Dr. Fink "My 12 Years With Prince". The Interview. Sunset Sound Roundtable

Matthew Fink aka Dr. Fink was a keyboardist and a genius in synthesis for Prince for over 12 years. He was a member in the earliest band, as well as Prince & The Revolution and the later Prince and The New Power Generation.
This is his story
Also...25 LIMITED EDITION "PURPLE RAIN" WORK ORDER'S Signed By Prince:
sunsetsoundstore.com/products...
Host/Producer: Drew Dempsey: / drewfdempsey
Guest: Matthew Fink: mattfink1?...
Merchandise: sunset-sound-merchandise.mysh...
Instagram: / sunsetsound. .
Facebook: @sunsetsoundrecorders
Website: www.sunsetsound.com
#prince #purplerain #princerogersnelson #sunsetsound

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

25 Limited Edition’Purple Rain’ Work Orders signed by Prince sunsetsoundstore.com/products/prince-purple-rain-work-order-from-sunset-sound

[@superhillsider]

Mine is pride of place on my wall, purple framed of course!

[@antwaynetube]

I understand the replica is 18x24, but what size is the original? Thank you!

[@TheIzziShow]

What's up with the sound pack you were tallking about I want it LINK PLEASE

[@andys4261]

@@TheIzziShowme too!

[@michaelrose7013]

There will never be anybody like Prince. His career is a blueprint of creative genius and a force of nature

[@r.h.4261]

Dr. Fink is so cool. This is one of the best interviews on Prince. Thanks for sharing!

[@KymelieLeonard-wb6bw]

His look was cool🧑‍⚕️🎹🎹🎹🎹

[@smitty54017]

I met Matt at the MN State Fair in 2023. Very humble man. He seemed shocked that I wanted his autograph.

[@leephillips4168]

My Dad was at the Friday show and called me the next day. He wasn't a fan and dismissive of Prince. Three years later, I made him watch Purple Rain and the next day i came home to find the soundtrack album on my bed with a note from him saying he'd never been so wrong about an artist.

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

💜

[@joejamison8876]

Yes, because he got a lot better and dressed a bit more normal when he did Purple Rain- not about racism when he got booed off..

[@leephillips4168]

​@@joejamison8876it has zero to do with racism.......

[@martinheath5947]

That's adorable 😊

[@ROCKNROLLFAN]

Prince said it BEST; " A strong spirit transcend rules" and he was beyond strong to have done all of that music, tireless touring, constant interviews and promoting, independent distributions, and helping other artists for 40 STRAIGHT YEARS. He will always be the GREATEST in my opinion.

[@chiquitalove9944]

THIS IS SIMPLY A GOOD THING

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

Finks solo on Head blew me away when I first heard it in the early 80s. Still today it’s so cool , funky and sleazy. Very talented musician.

[@dominiquejones3805]

FACTS!!! I was watching the performance the other day. Fink went off

[@wisdomseeker3362]

Fink is not only a super talent himself , he has always remained grounded and the guy that keeps the team together. He looks and sounds great. Life has surely been good to him. I have a lot of admiration for Mr. Fink . Great interview and insight as always . Thank you so much Sunset Sound Roundtable . I'm a forever fan of this channel .🎉

[@goddessinme333]

I empathize with Prince. Getting older and dealing with chronic pain is no joke. He also had problems sleeping. That combination alone is enough to push one to self medicate. I think it's amazing he went his whole life without succumbing to alcohol and drugs. And I certainly do not judge him for making the choices he made towards the end. I can't imagine the fear and anxiety he felt as a person who was trying to stay revelant by his own standards. I am grateful to him and everyone who worked with him to create incredible music. Thanks for this authentic interview.

[@alfredliggins8510]

I have a herniated disk in my neck feels like someone's standing on my shoulder... right arm gets numb and of course I can't sleep now I'm on tramadol and lyrica supposed to see a spine specialist soon but this is not a fun time in my life

[@goddessinme333]

@alfredliggins8510 I am so sorry to hear of your struggles. Chronic pain robs a person of their joy, or it at least makes you fight harder to stay on the sunny side of things. I sincerely hope you can get reprieve and quickly. It takes a lot of courage to make yourself vulnerable by letting people know what's going on. I have some new limitations and minor pain on a daily basis, and that alone freaks me out. I can't imagine what you're going through. Best of luck. It's easy for people to be judging without understanding the full picture.

[@veerchasm1]

Very few people come off as cool, talented and humble as the Doctor. What wonderful stories

[@waynefoote3781]

Dr. Fink is one of the only people to co-write with Prince on records....Dirty mind was Unbelievable...... and the solo that he laid on Head, remains one of the most fiery and uplifting synthesizer solos of all times! Thank you so very much for the history you helped to create as a performer and writer Mr. Matthew Fink! ...........I remain bedazzled.

[@Zrotlrnz]

"Head" was quite a track. I automatically figured he did not do solo on that cut (not that he can)...just knew Doc. Very impressive.

[@gunslingerAR]

I only remember two things about the Colosseum concert

[@styner3]

Actually Andre Cymone wrote “Do me Baby” and started getting writer royalties in 2014. Morris Day wrote “Sexy Dancer” and offered him writers credit or his own group.

[@kevinaustin0369]

Dirty Minds was when I personally discovered Prince. I was much too young to have been listening to it. I was a kid. Not sure how I came across it, but that was it for me. Ever since Prince was and still is one of my favorite artists ever.

[@waynefoote3781]

Yes....and it is the music itself that really counts for being inspired I understand that it was x rated which provided the shock value but the music just ripped on that album.@@kevinaustin0369

[@3minus3_]

I met Dr. Fink after a Prince impersonation show and he was absolutely LOVELY! Such a kind person. Loved listening to this interview.

[@danepaulstewart8464]

Dr. Fink!!! ALRIGHT! Now THIS is the guy I have been waiting to hear from! Because I knew how long he’d been on the scene, and how often he had contributed of the years! 👍😎👍

[@transformationgeneration]

Extremely likable guy. Phenom synth player.

[@mgardner70]

Absolutely.

[@alexandranovotny1241]

This is one of the best interviews I've watched. Thank you! I enjoy listening to those who were there from the beginning and speak of the creative process and Prince's humanity, work ethic, and sense of humor. The man was an otherworldly genius who wanted us to love one another and give back where we could. He is part of my fabric, and I'm truly grateful for his music and artistic collaborations that continue to serenade my soul. 💜

[@jeffmeredith2100]

Tell that to the guys he grew up with and whose mama's fed him

[@kitvexed8229]

what an absolute LOVELY GUY.. right away i liked him.. who wouldn't? Dr. Fink, still keeping it real!

[@moehammondmedia]

One of the greatest Prince interviews ever. Love you Doc.

[@soapy3204]

I was in studio 3 in 1992 with L kravitz tracking for an English band and one of the engineers bought down a wan pedal of prince’s from his storage there ,no name ,just a purple wah ,during the recording I sat out and got coffee and remember tears for fears being in the house too….a moment that has often made me smile ….a simple wah pedal 💛💜

[@PhatLvis]

Very good that the OGs are keeping Prince in the discussion. His music will always make him Relevant, but it doesn't hurt to keep up the hype for new generations of fans. Prince was Pop music's greatest genius - not only for his songwriting, performing and production prowess, but because he created his Own Genre. For instance, other than to label it "pop," how would one categorize a song like Little Red Corvette? Is it Rock? Is it R&B? Same goes for 1999. Is it Funk? Rock? New Wave? Synth Pop? It is all of these, and None of them; it is simply and singularly Prince. What's more, during his great period in the 80s he was able to churn out an astounding Quantity of excellent Hits, working mainly alone - to the point that his contemporaries, who used Teams of producers, writers, etc., could hardly keep pace. And even without the benefit of 80s nostalgia, Prince's songs would stand the test of time - unlike many of Madonna's tunes, for example.

[@briankehew579]

Matt is a great guy, great player, and a longggg lasting member of a tough band to be in for a long time! Great interview!

[@leoquesto9183]

Very nice to hear Matthew Fink’s talk about his experience. Dr.Fink!

[@70sinful]

Thank you for asking about Manic Monday several times from several different people to confirm Appollnia didn't co write it thank you!

[@leeharrison8222]

I really enjoy hearing the backstory directly from former band members--the stories behind the albums, the development of The Revolution and the insights and observations back then. So much history but you get some of the gaps filled in with these interviews. Wonderful to see and hear the words of the inimitable 'Dr.' Matt Fink!

[@juanalcarazperez4229]

DR Fink, Sunset Sound Recorders: THANK YOU SO , SO MUCH TO SHARE .

[@StretchyStretch1]

Dr. Fink's funk is eternal!

[@juanalcarazperez4229]

I have somewere, a proffesional study from a prestige musical college of Prince's Voice , analyzing it through most of Prince's live concerts. They conclude Prince' s voice it is a 5 and 1/2 OCTAVES voice. Without help of machines, harnonizers or effects.

[@danepaulstewart8464]

Dr. Fink!.. Matt… you have no idea how huge a part of my life you have been from my teenage years all the way up to now at age 57! As a young teenager, watching “Dr. Fink” bring the coolest damn character to those controversial videos. The sounds we had never heard before, a character performance such as we have never seen before! For all of us early starter kids, the synthesizers were the new, innovative music in the world! The world was wide-open! And you were the captain of that ship for us here in the Midwestern US. Now we were ambitious, but we weren’t delusional, and we knew that only very very very few of us got to be someone like Prince, but with work, we could become one of the masters like you, and you carried us through for so many years! All the way through the revolution and into the new power generation years. What a gift! What a goddamn gift! Then that stuff took a shift, and we kind of grew up and had our own bigger things going on, and in walks, Dr. Fink’s sound libraries on disc! And we are fired up all over again! We carry you with us once again… Then, right on cue, here you are popping up in our favorite series of interviews at Sunset Sound. Bringing us back to the best of the old days, but not talking about it like it’s all over and done with because you’re still cooking! So thank you so much Matt, thank you so so much. You’ve been there making our whole lives better. There’s a special place in heaven for cats like you! 👍😎👍

[@Zepster77]

Beautiful remark…

[@davidpeterson8431]

Great stuff. Love hearing an ego-less account of the early days. Very humble and knowledgeable, seems like a cool dude.

[@joejamison8876]

ego -less? He says in the beginning they were not ready because he had only been in the band 2 months...then drops how he co wrote a song in the next comment....puhleez he was just lucky to be there for the ride

[@steveschu]

@@joejamison8876He’s downplaying that. This dude is a monster. Prince knew and so does Matt.

[@joejamison8876]

@@steveschu puh leez monster? lol Def not ego less and he was lucky Prince found him. Prince was the whole deal!

[@davidpeterson8431]

@@joejamison8876 yeah songs take years to write... no way a song can be co-written in 2 months lol. This guy seems genuine to me.

[@jazminratzlaff5357]

Dr. Fink is one of the coolest synth keyboard players ever! Thank you Matt and to Prince for all the stories, memories, and iconic legendary music creations. Great interview! 💜 🕊️

[@sysop007]

Thank you again Sunset gang! These stories never get old. 🙏🏻🫶🏻

[@steakmediumrare]

Dr.Fink sure has the gift of speech!

[@klouis8804]

The picture of Morris Day 4-21-83 (time stamp 27:52), 33 years later an amazing artist left the stage.

[@brianbsully173]

Another great Sunset Sound interview. It’s amazing how humble the “The Doctor” is regarding his contribution to Prince’s music.

[@DonnyNoMarie]

Thank you Dr. Fink, Drew, and Sunset Sound! This interview is gold for my soul.

[@toddnelson7711]

Dr Fink is just a cool guy.All of the Revolution are cool people.

[@JohnAnderson42]

1:06:24 oh that day.... that terrible day. I tried to check the org for any news, and it was down... and then I checked the news, and they were saying someone had died. I was sure it was him.... when it was confirmed, I did something I had NEVER done. I went home early sick! I had missed maybe 5 days being personally sick! (I don't get sick). I was just sick... the next day many people had on Purple shirts or Prince stuff and a lady got mad at me...I was really in morning... she called me out for not respecting him.... I looked at her and said "don't, you have no idea how deeply saddened I am over his loss... you know Purple Rain and a few hits....I know neatly everything he ever put out and many more he didn't.... my heart is purple and it is broken."

[@energyasylum997]

Wow. Yes, that day he passed I felt like I was cheated out of something, or was cheated on. Ugh. Anyway,........ rest in peace Prince 0(+-> 🙏

[@tomh1593]

I love the Manic Monday question. Lol they had to clear things up. :):)

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

😂👏

[@reginafris6822]

I loved the brevity of that exchange. NEXT!!!!!!

[@kevinellis8307]

Absolutely fantastic interview with Matt Fink on the history behind Prince!! I’ve always been a synth enthusiast and listened intently to his rifts throughout the years. I loved this interview… only thing missing was a grand demonstration!!! 🎶🎶🎶❤️‍🩹❤️ Thank you Drew!!

[@drclarerountree]

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Great to see you Dr. Fink!!!!!

[@ursus0549]

oh just love ❤❤❤ all these interviews, I cannot get enough and never get tired re-watching/listening again and again. Dr. Fink has a wonderfully balanced personality!

[@roberthunter1220]

So happy to hear someone repeat the early history(pre-Purple Rain) during those times. The guy was jamming long before. @Soft and Wet

[@robertredick956]

Missed opportunity to talk about the Sign O the Times & Lovesexy Era. So much focus on the Revolution era, Dr Fink was around for 87-90!!!

[@Cormac-jd2kx]

True! And think about the aftershows of that era, the legendary Lovesexy Band aftershows! Imho his best era 87-89

[@sweetpain67]

Greetings Matt, currently in Phnom Penh, formerly of MPLS. Mostly, thank you for being such a classy human being.

[@dreamerrt216]

I don't know the interviewer but he did a fantastic job, this was awesome! I'm about to subscribe in 3, 2, 1..

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

Drew Dempsey Watch his interview with Prince engineer Susan Roger’s , David Z and Peggy “Mac” McCreary

[@mxxjss]

3:43 Dr Fink confirms the band’s name “Revolution” first appeared backwards the cover of the 1999 album. I always wondered if Prince had the name in mind as far back as the Dirty Mind album as the track “Partyup” included the phrase “Revolutionary rock & roll.”

[@escaton74]

hand on heart, who ever noticed the noituloveR on the 1999 sleeve

[@lauraveney1412]

Me

[@graememcintosh5678]

me

[@justinsixx90]

Flip it and look at it in a mirror it says 666, says every bible thumper in the 80s 😂😂

[@jeromejamies3641]

Thank you so much. Prince still has so many fans all over the world who LOVE him. Also thanks for showing many pics I have never seen before.

[@brewdooview]

Thanks for asking Dr.Fink about Vanity.I remember having an argument with her(on Facebook)about aspects of her life that should be documented(she was against the idea).Very goo to learned she actually changed her mind.

[@lauraveney1412]

She wrote a book

[@jonv2911]

Thank you so much for this wonderful interview, obviously done with much love and respect for HIM. R.I.P. Prince. ❤

[@trip5497]

What an amazing interview and discussion. Thank you both.

[@dr6849]

I read so much about Prince and listened to many podcasts and interviews and still I learn new things about him. Thank you for doing those interviews! We need a Wendy and Lisa interview though... ;-)

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

Mark Brown up next.

[@dr6849]

@@sunsetsoundrecorders That is not too bad either! Thank you! Much appreciated!

[@KBizzy]

What a fantastic interview. The interviewer keys Matt talk, and as a keyboard player myself I loved that he asked about the gear but didn’t talk about it at length. Just a great interview and window into what it was like to be a member of Prince’s band. Thank you, Matt!

[@GlassTarantulah]

Amazing interviews like these are the reason I am subscribed to this channel!

[@maggieposhes247]

I just came here to say I'm 5 minutes in and I'm geeking out right now. THANK YOU FOR THIS🙌

[@paweltopczewski6965]

Thank you Dr. For a great interview. We could listen to you all day long. :) peace

[@davidcollett1699]

Such great questions. Superb. I saw prince 19 times in the UK . Literally the soundtrack to my life. and I love these look backs.

[@TheListeningParty_TLP]

Kirk Johnson knows way more than he’s been willing to divulge about Prince’s opioid addiction as well as how his last days played out. Kirk actually said that out loud on an ABC interview a week or so after Prince died. A lot of sneaky, dirty BS happened in and around Prince’s demise. Rest in Peace Prince.

[@lauraveney1412]

I have no idea why associates work with him. He is a vulture

[@almondeyes73]

I agree

[@ScottGeorgeff]

having Kirk being involved with anything to do with Prince is like having Dr Conrad Murray involved with an MJ project....it's fckn sick

[@Cormac-jd2kx]

Sheila also knows crucial stuff

[@johnmichaelson9173]

Exactly & he was on the plane when Prince had the OD. He ain't gonna say anything in case he incriminates himself & he's probably correct in that assumption.

[@user-cy9bi1lx9h]

As a devoted hard Rock, heavy metal fan the one r&b group in my collection was none other than Prince and the revolution. I always thought Dr Fink was the coolest! " I've always wanted to hear an interview with the Dr. Thank you."

[@jasontate1135]

This was amazing. Thanks so much 🙏🏼

[@markcollins7765]

The incident at the Coliseum is an interesting one. Couple that with the killing of a black man at another Stones concert in California years prior. It astounds me how some Caucasians love the Rolling Stones music so passionately yet seem ignorant to how the Stones learned music and the musicians that influenced them. The Stones themselves openly have given credit of their existence and style to the blues music by African American musicians of years ago.

[@duanechase4927]

Great interview. Sad that kids today do not know the musical genius of Prince.

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

That's partly Prince's fault - policing youtube for absolutely any footage of him whatsoever

[@lauraveney1412]

Nope he was taking down musyc because he wanted to get paid and now KZbin does pay a royalty

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

@lauraveney1412 We know why he did it, that's not the point. It's the effect it had. Other artists recognised it was bad PR to stop people downloading mp3s and posting videos after Metallica's stand against the former. It really hurt them for a long period. Lots of their fans turned against them. Branding them super greedy and just wanting to sit back and earn money on past productivity in perpetuity. Prince didn't learn this lesson. He took down nearly everything anyone else posted. His cotrol freakery harmed him in terms of exposure. Thank god fans started "stealing" free music online because it stopped artists from being lazy and relying on royalties. It made them start playing live again and be productive for a living like the rest of us.

[@michaeliniga7958]

I wanted to learn prince songs on guitar in my early twenties. Prince kept his music off of sites till he died. I can play by ear now, so i have no probs, but any young musician who looked for his music was basically discouraged till the day he died. He may have been fighting labels and corporations, but he also turned his back on fans who didnt have the money to pay for his music. In case of curiosity, i said "F*** it" and learned Thin Lizzy instead 🤘🏼

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

@@michaeliniga7958 Yeah, Prince is one of the greatest musicians of all time (quite possibly the Mozart of his time), but he had a bit of a mean streak when it came to his fans. Like Zappa. Too shrewd and businessminded for their own good.

[@clubderunzensiertendichter]

Thank you for this outstanding interview and for honoring the music and genius of Prince ! In solidarity with the fighters for peace, love, freedom, justice and truth, we express our feelings with music on our channel. Greetings from Germany, CLUB OF THE UNCENSORED POETS

[@JulesFox]

Excellent interview. Prince was a creative power-house and the team he built around him was key to him realising his vision. 'Dr' Matthew Fink was essential to that. So good to see this interview and learn about this early history and Matt's career.

[@jasonfrost9774]

Very well done! Thanks for such an insightful interview/conversation ❤

[@siraj7037]

Thank you for doing this interview, Doc!!! Been with ya'll so long, I feel like part of the Revolution. (If only!!!) Love to you all from Missouri!

[@christophersummey9134]

Enjoyed listening to the Dr. and give him props for managing the not so good questions. Wish the interview got more into the creative process and allowed the Dr to have a master class session.

[@IvanLendl87]

Very cool interview 🤘. Prince was it for me in the 80’s. So great to hear Dr. Fink talk about this era. And his solo on Head is 🔥 .

[@bwm5150]

Been listening in parts during lunch breaks at work. Really enjoyable interview! I hope we get to see and hear you both play those synths. :)

[@haroldfinch8481]

Thank you for this!

[@donrobinson5662]

Thank you so much for doing this interview. This was refreshing and so pure. Dr Fink, you are an incredible musician and I can tell you are an even more incredible human being.

[@johnpetrou6]

Love this!!!! Thank you

[@gregmize01]

thank you Drew!

[@christianrichter7175]

Thank you to Sunset Sound and Dr. Fink for this interesting and in-depth interview. It is a valuable contemporary document for all music enthusiasts and Prince fans. Can I have some more, please?

[@MicahMann]

Thank u 4 this. ❤

[@MaxPower-zl1lc]

Gr8 interview. Thank you! The world could use some Prince Vibe today. RIP Legend 🎶

[@n0kturna1]

Thank you for inviting Matthew! We'd be listening for days!

[@Cordoba_studios]

I’ve been waiting for this interview

[@ivocaponio4797]

thank u so much 4 this intimate and wonderful innerview🙏🏼❣️☀️

[@treygoodman1347]

Wonderful interview!

[@Zed1984US]

another great one. thanx

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Great interview. Thanks for having him

[@owendavidfountain1100]

Can't say thank you enough. This is a world we rarely get to see.

[@fawltytenor]

Wonderful interview, really great questions. So engaging!

[@mattkaustickomments]

Dr. Fink’s 🎹🤘 T-shirt is 🔥.

[@timothyboles2521]

Kirk Johnson knows more than what he's telling...

[@curbsidecritiqe2066]

I just enjoyed a great interview about an exceptional artist and an exceptional member of his band. The insight was much appreciated. Carry-on Dr. Fink.

[@LamarJennings-eo8ps]

Matt and prince are the king of the Oberheim OBX series

[@johnlindsaygreen8547]

Thanks so much Matt (aka) Dr. Fink you are definitely a musical surgeon! Thanks also, for filling in the missing valuable periods of an amazing history 💟💟💟💟💟💟 an journey.

[@d.c.2916]

To the interviewer - what Prince experienced with the Rolling Stones was unfortunately the way it was back then...truth be told...it took me a while (circa 1982) to understand what Prince was in terms of an artist...but I would eventually understand his work and ultimately become an avid fan / follower of Prince...and have the opportunity to share a stage with him. The silver lining is that experience undoubtedly contributed to what he would evolve to up to his passing. What Prince accomplished as a musician will stand the test of time - my opinion - he is the Mozart of our time...

[@Twobarpsi]

Fascinating interview!

[@Steve-mp7by]

Great interview. So much info I had to keep rewinding. Fink must have thousands of stories. I was telling everybody for decades Fink played those solos on the Time albums and they said it was Prince

[@MrBootoob]

Special. Really special. What a guy. And respectful to his friend. Really great watch

[@cheboy]

💜🐾 Thank U

[@frankbonarrigo6086]

Great interview, such a gentlemen.

[@Jay-Go]

So damn good to see the good "Dr." on here. I'm digging this channel.

[@WookieLove1]

Really enjoyable! Thanks!

[@lancel71]

Hello Dr Fink! Much Respect!🤘

[@KymelieLeonard-wb6bw]

🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹Doctor!!! Minneapolis 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@ryKirwan1]

Can’t get enough of these thanks SSR ✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

[@Ed7501]

Very interesting interview. Thanks!

[@stephaniemurria5534]

Nice to see him.😊❤