Prince’s Estate Successfully Blocks EP That Was Coming Tonight
Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Prince’s death, and we were supposed to get a new Prince EP. The indie label Rogue Music Alliance was planning to release Deliverance, and EP of six unreleased songs that Prince recorded between 2006 and 2008, when he wasn’t on any label. Anyone who pre-ordered the album on iTunes immediately got a download of the EP’s title track, and those people should hold onto that download, since it’s now been pulled. Prince’s estate sued to keep the EP from release, and they won their case. So we won’t be getting that new EP.
TMZ reports that a federal judge granted Prince’s estate a restraining order against George Ian Boxill, the producer who worked with Prince and put together the Deliverance EP. Boxill signed a confidentiality agreement when he started working with Prince, and the judge says that he has no right to distribute Prince’s music. Boxill has been ordered to turn over all recordings to Prince’s estate.
The restraining order to prevent Boxill from releasing the music will last until 5/3, and there will be another hearing before then to address the issue. The court can also extend the restraining order.
Prince famously left no will, which means it’s going to be enormously complicated to release any of the music that he left behind.