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"Meeting the N.P.G." at Hotel SAS Royal, Copenhagen 1998 ("FREE" article 3 out of 3) The 3rd and final article from the "Free" Fanzine, from 1998 when Prince was called simply "The Artist": (sorry about the Prince-bonics, this was Alex's own idea)...
The Hotel Royal Experience: Meeting The N.P.G (well ok, half of it, anyway!) By Alex Mingolla. A couple of days B4 The Artist's Jam Of The Year concert in Denmark, a danish national radiostation started 2 announce that there would B a 'meet & greet The Artist' - competition on Monday, the day B4 the concert. On Monday morning, at the time of the competition, literally 1000's of people tried 2 get through 2 the radiostation. I was l of them. Luckily I got through, twice actually, but got dis-f*ckin'-qualified, cuz, as the operator said, they'd already found their competitors. Naturally I got mad, (not at the operator though, she was nice!) and decided that I would not let a chance 2 meet The Artist himself pass me by! A good friend of mine, who works at a fancy hotel in this funky town called Copenhagen, told me earlier that The Artist and his entourage of 75 people, had cancelled their reservations at 'his' hotel. There4, he said, they could only B staying at another 5-star hotel.... the SAS Royal, 2 B exact. Like some teenager, I decided that I would do nothing else that night, but 2 hang out in the hotel's lobby. Luckily 4 me, I brought my Newpower Soul CD 2 work that day, not knowing that by the end of the day, it would B filled with N.P.G. autographs! The first thing I did after I got off from work, was going 2 the hotel, and wait outside 4 nearly 45 mins. NOTHING happened. No black limoes, no big dressed-2-the-9's bodyguards, NOTHING! Then it suddently hit me.... I was at the wrong hotel! This hotel was the SAS Scandinavia, not the Royal! I felt VERY stupid, like having the same IQ and vocabulary as Rambo, and totally lost my enthusiasm, so I decided 2 go home. On my way I passed some tall buildings, which I'd never really noticed B4, but on l of them there was a big blue sign saying 'Hotel SAS Royal'. I got off my bike in a hurry, and stepped inside. The speakers in the lobby were playing "Emancipation", and I knew that this was it! I started getting a little nervous, cuz something was definately going 2 happen. I walked around 4 about 5-10 mins. while keeping my eyes on the elevators, the check-in desks, and the bar, 2 C if there was any celebrity-action going on. A guy from the reception came up 2 me, and asked if he could help me with anything, and I told him that I was waiting 4 some friends 2 show up, which in my opinion was the truth! All of a sudden the Rev. Mike Scott came out of an elevator and headed right for the reception, l recognized him by the moon-earwrap (or whatever it's called!). The receptionist I was talking 2 saw him, & literally ran over there 2 serve him. I waited patiently 4 him 2 walk 2wards the door, where l had decided 2 confront him. From out of nowhere this latinamerican-looking girl appeared, and walked up 2 him. I thought 'Hey, what the...?, but then I saw him greet her like he knew her. Maybe she was a crewmember, I don't know. They left the desk and started walking 2wards the door, where they were interrupted in their talk by.... me! I said "U're the Reverend, right?" He was like "Who?" and then "Oh, yeah, that's me." I shoke his hånd and told him who I was, and why l was there. He said "U must B a big fan, huh? Do U have a ticket 4 the show?" I said that l was just a friend, (not fan-atic), and that I indeed had tickets 4 the next night. I also told him that I had been acting like a modern-day Robin Hood, cuz I'd bought 10 tickets 4 my girlfriend + several of my friends, who I wanted 2 go 2 the concert with. He laughed, probably wonderig how much money I made out of that. But I swear, in the true spirit of The Artist's philosophy of non-ticket-scalping, I didn't make ANY money out of it! He then said that if I'd wait a little longer the entire band would come down. HALLELUJA! I got my Newpower Soul CD out of my pocket, and asked him if I could bother him 4 an autograph, which was "No problem at all". All of a sudden I realized that I forgot 2 bring a pen (bright guy, U might think, going autograph-hunting?). We went over 2 the reception where the Reverend asked 2 borrow a pen, and we then decided that he should sign on the last page of the booklet, where the group painting is. He wrote: GOOD WORK, ALEX. AMEN. REV. SCOTT. While he was writing, Mr. Larry Graham himself came pimp-walking in from the outside, with a woman I'd never seen B4, by his side. He said something like: "Whew, I tell U, this girl... she's worn me out!" the Reverend started laughing, while I was just standing there, doing nothing. I didn't even say a sound 2 Larry, not even "Hey" or "Sign here, please". As fast as he came in, he was gone again. I asked the Reverend if he knew if I had 2 wait much longer 4 the rest of the band, cuz I wanted some friends 2 come and join me in this l in a million chance. He answered that they were all going out on the town with him, and that it shouldn't take long. He then gave me back my booklet, shoke my hand and said "I gotta go, nice talking 2 U". I thanked him again, and off he went. As soon as he left I called my friends. They couldn't believe what I told them, and about 20 mins. later, they 2 were standing in the lobby, ready 4 some action. We sat down at a table, while I told them again, what had happened. As we were talking. Rev. Scott came back, and hurried upstairs. Change of plans? Then another one of The Artist's crewmembers came down from upstairs. None of us recognized him, but we knew that he was somebody we oughtta know! He was wearing a big leatherjacket with the symbol on the back, and one of the symbol skullcaps from 1-800 NEW FUNK. I tell U, this guy was FAST. B4 we even knew it, he was out of the door, so we literally had 2 run after him. We stopped him and introduced ourselves. He told as that his name was Trevor, and that he was the l who's arranging The Artist's afterparties. Suddenly we were very happy that we had followed him. The days B4 the concert, local journalists had found out that The Artist's crew were looking 4 a place 2 have an afterparty. We thought Trevor might enlighten us a little, & so he could. We told him that we thought The Artist might go 2 a place called Park Café. We were almost certain of this place since The Time played there about 2 years ago, and Larry Graham less than a year ago. They might have talked 2 him, and told him what a great place it is 4 an "intimate" concert. He said: "Larry played there? I'm gonna have 2 talk 2 Larry about that place!" He asked how many people could fit in at Park, and we said about 400, max. 600. He just said "No, no, no, that's way 2 small. We want a bigger place, cuz we want as many people in as possible." Then "we" agreed on the place they had first decided on. A place called VEGA. We asked him if he could help us get in, and he just replied: "Yeah, don't worry. U guys'll get in." At the beginning of our little talk, Trevor said that we had 2 walk with him, cuz he was in a hurry. He was going 2 the Danish amusementpark called Tivoli, right across from their hotel. He said he wanted 2 find some action "if U know what I mean???" We KNEW what time it was, and told him that the only action he would find in there were japanese and italian tourists. He didn't want any of that. So we told him 2 go down 2 a big street called Strøget, where he would definately find some action. He thanked us a lot while he shoke our hands, and said goodbye. We thanked him even more, cuz now we could sleep with no worries about the next night's party. Back at the hotel, we didn't have 2 wait more than 5 mins. B4 Kirk came down. He 2 was dressed very casually, with the same jacket as Trevor's and jeans. One of my friends called Thomas, who had joined me, told Kirk that he was a drummer 2, playing with Kid Creole, and various famous danish musicians. He asked Kirk what kinda drums he were playing, and then they started talking like "double D's with a 2-4 snare and a 12" hi-hat" or some shit like that. I can't remember their words exactly. I told Kirk that if he EVER got sick and couldn't play, he should call this guy Thomas, cuz he can surely play some mean-ass drums. Kirk just laughed and said that nobody would ever want that job, cuz it is hard work. He told us that he many times had gone on stage while being very ill. "Nobody is 2 sick 2 play" was what The Artist had told him, and so he had 2 do his job. Apparently the receptionist had turned up the volume on "Emancipation", and we asked Kirk if he had noticed what they were playing. He listened and smiled and said "Oh, great." He looked very tired, and we started talking about life on the road. He said that U never really sleep, cuz U always have 2 do something. The only time U can sleep is when U travel, but they were going around Europe by bus, and in a bus U don't really sleep. We asked him if we could bother him 4 an autograph, and he said "Sure, no problem." He 2 wrote on the group painting on the last page and simply signed: KIRK A.J. He said that Morris would B down in a couple of mins. We said goodbye 2 Kirk and sat down at our table 2 wait again. Kirk was still in the lobby. He went back and forth waiting 4 Morris. After hanging around 4 about 5 mins. Kirk started 2 look bored, so I went up 2 him, and asked if he wanted 2 join us at our table 4 a sodapop or something, and he said "Of course." As we sat down I asked him if he was working on a follow-up CD with his TKO project. He said that he was currently producing his sister's album which will B out any time now, but there would defmately B a TKO # 2. He asked us 2 check out his homepage called Kitchen Records at www. kitchenrecords .com. Apparently Kitchen Records is his own recordcompany, which has many other projects besides TKO and his sister's CD coming up. As we were talking Mr. Hayes had come down, and was standing at a check-in desk with a bodyguard who Kirk said was Big Earl. He is BIG alright. So is Morris. He reminded me a lot of Candyman (U know, the guy from the movie), cuz he was wearing a LONG black velvet coat, which almost touched the ground. Kinda like the l he's "wearing" in the booklet. He looked at us with his yellow glasses, as if he was supposed 2 know us. Naturally he didn't, and just smiled. Then he saw that Kirk was with us. Kirk left our table and walked over 2 Morris. They started talking and must have said something funny 2 the girl at the check-in desk, cuz she suddently started 2 laugh a whole lot. We didn't really know what was going on, cuz now they were all laughing. They were looking at Morris, who was looking down at himself 2 C if his fly was open or something. I don't know exactly. Kirk then pointed at us, while he probably told Morris who we were. We started walking 2wards them, while Morris at the same time started walking in our direction. We introduced ourselves, and gave him much respect 4 being the coolest organ grinder in the world. We talked about how The Artist must love his playing 2, since he's been in his band 4 years. We also talked about the "old" N.P.G. About Sonny's noises on his bass, and Michael's "control" of his drums. He told us that he still talks 2 those guys, quite often actually, and about how much fun they all had playing together. He said that it was kinda weird being in the band without them, and that they had no hard feelings about that. Then he started talking about The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. I asked him what he calls him, and he told us about a funny conversation they once had over the phone. He said that they once stayed at a hotel in Germany, together with Bon Jovi. The Artist was in his own room, while the rest of the band and Bon Jovi were in Morris' room. They made a lot of noise, and suddenly HE called them up. Morris answered and asked who it was. Obviously HE couldn't say his name, so he just said: "R U guys having a party?" Morris replied: "WHO is this?" The Artist then said: "R U going out?" Morris asked again, a little bit louder: "WHO IS THIS?" - he said nothing, said Morris, cuz there was nothing 2 say. I asked him if he was serious when he told Veronica Webb (in the Sunday Show Interview from Wembley Arena in '95) about how he just had his windshield repaired, because HE broke it after Morris called him Prince. He laughed and said: "No, No, that was just a joke." He paused and suddenly said: "Oh man, I had forgotten all about Veronica..." (l guess Morris is the I, which The Artist wrote about in the track "2morrow" on "Crystal Ball"?). Big Earl came over 2 get him, cuz they had 2 leave. We asked Morris 4 an autograph, and on the first page in the booklet he drawed the symbol  and signed it: C U. MR. HAYES. O+> NPG. He said that the rest of the band (incl. HIM I guess!) didn't want to go out, cuz they rather just stay in their rooms. We said goodbye, and he said: "C U at the concert." After they left, I looked at my watch. It had been almost 3 hrs. of waiting, and 1 hour of exclusive talk with the N.P.G., but unfortunately not a single second with The Artist...
Article #1, "Cross The Line" - a Backstage experience before a Prince concert 1998 is here: http://prince.org/msg/7/330023 Article #2, "The Meet & Greet Experience" - Meeting Prince before the concert in Valby Hallen 1998 is here: http://prince.org/msg/7/330024 --- [Edited 2/11/10 0:08am] [Edited 2/11/10 0:13am] [Edited 2/11/10 0:29am] [Edited 2/11/10 12:03pm] IMPORTANT: don't click on the mentioned address: www. kitchenrecords .com a lot of shit pops up, if you do.. [Edited 2/11/10 12:06pm] [Edited 2/11/10 12:07pm] Prince 4Ever.  | |
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This article is funny because it's obviously written by a total fam. I mean, who else would want to spend 3 hours of their life trying to meet the discount band?    FREE THE 29 MAY 1993 COME CONFIGURATION!
FREE THE JANUARY 1994 THE GOLD ALBUM CONFIGURATION |
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Thanks for another fun read. The phone convo and broken windshield story... If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
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Thanks for the article ... Peace ... & Stay Funky ...
~* The only love there is, is the love "we" make *~ www.facebook.com/purplefunklover |
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moderatorthedance said: Mr. Larry Graham himself came pimp-walking in from the outside, with a woman I'd never seen B4, by his side. He said something like: "Whew, I tell U, this girl... she's worn me out!" the Reverend started laughing, while I was just standing there, doing nothing.
Ah, good ol' JW groupie humour. Maybe he'd been down to Strøget. | |
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squirrelgrease said: The phone convo story...
Yes, that's actually quite a funny story.  FREE THE 29 MAY 1993 COME CONFIGURATION!
FREE THE JANUARY 1994 THE GOLD ALBUM CONFIGURATION |
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