me and Prince
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 6:59 pm
I was working as a musicians mag journalist in the late 80's, reviewing the gear at live gigs. One month we did the Prince Lovesexy tour, and me and my photographer friend Simon hid that afternoon when they cleared the Arena for the soundcheck - we ducked under some chairs right next to the stage.... Prince arrived in a bright yellow suit with big black polka dots (only worn to the soundcheck), and lead the band through a blazing up-tempo funk workout for 20 minutes, just jamming. If the jam was good, apparently it would probably end up in the set in a few nights time. The whole band was drilled to respond to Prince's shout-outs for arrangement/dynamics during songs..... "BASS-AND-DRUMS ON THE ONE..... HUH!" - James Brown style. He'd maybe cut out a verse, or stop the band dead... and snap back in from the same point 20 seconds later.
He used a row of about 6 Boss pedals in front of him - which he'd flick on and off while dancing in heels. One was a Vibrato pedal - which impressed me no-end... He had MesaBoogie amps and huge twin Mesa speaker cabs - two directly in front of him by his monitor, and two behind under the drum riser.
Dallas Schoo - his guitar tech - was under the stage in the dugout below. During the show he'd be constantly watching the TV monitor showing the gig above him - while he quickly tuned the next guitar. It was all split second stuff - he'd see Prince moving towards the back of the stage near the end of a song, and Dallas would reach the guitar up the stairway, to Prince reaching down and grabbing it at that moment.
I don't really dig 'Purple Rain'.
I just tried to find a clip of 'Lady Cab Driver', or 'The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker' (couldn't find them). They're the best - my current favourites.
As well as still being a really under-estimated guitarist he was an electro god, this guy - drum machines, synth bass and magic.
He used a row of about 6 Boss pedals in front of him - which he'd flick on and off while dancing in heels. One was a Vibrato pedal - which impressed me no-end... He had MesaBoogie amps and huge twin Mesa speaker cabs - two directly in front of him by his monitor, and two behind under the drum riser.
Dallas Schoo - his guitar tech - was under the stage in the dugout below. During the show he'd be constantly watching the TV monitor showing the gig above him - while he quickly tuned the next guitar. It was all split second stuff - he'd see Prince moving towards the back of the stage near the end of a song, and Dallas would reach the guitar up the stairway, to Prince reaching down and grabbing it at that moment.
I don't really dig 'Purple Rain'.
I just tried to find a clip of 'Lady Cab Driver', or 'The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker' (couldn't find them). They're the best - my current favourites.
As well as still being a really under-estimated guitarist he was an electro god, this guy - drum machines, synth bass and magic.