Here’s Prince, photographed by Andy Earl on the rooftop of the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo in 1994. Andy Earl has fond memories of the session, which he shares with us here.
“Q magazine had been trying for 10 years to get an interview with Prince, and in May 1994 a fax arrived on headed notepaper from Paisley Park saying “Monte Carlo this week.”
Journalist Adrian Devoy and I arrived on Sunday, expecting to shoot Monday, but that didn’t happen. Prince was starring at the World Music Awards. We were told to be ready at any time. Constant calls came from his people saying “Maybe tomorrow.”On Wednesday we were asked to a secret Prince gig above a bar at 2am, and I was told strictly no cameras. The gig was in a tiny room, and was attended by Prince Albert and the Monaco jet set. I remember it lasted until about 4am. I managed to sneak a compact camera in my sock, so got a quick couple of ‘from the hip’ shots. The bouncers descended, and grabbed me. I pointed at the journalist said it was him and he was whisked out.
Prince’s people then suggested we do our cover shoot there and then, at 4am. This was not going to be practical, so we arranged a Friday night shoot on roof top of the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. Prince arrived with enormous bouncers and his band. They were an hour late so I remember much nervous pacing around on my part. So much so that when Prince arrived, I went over to greet him, and tripped over a cable, smashing some of my lighting set up. Not a great start. There was no time to reset the lights so I decided to ‘wing it’. Just then the sun comes out. Prince saw me react excitedly and said ‘ you just got your shot’.
I smiled, he shook my hand and left. Five days and nights on standby…and a three minute photo-session!
