9/28/2004

Tuesday is Prince Day: Pt 1: Meet Dr Fink

I saw the video for "Let’s Go Crazy" the other day, and remembered the late 80s, around the time of ‘Sign of The Times’, when Paisley Park Studios seemed like the most exciting place in the world. Prince didn’t give many interviews at the time, but fortunately Matt ‘Dr’ Fink, his utterly legendary keyboard player was there and he remembers everything:
1) Those massive synth sounds on ‘1999’? They came from an Oberheim 4 Voice, multi-tracked four times with different patches.
2) Everything was always played live. The only time he let Dr Fink use a sequencer was to play the rhythm part on ‘I Would Die 4 U’ from Purple Rain. Prince could play it live himself, but Dr Fink couldn’t.
3) Prince also used the boring-but-apparently-good Roland D-50 during the late 80s. Rather than installing a huge, wheezing Hammond in Paisley Park, he… used the Hammond patch on a D-50. Perhaps you'd like to buy a D-50 Fridge Magnet
4) On stage, Prince appears to be playing a grand piano. In fact, it’s a prop – a Yamaha KX88 master keyboard built into a piano shell with a strengthened top (so he can dance on it).
5) Jimmy Jam auditioned to be Prince’s keyboard player. Fink got the job.
6) Dr Fink is no longer working with Prince. He is available for session work and can be booked on 1-952-447-7708. You can see his studio here.
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8 comments:

  1. I've been told that prince is proficient at 17 different instruments. true? what do we know for sure that he plays?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:41 pm

    2000 Rave. Prince and Larry Graham slapping in stage. WOW.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:02 pm

    that's bull man...

    Who told you that Wendy and Lisa wrote those parts from all of the early records or any records for that matter?

    Wendy didn't enter the band until 83 anyway and Prince was writing and doing everything on every record up until Purple Rain - that was his first real band record.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:57 am

    You mean FUNKSTICK.

    He Funks it all up!


    Whaaaaaa!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4:06 pm

    A MOMENT PLEASE, I WANT KNOW IF PRINCE CAN PLAY THE SAX...PLEASE SOMEBODY WHAT SAY ME THIS.
    THE SAX I THINK WHAT IS AN FAVORITE INSTRUMENT BY PRINCE, WHY HE HAVE THIS IN MUCH OF HIS MUSIC.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous4:09 pm

    i want have friends what like from Prince's Music, Prince's Fans,this way please write me to Garnefski@hotmail.com
    My Name Is Jor-Dan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous4:15 pm

    Aah I Forget Something... Can Write Me In English And Spanish (Español)
    please people what like from ALL Prince Music

    Jor-Dan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous11:48 am

    Gatonegro wanted to know if Prince can play sax - as far as I know he can, but he's not very proficient at it which is why he uses expert players like Mr. Leeds and Candy Dulfer.

    Jor-Dan, if you're looking for somewhere to chat to fellow Prince fans I recommend www.prince.org. There's also www.housequake.com but (just my opinion) prince.org is better.

    ReplyDelete

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