Interactive was first released as a CD audio track included on Interactive CD-ROM game (but playable on regular CD players). In 1998, the original, full-length version was included as the first track on the second disc of Prince’s 20th album Crystal Ball (his fourth using the name ).
While specific recording dates are not known, basic tracking took place in early June 1993 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (during the same set of sessions that produced Space, Pope, Strays Of The World, What’s My Name, Solo and a reworked version of Race). Rain Ivana’s "NPG Operator" intros were likely added in late 1993 or early 1994 as the concept developed.
In 1993, Interactive was included in the Glam Slam Ulysses stage-show, during the segment titled “The Cyclops” (credited, as was the whole project, to ).
The track was included as the third track on an untitled early-1994 album (likely an early configuration of The Gold Experience). It was then included as the second track on a 11 March 1994 configuration of the Come album (credited to Prince instead of ). Also in March 1994, however, it was included as the second track (first song) on a new configuration of The Gold Experience (the "NPG Operator" segues included on the Interactive CD-ROM game version were tracked separately as the first and third track on this configuration), and the full-length version was then used as the second track (first song) on a May 1994 configuration (with the segues again included as the first and third tracks). It was removed for a Summer 1994 configuration (presumably as it was now released on the Interactive CD-ROM game).
A tape containing an edited version of Interactive and seven other new tracks (a 10-minute version of The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, Days Of Wild, Now, Poem, Acknowledge Me, 319, and Pheromone) as well as the show given at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota on 13 February 1994, am was purchased by some European radio networks. This tape was broadcast in early March 1994 (by Los 40 Principales in Spain, Radio Veronica and Tros in The Netherlands and DSR3 in the Switzerland).
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