I'm at University here in Glasgow, and fortunate enough to receive a scholarship during my time there. Today there was a lunch for the beneficiaries of the scholarship, where I met some very interesting and talented people, one of whom actually studies music in Boston and has won some prestigious awards for his classical piano playing.

Anyway, enough of the boring history! Talking about his creative process in terms of writing music, I happened to mention that I was a huge Prince fan, and found the whole process simply amazing, something I could never achieve or even imagine. He then went on to tell me a story he was told by a student of John Blackwell (I didn't know he taught as well) about his first ever concert in the NPG.

John was comfortable in the rehearsals beforehand, but was very nervous in his first live performance. At one point, he missed a snare, something the vast majority of us wouldn't even notice. Also at this point, Prince was in the middle of one of his turns and splits, and Blackwell noticed 2 fingers being stuck up in his direction.

After a bit of trying to work out what happened, John Blackwell realised that Prince had just fined him $200 for missing a snare whilst in the middle of doing the splits for something he barely noticed he'd done himself. Allegedly, things didn't get much better after that!

He ended the concert owing Prince around $2k and told if he was that bad again he wouldn't be drummer for the NPG for much longer!

I'm not sure if this is a story he tells students that's embellished a little, or to try and make a point, but I figured I'd share it anyway.....

lol

I believe it....James Brown was also notorious for this.

Oh aye. Prince has been doing this for years. Pre NPG too. I thought it was common knowledge?

studal said:

Not really and you can believe that I've read a LOT during my 23 years of famdom

Thanks for sharing alxndrstff

nice story! i read once he fined wendy m 4 getting tanked up one night on tour during the parade era... !
i wanna fine him 4 his long bouncy hairdo in the early days..the way he flicked it around.
he can b such a meanosauraus

Sounds like James.

Cool story. This is why Prince is such a great bandleader and live performer.

And no would ever say that John Blackwell didn't step up to the plate and more than make up for any early mistakes. That guy is just incredible.

Comment was posted on the official website during the early stages of the 2001 Hit 'N Run shows regarding the reported improvement of John Blackwell's drumming as the tour progresssed.

Efan said:

he sure is! my second fave prince drummer. after the ladie in your avatar, of course . the other ones . bobby z. and michael b. had their moments , but kirk

Thanks for sharing

alxndrstff said:

wow thats an awesome story! i could imagine prince doing that.. i mean he is known as being a bit of a perfectionist. did he ever mention if he actually paid prince the $2k or if it was just prince's way of giving him a warning to suck less?

.. consequences for messing up .. nice story

im suprised the band didn't give him two hits

my friend told me that she saw Prince in Court beacues of parking tickest or something like that No Joke.

Thanks for sharing, how interesting!

fan09 said:

Thank U 4 sharing...and congratulations on your scholarship.

Well, damn, Prince.

Flowerz said:

Prince possibly has done the same thing to various bandmembers.

I heard John tell this story at a drum workshop he did in Dublin last October so I guess it's true (why would he lie?) there was a bit more to the story but that's the basic gist of it all right.

He told a few stories - stuff about recording with Prince in Paisley and making everybody sit and watch him as he played all the instruments on a track but kicking everyone out the door when it was time to do the vocal take.

The funniest story he told was -

The band had a day off and John went to the mall.

The next day NPG are sound checking and Prince turns to John and says "Did you have a good day yesterday?"
And John says "Yeah, I went to the mall, went to see a movie".

And Prince says "Uh-huh - What were you wearing?"
John: "What?"
Prince: "What were you wearing?"
John: " Like jeans and a T-Shirt"
Prince: "I Know. I saw you."
-
John: "....oh, you saw me?"
Prince: "Yeah. Are you N P G?"
John: "What?"
Prince: "The band - are you eNn Pee Gee?"
John: "Yeah I'm in NPG."
Prince: "And you were wearing jeans and a T-shirt?"
John: "It was my day off."
Prince: "It doesn't matter if you're on stage or off stage, day off or a show day, if you're in NPG you wear a suit - now - I'm gonna have to fine you"
John: "Fine me?"
Prince: "Were you wearing shoes or sneakers"
John: "Shoes"
Prince: "Ok - We'll call it 10,000 for the T-shirt and 15,000 for the jeans"
John: "That's 25,000 dollars."
Prince: "If you're in NPG you have to wear a suit if you don't like that we can take you out of NPG"
John: "No...no....."

He said he's got a million more just like it.

Per5eph0ne said:

The version I heard (from John himself) was that it came to 20,000 but because it was his first night in public with the band Prince said "I'll only dock half - and if you disagree with my number's I have the tape from the show qued up and we can go through it together""

FunkinDaTrunk said:

I know Ray Charles was very very strict as well.

Madison88 said:

Really?

LMAO, that is a GREAT story!

yes, my boyfriend opened for him back in the late 80's and he hung out with everyone afterwards...including the "Rayettes". They had to be tough to hang with Ray or they were gone. I was lucky enough to meet him and he was always kind to me but if someone messed up on back up or in the band he was on them, seriously!

CJanssen said:

Not really? No really. Common knowledge. Don't assume because YOU didn't know it that it is not common knowledge to a larger more informed group on the subject than yourself.

damn. stories are great
but that just goes to show how
professional he is. wish more musicians
were like him.

Madison88 said:

I always thought Ray was more laid back. Guess I was wrong.