It's been nearly a decade since the passing of Prince, and his former bandmate has looked back on the day the Purple One became a guitarist – recalling he was always destined to be a great.
Prince needs no introduction, but if he were to get one, his list of achievements would be as long as Stretch Armstrong’s limbs. Seven Grammy wins from 38 nominations only scratch the surface of a bona fide guitar god and music legend, who has sold over 150 million records and inspired a generation of artists.
Speaking to The Guardian, Charles ‘Chazz’ Smith, Prince’s cousin and the original drummer in his high school band, Grand Central, recalls the moment Prince the guitarist was born.
Article continues below“It seems only yesterday that we were kids and went to see Sly and the Family Stone playing at the Parade stadium, Minneapolis,” Smith recalls. “We didn’t have tickets, but they tore the fence down, so we ran in and ended up on the front row, with Sly looking down on us.
“After that, Prince said: ‘We’re gonna form a band, and you’re gonna be the drummer.’ He had an upright piano in his basement and a TV in the wall, and we’d play TV themes such as The Man from UNCLE.
“We’d practice for hours, then cut each other down about how ragged or tight it was,” Smith develops. “Then we’d go play basketball. Prince could probably have played professionally if he’d wanted to, but it was always music foremost.
“He studied all the badass players, and at the local jams, he burned everybody. We’d play on our bikes and gaze at the stars, and he’d go, ‘I’m gonna be up there one day.’”
He studied all the badass players, and at the local jams, he burned everybody
Charles ‘Chazz’ Smith
Prince released his debut album, For You, in 1978, and by 1986, he was scaring his record label with his music. And as his star rose, he used his powers for good. From paying Warrant $5,000 to record their first demo to inviting young talents to jam with him at Paisley Park, Prince never stopped inspiring and supporting those in the music world.
In related news, as the producer behind the Guitar Hero video game gears up to release a spiritual sequel, a clip of Prince explaining why he declined a role in the game has resurfaced.
