Prince, Do Me, Baby (Demo) (NPG/Warner) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify) A surprise release on Thursday for the 40th anniversary of Prince's Controversy (1981), the Prince Estate has issued a demo recording of "Do Me, Baby," recorded during the studio sessions for Prince's self-titled sophomore album in 1979. (As such, it sounds less like a demo and more like a studio version in league with that album.) It's a fascinating recording that again highlights The Purple One's genius - and it's also
"Wow, he's got a great face!" That was Madonna's first reaction to then-model, future pop star Nick Kamen. She recollected, "I never knew he could sing. And the next thing I know, Seymour Stein calls me up and says, 'would you be interested in writing a song for his album?' So he sent me a tape and the Levi's commercial and a demo video that he had done, and I said, 'Wow, this guy's got everything.'" Now, fans of Kamen can have everything, too, as Cherry Red has just released The Complete
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul, Men Without Women [CD/DVD] (Wicked Cool/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Little Steven Van Zandt's 1982 debut with The Disciples of Soul, Men Without Women, remains a high watermark in the Jersey shore bar band sound with its fusion of classic rock and soul sounds. Van Zandt was joined by members of The E Street Band, The Asbury Jukes, and The Miami Horns as well as pals like The
Cherry Pop will compile the works of U.K. model-turned-singer Nick Kamen this summer. Available July 24, the 6CD The Complete Collection offers remastered versions all four albums Kamen recorded for Warner Music between 1987 and 1992, plus dozens of bonus tracks and remixes, many of them previously unreleased or new to CD. (The label notes that 20 mixes are previously unreleased, though we suspect this number is higher.) Two never-before-heard tracks are also available: covers of The Everly
Nick Kamen's career as a singer was a short-lived one, spanning just four LPs between 1987 and 1992. But the former Levi's model - best known for his role in the denim company's "Launderette" television advertisement in which he walks into a laundromat and removes his shirt and 501s - scored considerable success in that period including a U.K. Top 5 hit co-written and produced by none other than Madonna. Cherry Red's Cherry Pop label has recently reissued Nick Kamen, the debut album from the