The Velvet Rope

Artists

Album Info

Release Date: 1997

Labels: Virgin, Flyte Tyme, JDJ Entertainment

Track 2 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP) / Unforgettable Songs Ltd / SPZ Music Inc. (BMI) / EMI Virgin Music Inc (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN. Contains a sample from “Hobo (Scratch)"”, published by Chrysalis Music (ASCAP) / Unforgettable Songs Limited/ SPZ Music Inc. (BMI), performed by Malcolm McLaren courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd. and embodies portions of the composition “Tubular Bells (Now The Original Theme From "The Exorcist")”, published by EMI Virgin Music Inc,. (ASCAP).

Track 3 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes / Far Out Music (ASCAP), all rights for Far Out Music are administered by PolyGram International Publishing Inc. (ASCAP). Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN. Contains samples from “The Cisco Kid”, published by Far Out Music, administered by PolyGram International Publishing Inc. (ASCAP), performed by War, courtesy of Avenue Records.

Track 4 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP) / Siquomb Publishing Corp., administered by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP) / Jazz Merchant Music, adm. by Zomba Enterprises Inc. (ASCAP). Rap recorded at The Hit Factory Studios, New York, New York. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN, Featuring samples from the Joni Mitchell recording “Big Yellow Taxi”, courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc. by arrangement with Warner Special Products, Inc. The composition and recording entitled “Got 'Til It's Gone” embody portions of the composition entitled “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell. © 1970 Siquomb Publishing.

Track 6 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP) / Jobete Music Co. Inc., administered by EMI April Music Inc. (ASCAP). Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN. Embodies portions of the composition “Love Hangover”, published by Jobete Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP), administered by EMI April Music Inc., performed by Diana Ross, courtesy of Motown Record Company, L.P. under license from PolyMedia, a division of PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc. and portions of “You're All I Need To Get By”, published by Jobete Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP), administered by EMI April Music Inc.

Track 8 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at The Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY. and at Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Track 9 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP) / Dynatone Publishing Co. (BMI), administered by Unichappell Music Inc. (BMI) / Cotillion Music Inc. (BMI) / Orellia Publishing (BMI), administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Fifth Floor Music / Great Walrus Ltd / Funky P.O. Music, administered by Fifth Floor Music (ASCAP). Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN. Contains a sample from “Think (About It)”, published by Dynatone Publishing Co. (BMI), administered by Unichappell Music Inc. (BMI), performed by Lyn Collins, under license from PolyGram Special Markets, a division of PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc.; a sample from “Tighten Up”, published by Cotillion Music Inc. (BMI) / Oriella Publishing (BMI). administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI). performed by Archie Bell And The Drells, courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. by arrangement with Warner Special Products, Inc.; and a sample from “Joyous”, published by Fifth Floor Music / Great Walrus Ltd. / Funky P.O. Music, administered by Fifth Floor Music (ASCAP), performed by Pleasure, courtesy of Fantasy, Inc.

Tracks 11, 13 and 19 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Tracks 15 and 20 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at Larrabee Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Track 16 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Track 17 © 1976 Rod Stewart, all rights controlled and administered by EMI April Music Inc. (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at Larrabee Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Track 18 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Vocals recorded at Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

Track 22 © 1997 Black Ice Publishing (BMI) / EMI April Music Inc. / Flyte Tyme Tunes (ASCAP). Lead and background vocals recorded at Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY. Choir vocals recorded at Record Plant Studio, Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, MN.

"The Velvet Rope” album project produced for Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc. Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest appears courtesy of Jive Records. Vanessa Mae appears courtesy of Trittico and EMI Records Ltd. James "Big Jim" Wright appears courtesy of Flyte Tyme Records, Inc.

On back cover:
℗ 1997 Virgin Records America, Inc. © 1997 Black Doll, Inc. The copyright in this recording is owned by Virgin Records America, Inc. © 1997 Virgin Records America, Inc. Printed in the UK.

On CD1:
℗ 1997 Virgin Records America, Inc. © 1997 Black Doll, Inc.

On CD2:
℗ 1997 Virgin Records America, Inc. © 1997 Black Doll, Inc. © 1997 Virgin Records America, Inc. Made in UK.

The release is housed in a gatefold double digipak, which in turn is housed inside of a custom dark red velvet drawstring bag with the album’s logo embossed on the front.

The second disc features 28 interview answers, 23 minutes in total. The interview questions are as follows:
01) Does it seem like a long time to you since your last studio album, “Janet” in 1993?
02) “The Velvet Rope” touches on some subjects very personal to you. Was that a deliberate move?
03) Did you decide to be more honest an open in the lyrics this time?
04) Was it ultimately a beneficial process?
05) So the end result is therapeutic?
06) Did you find yourself going into more detail lyrically than you expected to?
07) The more sensual material begins to emerge as the album progresses.
08) Do you feel comfortable baring your soul on a record like this?
09) Did people find it surprising on “Janet” when you starting singing such openly sexual material?
10) Your track record of hits from the last few albums is so extraordinary, does that cross your mind when you’re making a new record?
11) People may pick up one or two samples you’ve used on “The Velvet Rope”, but you’ve used samples before, haven’t you?
12) The way you use samples is creatively, rather than just using them as the basis of the track.
13) Some people will be surprised to hear a Joni Mitchell sample cropping up on “Got ’Til It’s Gone”.
14) What’s your favourite Joni Mitchell song?
15) The track “Free Xone” is a hard hitting song about homophobia.
16) Is it important that people play close attention to your lyrics, or is it ok for them just at enjoy the music?
17) Were you comfortable spending as long as you did making the album?
18) Given the personal nature of the record, do you feel as though people are intruding too far into your life?
19) Growing up in public, did you have the feeling that your life sometimes wasn’t your own?
20) Do you feel an affinity to Hanson, who are having the same experience of growing up in public now?
21) How do you come to terms with great success and living your life in public?
22) Having success when he was so young must have been particularly difficult for your brother Michael?
23) Getting back to the new album, what are you favourite particular tracks?
24) The song “What About”, which addresses domestic abuse, seems to have a very strong, defiant sound it. How would you describe it?
25) You’ve covered the Rod Stewart song “Tonight’s The Night”, how old were you when that was a hit in 1976?
26) Do you find it difficult singing songs with very sexual lyrics?
27) Tell me about the video for “Got ’Til it’s Gone”.
28) Finally, is it definite that you’ll be touring next year?

The typo on interview track 16, ‘or is it ok for them just at enjoy the music?”, appears exactly that way on the release.

There are no credits listed for the interludes.

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