Third Man Records to release Camille album

Co-founder of Third Man Records, Ben Blackwell, has given an interview with Mojo magazine in which he confirms the label will be pressing Prince’s withdrawn eight-track Camille album of 1986.

Prince created the LP in November 1986 after disbanding The Revolution, who that summer had wrapped the recording of their fourth collaboration, a double LP titled Dream Factory. Prince set to work creating a solo album with entirely new material, which Warner Bros catalogued and scheduled a release for January 1987. But as Prince turned to revisit the Dream Factory material, it and Camille were reworked into a triple album named Crystal Ball and the street date for Camille was cancelled. Just 25 test pressings of Camille remain in circulation – one in 2017 fetching almost $60k at online auction. Crystal Ball was pared down to a double LP at Warner’s request and was released as the iconic Sign O’ The Times in March 1987, containing three tracks from Camille.

Third Man Records, who partnered with Warner Records and The Prince Estate in 2020 to release the Sign O’ The Times singles collection for the Super Deluxe Edition, approached The Estate for permission to release Camille. To Blackwell’s amazement, “Prince’s people agreed – almost too easy.” No date has been set for the release.

We’re finally going to put it out

Camille LP featured eight tracks, and although all have been released on subsequent projects – the last Rebirth Of The Flesh finally getting its release in 2020 – Third Man intend to issue the record in its original configuration for the first time ever.

Meanwhile Sony Legacy and The Prince Estate will be reissuing The Gold Experience on vinyl for Record Store Day on 17 June, with a wider CD retail release following on 18 June and will bring the much loved LP back into print for the first time since the mid 1990s.

Camille – track listing and subsequent release of songs

1. Rebirth Of The Flesh Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe (2020)
2. Housequake Sign O’ The Times (1987)
3. Strange Relationship Sign O’ The Times (1987)
4. Feel U Up B-side with Partyman (1989)
5. Shockadelica B-side with If I Was Your Girlfriend (1987)
6. Good Love Bright Lights, Big City OST (1988)
7. If I Was Your Girlfriend Sign O’ The Times (1987)
8. Rockhard In A Funky Place The Black Album (1994)