Does anyone know what band experience these 3 guys had before hooking up with Prince????

Well, I can speak only partially about Mike Bland....

His previous "band" experience was...none... that I know of! WAIT! I take that back...he was a part of a now defunct local MPLS band called Dr. Mambo's Combo. Besides for that I know he won Best Drummer Contest of Minnesota in 1987 I think. We were in some South High school "band" stuff together, but I'm sure ya don't wanna know 'bout that.

Dr. Mambo's combo is in no way defunct. Check the city pgs

kendogg said:

Michael B went to South? Wind Ensemble with Dennis Malmberg, or Jazz Ensemble?

ShabasLove said:

Yes!! He was in the W.E. and the jazz ensemble..... do we know each other?

I graduated in 1988 and Mike and I had become friends when I was a Junior. I went on to be one of his replacements in the percussion section of the W.E. the next year..... too funny!

Damn...I miss MICHAEL B and Sonny!!!!

~the EXODUS has begun~

I don't miss Tommy B, cuz his hair was betta than mine!!

I miss Michael and Sonny too, they had a great personnality, they contributed to give a special sound to the 1993-1995 era!
Happily, they are now doing their thing with the group Sons of Almighty which I only read about on the Internet and they work with the guitarist Jef Lee Johnson, they're playing as a trio, always laughing and kidding on stage. I was lucky to see them performing at the New Morning in Paris last November and in in February with the French jazzman Michel Portal (see the album 'Minneapolis'=experimental jazz).
Too bad they're not with P any more.

myrtobelly said:

Michael B. ,Sonny T.,looking cool ok, but great personnality ??
I think they are mainly sessions musicians, they would play with anybody as long as it pays well, so don't be surprised the day you'll see them behind Britney !!

Did you know guys that Sonny & Michael played for France Gall, a really shitty french singer (could be Britney's mother !), after Prince quit them ??

SteevenS said:

OK.They are sessions musicians, but the sound of Prince results from a meeting with musicians (see Exodus).
And you can't forget that Sonny taught a lot to Prince when they were teenagers. And he was meant to be part of his first band but finally didn't because Prince found him TOO FAT! But, OK, they've not followed the same path.

Good topic

I hear their still funkin it up!