Two distinct videos were made for the song Guitar. The so-called Verizon version or Verizon Wireless version was the first to be recorded and broadcast in 2007. The second one was shot later and has its own page (see here).
The first video recorded for Guitar was an unusual move for Prince as it was linked to the mobile company Verizon Wireless. A partnership was concluded between him and this company. From what appears, this deal included the release by Verizon Wireless of a new version of the song Guitar (a different version was posted on 3121.com five and a half months earlier), a visual advertisement in which he would appear and the sponsorship of his residency at the Roosevelt Hotel in June and July 2006. On 31 May 2007, the song was made available for free download through Verizon Wireless’ VCast program.
The Verizon Wireless version of Guitar, directed by Milos Twilight, was most likely shot in May 2007 at S.I.R. in Los Angeles, California. It is a 1:21 clip performance of an edited version of the song (with a shortened introduction, the first verse, a chorus and the guitar solo only). It is a basic performance by Prince and his band (The Twinz, Cora Coleman-Dunham, Joshua Dunham, Renato Neto and Morris Hayes) in front of a totally black backdrop. The performance is interspersed with commercial messages (text only) extolling the functionality of the Verizon Wireless V Cast application which allows users to capture information about a song and immediately, purchase and download MP3 songs onto the cell phones. The length of the video makes it more than just an advertisement and serves as a cross promotion for his song and the V CAST Song ID application (where this video could be seen). The fact that Prince was constantly looking for original and alternative ways and new technologies to release music probably explains this partnership. This version of Guitar was included on the album Planet Earth and released as a single in Europe.
|