Prince — Work In Progress: The Pre-Warner Brothers Boom Box Tapes 1976–77 CD
The Recordings That Started Everything
This is where the story begins. Before For You. Before Soft and Wet became a chart single. Before Owen Husney had secured the record deal that would launch one of the most extraordinary careers in music history. In 1976 and 1977, a teenage Prince was sitting at home with a boom box, playing every instrument himself, singing every part, and building the demo tape that would convince Warner Brothers to sign him to one of the most unusual contracts ever offered to a new artist. This CD preserves those tapes.
Why This Recording Is Historically Important
These are not just early demos. These are the actual recordings that landed Prince his first record deal. Warner Brothers heard this tape and recognised something so unusual — a teenager who could write, sing, arrange, and play every instrument on a recording entirely by himself — that they offered him full creative control over his first album. That had almost never happened before for a new artist of any age, let alone an unknown nineteen-year-old from Minneapolis.
Listening to this CD, you can hear exactly what convinced them. The melodies are already there. The instinct for hooks. The voice. The arrangements. All sketched out roughly on a domestic recording setup, with all the limitations that implies — but unmistakably the work of an artist who already knew what he wanted to sound like.
A Note on Audio Quality
Please be aware that sound quality is not great on some tracks. These are 1976–77 boom box recordings made in a domestic setting on basic equipment — the historical and musical value of these tapes far outweighs their fidelity. They are presented for their importance as a document, not as polished audio.
Product Details
| Format | CD (CD-R) |
| Years Recorded | 1976–1977 |
| Content | Pre-Warner Brothers demo tapes |
| Significance | The actual recordings that led to Prince's first record deal |
| Performer | Prince — all instruments, all vocals |
| Audio Quality | Variable — boom box source, historical document |
| Packaging | UK buyers receive full case with printed cover. All other countries receive disc in plastic sleeve — artwork emailed after purchase |
| Note | Unofficial collector's edition — not an official release |
Delivery Info
UK orders arrive in 2 working days. Europe in 5 days. Rest of the world approximately 8 days.