And Finally Artist News

Damon Albarn smoked a cigarette instead of working with Prince

By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 4 June 2018

Damon Albarn revealed last week that he once turned down the opportunity to collaborate with Prince because the late musician didn’t want his studio to stink.

“I’d done a gig in Minneapolis and I was invited to go and play with Prince, so to speak”, he told Gordon Smart on Radio X. But the meet-up at Prince’s home studio would have been strictly non-smoking, Albarn was informed. “And you know”, he went on, “I was having a drink and a fag – I don’t actually smoke anymore, so I’ve knocked that one on the head – [but] I was just like, if you can’t be who you are… if I’ve invited someone, they’re my guest and there aren’t any conditions like that”.

Seems like a bit of a weird reason to object, doesn’t it? I mean, if Albarn’s refusing to go to anyone’s house where they don’t like people smoking indoors, well, that’s going to limit his options quite a lot. He can’t come round mine to watch ‘Game Of Thrones’, that’s for sure. That offer is now completely off the table.

Suddenly becoming animated, he then blurted out a whole load of words that didn’t make any sense whatsoever: “I could go and have a cigarette outside if I needed to. I’d be fucking excited, right? And why am I not going to fucking wanna just fucking go mad if I’m with Prince? So I’d rather not do it and not get pissed off with the whole thing. You know, it’s one of those could have beens. I’ve got a few of those”.

Yes, well I’m not surprised this isn’t the only failed meet up Albarn has had, given the condition he seems to place on people to the effect of them not giving him any conditions. There’s that whole ‘Game Of Thrones’ viewing that was a complete washout for starters. Oh, the things he won’t know about Jon Snow now. Oh man, you’re really missing out, Damon.