Cliff Notes
- Viv Prince, renowned for his work with the band Pretty Things, passed away at the age of 84, as confirmed by Jack White on Instagram.
- Known for his eccentric stage presence, Prince influenced notable musicians such as Keith Moon and was celebrated for his wild drumming style.
- He joined Pretty Things in 1964 but left after a year due to his unpredictable behaviour; he later performed with various bands, including The Who and Hawkwind.
Jack White announces death of iconic drummer Viv Prince, aged 84
Jack White confirmed the death of legendary drummer Viv Prince, aged 84. Viv Prince was best known for his work with Pretty Things.
The musician played with several bands over his career, including the Pretty Things.
He was widely known for his eccentric behaviour and outlandish stage presence, influencing the likes of Keith Moon and The Kinks.
Sharing a picture of the artist on his Instagram page, White wrote: ‘I’ve received word through my friend John Baker who knew the man well, that the great Viv Prince has just passed on.
‘Viv was an incredible drummer, wild and full of abandon. He played for the band The Pretty Things, and he influenced many other musicians like Keith Moon.
‘I was lucky enough to meet Viv some years ago who was working on his farm in Portugal at the time. He was an inspired and eccentric rock and roller and maybe I’ll have to put together a team to work on a documentary about this man one day.’
Jack White announced the session drummer’s death on Instagram
The White Stripes star branded the ‘incredible’ musician ‘wild and full of abandon’.
He ended the post: ‘Safe travels into the sweet beyond Viv, you were one of the real ones. -III’
No cause of death has been reported.
Tributes poured in in the comment section, with many reflecting on the impact his music had had on them.
Helenaqua wrote: ‘So sad to hear, Viv was pretty much the only musician of my formative era that I had any personal connections with. Wonderful to hear you were familiar with his work. 😍.’
Chimbot added: ‘One of my all-time favourites, his fills on some of that early stuff is still mind blowing 🤯.’
Angechica said: ‘Pretty Things should be raved about as legends. RIP Viv.’
A cause of death has not yet been announced
‘Those early Pretty Things records were something else. Dude was a trendsetter for sure. He will be missed,’ Colinpush said.
Prince was born in Loughborough in 1941 and forged a successful career as a session musician in the 1960s, performing in a variety of bands including The Jazz Cardinals.
He joined Pretty Thing in 1964 and became renowned for his wild onstage behaviour, often leaving his drum stool to wander around and survey the chaos.
Prince left the group a year later, with guitarist Dick Taylor telling Classic Rock of his exit: ‘The final straw with Viv came at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester. He refused to play because the pub across the road wouldn’t serve him.
‘What he hadn’t twigged was that it was attached to the hotel he’d been in the night before, causing mayhem with The Kinks. In the end, Phil [May, vocals] said: “You’d better just go home.” He was a wonderful drummer, but…’
The star left Pretty Things after just a year
The group is best known for the top 20 UK singles Don’t Bring Me Down and Honey I Need.
Prince performed on the band’s first two albums, The Pretty Things and Get the Picture?
Following his exit, he performed with the likes of the Honeycombs, the Who, and Hawkwind.
He was reportedly involved in the election campaign for Screaming Lord Sutch’s Monster Raving Looney Party, and was allegedly expelled from the Hell’s Angels for bad behaviour.