EDITED 2:24pm June 4th, 2016
I guess it's conclusive. Prince really did die of an OPIOID addiction. And I'm so sad about it. I'm still heart-broken that his legacy will be summed up this way in the history books. He really did try to be a good man. Rest in Peace Prince.
3:09 PM April 27th — amy gawlik
My Days as Prince's Producer
There was a time, in the not too distant past, when I produced the largest grossing pay-per-view event.... Ever... to-date anyway. Today, #BeyonceLemonade has far surpassed it, but I digress...
so, some years ago...
i had met Prince on the set of a music video for a sexy sultry love ballad and I guess I impressed his people🎉 so when they called me to produce his Rave for the New Millennium, without any fear, I jumped in. I was so fearless then! Oh, and by the way, the 13 camera shoot was to be live taped, edited quickly, then released about 3 weeks later. Released on that infamous night where Prince's anthem, "Tonight we're gonna party like its 1999" would be everyone's call to arms. I hired my teams, and we worked our butts off. It was so cool.
I met Lenny Kravitz. My knees went weak. And I met Larry Grahm from Sly and the Family Stone. I also met Mavis Staples, one of the Godmothers of Funk. There were the dancers and choreographers. And of course, there was Prince.
I didn't get much face to face with him, I must admit. But when I did, I was always awestruck by his presence. He always looked immaculate. And the high heeled boots? Yep, he was always in those. He was so small, much smaller than me, but his presence was enormous. He was quiet, and rarely spoke directly to anyone. His assistant Jacqui, was his mouth piece and she was excellent at disseminating the usually difficult news Prince had just dispelled. And typically he was sitting right there. He liked the layer between himself and "his people". And he trusted so few.
One of my favorite moments happened early one morning. As the producer, I knew it had been a late night for the editor, but I didn't realize Prince would be there too, having pulled an all nighter. (Totally his norm) When I swept into the edit room, He allowed me to watch what he was working on and did speak about it a bit with me. Mainly to explain how he wanted it showcased on the concert monitors, but still.. He was speaking directly to me, without Jaqui, and I suspected he was beginning to trust me.... I think...
With Prince's passing, I am protective of him. I've heard the rumors about the drugs, but I also know that nearly a week later, nothing has been definitely concluded. I've heard that he was having lots of hip pain and had undergone a hip replacement, only to get hooked on the oxy he needed to get through it, and I've heard that he started taking anti-anxiety meds so he could perform... Pretty plausible -It's no secret he got anxious and suffered from perfectionism- And I just don't believe any of it. You see, Prince was so staunch in his beliefs, that I just don't buy that He succumbed to drugs, that his demise was so pedestrian and typical RockGod in nature. He was strict about what was allowed into Paisley Park, and "His People" abided. No alcohol, no McDonald's, and certainly no drugs. I really admired him for that. I liked that his beliefs carried out into his realm and his realm was his career, his music, and his house -aka Paisley Park-... He wasn't an easy boss, but he was convicted in his beliefs. And so, I just refuse to believe what the rumors say... If I'm choosing naïveté, then I'm 👍 with that.
His music was inspirational, it was sultry, and his genius and perfectionism -his control- was inspirational to me as a young producer learning what it took to carry out a visionary's dream.
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to be one of Prince's "people" 💔💜
Watch a grainy, low res version: Lenny Kravitz and Prince perform American Woman from the concert here. And at the very beginning, if you look closely, you'll see me bringing up the back of the entourage, headset on, clipboards in hand, producing my ass off.
3:09 PM — amy gawlik
My Days as Prince's Producer
There was a time, in the not too distant past, when I produced the largest grossing pay-per-view event.... Ever... to-date anyway. Today, #BeyonceLemonade has far surpassed it, but I digress...
so, some years ago...
i had met Prince on the set of a music video for a sexy sultry love ballad and I guess I impressed his people🎉 so when they called me to produce his Rave for the New Millennium, without any fear, I jumped in. I was so fearless then! Oh, and by the way, the 13 camera shoot was to be live taped, edited quickly, then released about 3 weeks later. Released on that infamous night where Prince's anthem, "Tonight we're gonna party like its 1999" would be everyone's call to arms. I hired my teams, and we worked our butts off. It was so cool.
I met Lenny Kravitz. My knees went weak. And I met Larry Grahm from Sly and the Family Stone. I also met Mavis Staples, one of the Godmothers of Funk. There were the dancers and choreographers. And of course, there was Prince.
I didn't get much face to face with him, I must admit. But when I did, I was always awestruck by his presence. He always looked immaculate. And the high heeled boots? Yep, he was always in those. He was so small, much smaller than me, but his presence was enormous. He was quiet, and rarely spoke directly to anyone. His assistant Jacqui, was his mouth piece and she was excellent at disseminating the usually difficult news Prince had just dispelled. And typically he was sitting right there. He liked the layer between himself and "his people". And he trusted so few.
One of my favorite moments happened early one morning. As the producer, I knew it had been a late night for the editor, but I didn't realize Prince would be there too, having pulled an all nighter. (Totally his norm) When I swept into the edit room, He allowed me to watch what he was working on and did speak about it a bit with me. Mainly to explain how he wanted it showcased on the concert monitors, but still.. He was speaking directly to me, without Jaqui, and I suspected he was beginning to trust me.... I think...
With Prince's passing, I am protective of him. I've heard the rumors about the drugs, but I also know that nearly a week later, nothing has been definitely concluded. I've heard that he was having lots of hip pain and had undergone a hip replacement, only to get hooked on the oxy he needed to get through it, and I've heard that he started taking anti-anxiety meds so he could perform... Pretty plausible -It's no secret he got anxious and suffered from perfectionism- And I just don't believe any of it. You see, Prince was so staunch in his beliefs, that I just don't buy that He succumbed to drugs, that his demise was so pedestrian and typical RockGod in nature. He was strict about what was allowed into Paisley Park, and "His People" abided. No alcohol, no McDonald's, and certainly no drugs. I really admired him for that. I liked that his beliefs carried out into his realm and his realm was his career, his music, and his house -aka Paisley Park-... He wasn't an easy boss, but he was convicted in his beliefs. And so, I just refuse to believe what the rumors say... If I'm choosing naïveté, then I'm 👍 with that.
His music was inspirational, it was sultry, and his genius and perfectionism -his control- was inspirational to me as a young producer learning what it took to carry out a visionary's dream.
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to be one of Prince's "people" 💔💜
Watch a grainy, low res version: Lenny Kravitz and Prince perform American Woman from the concert here. And at the very beginning, if you look closely, you'll see me bringing up the back of the entourage, headset on, clipboards in hand, producing my ass off.