Prince...

3

"The bridge worked for many artists but definitely NOT for Prince. His high-heeled shoes would have been a disaster on the grated floor surface of the bridge. His people had reached out to Denise Chatman by phone to discuss the layout of Studio 54 for a possible free performance by Prince, but in the middle of the conversation Prince took the phone and continued on with Denise rendering her almost speechless. Prince wanted to visit Studio incognito. I agreed not to alert the press. It was a gamble, but I had so much respect for the guy and I really wanted him at Studio on terms he would be comfortable with. I was hoping for an impromptu jam. I spoke to Richard Walters of the Norbu Walters Agency, a nice guy and a regular at Studio who was in touch with Prince's people. Richard agreed to do whatever he could to help make it happen. A few days earlier, I was in my limo on my way to Studio and Frankie Crocker was on WBLS radio interviewing Prince in advance of his sold out tour at Radio City Music Hall. Frankie asked Prince "I know you are a gifted musician. How many instruments do you play?" A few seconds of silence and then Prince responded: "I play twenty four, but only nineteen really well." That blew my mind. So a few nights later Denise monitored the back door and when Prince arrived she alerted me. I never would have recognised him in his hat and bandana with three friends under an assumed name. He thanked me and Denise gave him some drink tickets. Prince asked me if they were good for sodas and juice. I told him yes and they took off toward the upper level balcony and Rubber Room. A few hours later, I spotted them all sitting in the dark area of the Rubber Room watching the crowd below and stuffing their faces with candy and drinking soda of various colours, which explained the knapsack one of them was carrying when they arrived at the back door. I smiled and left them alone. A Prince jam at Studio never happened due to scheduling, but he did return to Studio several times for Frankie Crocker/Dahved Levy events. Prince never went to the DJ booth, he preferred to hang in the shadows and observe."