Sheila E.

A Love Bizarre

The Family

High Fashion

Mazarati

Players’ Ball

Sheila E.

Love On A Blue Train

Sheila E.

Holly Rock

Mazarati

100 MPH

Mazarati

Stroke

1987
6 single.jpg
1987
Holdme1987 single.jpg
1987
Miabocca single.jpg
1987
Kookoo single.jpg
1987
Gspot single.jpg
1987
Ten single.jpg
1987
Loveiscontagious single.jpg
1988
Forlove single.jpg
1988
Wouldntyoulovetoloveme single.jpg
1988
13 single.jpg
Madhouse

6

Sheila E.

Hold Me

Jill Jones

Mia Bocca

Sheila E.

Koo Koo

Jill Jones

G-Spot

Madhouse

10

Taja Sevelle

Love is Contagious

Jill Jones

For Love

Taja Sevelle

Wouldn’t You Love To Love Me?

Madhouse

13

1988
Popular single.jpg
1988
Simonsimon single.jpg
1988
border
1988
Loveexplosion single.jpg
1988
Listentoyourheart single.jpg
1988
border
1988
Riotinenglish single.jpg
1988
Gotanewlove single.jpg
1989
20thcenturyexpress single.jpg
1989
border
Taja Sevelle

Popular

Dale Bozzio

Simon Simon

Taja Sevelle

Take Me For A Ride

Three O’Clock

Love Explosion

Good Question

Listen To Your Heart

Three O’Clock

Neon telephone

Dale Bozzio

Riot In English

Good Question

Got A New Love

Mavis Staples

20Th Century Express

Mavis Staples

Jaguar

1989
border
1989
Higher Than High single.jpg
1989
Timewaitsfornoone single.jpg
1989
Christmasvacation single.jpg
1989
Forever More single.jpg
1990
Cookie Crumbles single.jpg
1990
Jerkout single.jpg
1990
Melodycool single.jpg
1990
Roundandround single.jpg
1990
border
George Clinton

Tweakin’

Tony Lemans

Higher Than High

Mavis Staples

Time Waits For No One

Mavis Staples

Christmas Vacation

Tony Lemans

Forever More
(US promo only)

Tony Lemans

Cookie Crumbles

The Time

Jerk Out

Mavis Staples

Melody Cool

Tevin Campbell

Round And Round

The Time

Chocolate

1991
Shake! single.jpg
1991
Thedopaminerush single.jpg
1991
Littlerock single.jpg
1991
Missthang single.jpg
1991
Elephantbox single.jpg
1991
Pussycat single.jpg
1991
Hippyblood single.jpg
1991
Heavenmustbenear single.jpg
1992
border
1993
Everybodygetonup single.jpg
The Time

Shake!

Eric Leeds

The Dopamine Rush
(US promo only)

Eric Leeds

Little Rock
(US promo only)

T.C. Ellis

Miss Thang

Ingrid Chavez

Elephant Box

T.C. Ellis

Pussycat

Ingrid Chavez

Hippy Blood

Ingrid Chavez

Heaven Must Be Near
(UK promo only)

Carmen Electra

Go Go Dancer

Carmen Electra

Everybody Get On Up

1993
Fantasiaerotica single.jpg
1993
border
1993
Painthewhitehouseblack single.jpg
1993
Martiallaw single.jpg
1993
Bloodisthickerthantime1st single.jpg
1993
Thebigpump single.jpg
1993
Womaninchains.jpg
1998 (1991)
Fun single.jpg
Carmen Electra

Fantasia Erotica

Mavis Staples

The Voice

George Clinton

Paint The White House Black

George Clinton

Martial Law

Mavis Staples

Blood Is Thicker Than Time

George Clinton

The Big Pump
(US promo only)

Eric Leeds

Woman In Chains
(US promo only)

Carmen Electra

Fun

 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • Although the label has been closed for years, Paisley Park® is still a registred trademark (Registration Nr: 3065684) owned by Paisley Park Enterprises, Inc. (Chanhassen, MN 55317). It is covering:
    Recording studios; music, motion picture film and videotape production services; film and video editing services.
  • Of note the Paisley Park® trademark is labelled as having being first used on 22 April 1985.

References
NPG Records All Labels All Studios Purple Music Records