Eric Leeds, maybe?

He and Hayes are both off-and-on band members, though. Michael B also.

Gotta be Morris.

Dr Fink was like 14/15 yrs

Fink. He was pre Revolution, Revolution, Counter-Revolution, SOTT/Lovesexy and Batman eras.

Mr Hayes - 1992-2001 / 2005-present

so thats 16 years

Dr Fink was 1979-1990?

Are we talking consecutive years or just total years despite breaks? Fink is consecutive and Hayes is total.

RumAndRaisin said:

Mr Hayes - 1992-2001 / 2005-present

so thats 16 years

Dr Fink was 1979-1990?

yep Dr Fink actually was still working with Prince into the December 1990 but then he got married

He was on the Nude Tour 1990 4 GB

I'm going with Fink.

HonestMan13 said:

Are we talking consecutive years or just total years despite breaks? Fink is consecutive and Hayes is total.

I would say so too!

Prince seems to be real cool wth all his band members but Morris and Fink have always stayed around. Morris a bit more these days though. LOL

EyeJester7 said:

nevermind

[Edited 7/6/12 17:36pm]

klick2me said:

I was thinking about Morris Hayes the other day and wondered how long he had been playing with P. I know there was a period when he wasn't in the band, I think it was for the ONA tour. As far as I can tell he has been around for a long time. I am not sure about employees at Paisley Park or any other area Prince might employ an individual. Can any of you Purple Hippies shed some light on this question? klick [Edited 7/6/12 9:32am]

Yep, Morris!

I miss the Fink solos... No one could do the Head solo better than Fink (except Prince himself maybe)... but then again we ain't gonna hear Head live again as it was originally intended are we?

funkylust said:

EyeJester7 said:

HonestMan13 said:

Are we talking consecutive years or just total years despite breaks? Fink is consecutive and Hayes is total.

I would say so too!

Prince seems to be real cool wth all his band members but Morris and Fink have always stayed around. Morris a bit more these days though. LOL

You mean cold!?

Yeah, Dr Fink and Mr Hayes seem to have the longest runs... and both play keys

TwiliteKid said:

Gotta be Morris.

callimnate said:

EyeJester7 said:

I would say so too!

Prince seems to be real cool wth all his band members but Morris and Fink have always stayed around. Morris a bit more these days though. LOL

You mean cold!?

I guess you can say that in a way...LOL

I mean, I just can't imagine Prince being mean to his band members, but I am sure he has had his days, and has let go of some musicians based on a misunderstanding, which is really sad in a way....

Sheila ?

thepope2the9s said:

Yeah, Dr Fink and Mr Hayes seem to have the longest runs... and both play keys

I think this is no coincidence. Having someone reliable and long-term to delegate all the stuff to do with having the right patches and samples etc is probably a huge help.

Dr Fink got 12 and a bit years. Joined Prince in the fall of 78 and was only jilted in January 1991 when he could not play Rock in Rio, by 1989 Prince had got tired of him as he had ballooned in weight and got married (As in Possessed, he couldn't do Rio - You couldn't drop everything for me, so goodbye). Originally Tommy Elm was only a temporary, but Prince made the switch permanent and maybe as he still wanted one token musical white member in the band (Diamond and Pearl were white, but just dancers). Elm lasted at least 8 years as he was there in late 98.

Larry has been with him since late 97/early 98, so thats 14 years. Mr Hayes definitely he has longevity a founding member of the NPG, and in the current line. What about John Blackwell? (Prince has always had great people behind his drum kits (Sheila E, Michael B and Blackwell).

Adorecream said:

Dr Fink got 12 and a bit years. Joined Prince in the fall of 78 and was only jilted in January 1991 when he could not play Rock in Rio, by 1989 Prince had got tired of him as he had ballooned in weight and got married (As in Possessed, he couldn't do Rio - You couldn't drop everything for me, so goodbye). Originally Tommy Elm was only a temporary, but Prince made the switch permanent and maybe as he still wanted one token musical white member in the band (Diamond and Pearl were white, but just dancers). Elm lasted at least 8 years as he was there in late 98.

Larry has been with him since late 97/early 98, so thats 14 years. Mr Hayes definitely he has longevity a founding member of the NPG, and in the current line. What about John Blackwell? (Prince has always had great people behind his drum kits (Sheila E, Michael B and Blackwell).

Larry is not a band member. He is a friend, and artist in his own right with his own band, who has worked with Prince.

Adorecream said:

I was about to say I don't remember seeing Tommy in any NPG-related material after The Gold Experience era (pre-Emancipation) and I don't believe the story of Prince "getting tired" of Fink nor is Larry Graham a PRINCE band member, he had and still has his own band (Graham Central Station) for about 40 years so I don't know how you came to that conclusion, Adore...

[Edited 7/8/12 8:25am]

Adorecream said:

Dr Fink got 12 and a bit years. Joined Prince in the fall of 78 and was only jilted in January 1991 when he could not play Rock in Rio, by 1989 Prince had got tired of him as he had ballooned in weight and got married (As in Possessed, he couldn't do Rio - You couldn't drop everything for me, so goodbye). Originally Tommy Elm was only a temporary, but Prince made the switch permanent and maybe as he still wanted one token musical white member in the band (Diamond and Pearl were white, but just dancers). Elm lasted at least 8 years as he was there in late 98.

Larry has been with him since late 97/early 98, so thats 14 years. Mr Hayes definitely he has longevity a founding member of the NPG, and in the current line. What about John Blackwell? (Prince has always had great people behind his drum kits (Sheila E, Michael B and Blackwell).

Hayes wasn't a full stretch band member

Here is a pic of Dr Fink in 1990 for the Nude tour, hardly 'ballooned in weight' he was pretty fit

disque said:

Sheila ?

Sheila E was only officially in the band from 1987-1989 SOTT - Lovesexy era

OldFriends4Sale said:

Hayes wasn't a full stretch band member

What does that mean?

chocolate1 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Hayes wasn't a full stretch band member

What does that mean?

Maybe he meant long term?

the shite keyboard sounds coincided with the departure of fink.... i say coincided...