| Times Squared is the first solo studio album by Eric Leeds, and was released in February 1991 (on the same day as Contribution by Mica Paris, also featuring musical input by Prince). Nine of the eleven tracks were written or co-written by Prince and contain him playing most instruments, with Eric Leeds playing saxophone and minimal contributions from other musicians. In addition, Prince appears on Kenya, one of the two remaining tracks, as a musician.
Recording progress
Times Squared evolved from the planned third Madhouse album, 26, compiled in September 1989 from instrumental tracks recorded between 1985-1988. Little Rock was recorded in late May 1985 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. Easy Does It was recorded on 22 July 1986 at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA. Andorra, Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night and Kenya were recorded in July 1987 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN, USA.
Once Upon A Time was recorded in December 1987 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN, USA. Times Squared and Cape Horn were recorded in June 1988 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN, USA. The Dopamine Rush was part of the unreleased 21-24 (The Dopamine Rush Suite), recorded from July-December 1988, at Townhouse Studios, London, England, Medley Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark and Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA.
In keeping with previous Madhouse releases tracks were given tentative numerical titles of 17 to 26. When Prince suggested the album should be released as a solo album by Eric Leeds, Leeds came up with titles for each track (and recorded a new track, Lines, in Spring 1990, which became the new opening track). Lines did not contain any input by Prince, and so is not linked below, but interpolations from the track have been played live during shows (see Lines for details).
Promotion
The album produced two promotional singles, The Dopamine Rush and Little Rock, but the album failed to enter the charts.
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Personnel
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| Musicians
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- Eric Leeds – flute on Night Owl, Cape Horn, The Dopamine Rush, Times Squared and Once Upon A Time, saxophone on Andorra, Night Owl, Cape Horn, Little Rock, Easy Does It, Kenya and Once Upon A Time, keyboards on Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night, Little Rock, Easy Does It and Times Squared
- Prince – all other instruments, except where noted, drums on Cape Horn and Kenya, drum programming on Little Rock, The Dopamine Rush and Times Squared, bass guitar on Cape Horn, Little Rock, The Dopamine Rush and Times Squared, guitar on Little Rock, Easy Does It and The Dopamine Rush, keyboards on Cape Horn, Little Rock, Kenya and Times Squared
- Levi Seacer, Jr. - bass guitar on Andorra, Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night, Cape Horn and Once Upon A Time
- Sheila E. - drums on Andorra, Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night and Cape Horn
- Larry Fratangelo - percussion on Andorra, Night Owl, Cape Horn, Little Rock, Easy Does It, Kenya and Once Upon A Time
- Atlanta Bliss - trumpet on Andorra, Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night, Easy Does It and Once Upon A Time
- Ricky Peterson - piano on Andorra and Once Upon A Time
- Clare Fischer - string arrangement on The Dopamine Rush
- Mathilda May - vocals on The Dopamine Rush
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| Production
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- Eric Leeds - producer and arranger on Andorra, Night Owl, Overnight, Every Night, Cape Horn, Little Rock, Easy Does It, Kenya and Once Upon A Time, engineer on Overnight, Every Night, Little Rock and Easy Does It
- Prince - producer and arranger on The Dopamine Rush and Times Squared
- Alan Leeds - executive producer
- Bob Ludwig - mastering
- James Farber - mixing on Andorra, Night Owl, Cape Horn, Kenya and Times Squared
- Chuck Zwicky - engineer
- David Friedlander - engineer
- Eddie Garcia- engineer
- Eddie Miller - engineer
- Femi Jiya - engineer
- Heidi Hanschu - engineer
- Joe Blaney - engineer
- Michael Koppelman - engineer (as "Mike Koppelman")
- Susan Rogers - engineer
- Timothy Penn - engineer
- Tom Garneau - engineer
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| Thanks
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1990: I Am ◄
