Uncovering Prince with Andy "Griff" Kistner | Paisley Park Employee 1996-2001

[@SKZemiliaSTAY]

It's so amazing to finally hear all of these stories about Prince encouraging, nurturing, paying for classes, making people think outside of the box, giving people who weren't even experts in their fields and people not even close to their fields... and putting them in charge of certain random things... he pulled them out of random jobs and gave them opportunities in random artistic ways that they never even fathomed possible for themselves and yet once he put that belief and pressure on them and in them...they pushed themselves to be more then they ever thought they were capable of. I honestly hope all of these people who were blessed with his encouragement appreciate the capabilities he pulled out of them that they never thought possible before him. Prince obviously had many faces and some of those faces might have been ahole...but to be honest... I'd welcome his tough ahole persona pushing me to be something I literally never knew I was capable of...I'd thank him for how generous he was with teaching people things they'd never feel capable of doing. God! How blessed these people are!

[@orbsyorb544]

Very interesting interview. Griff was so nonchalant about his whole time he worked for Prince. Listening to his stories really showed that business, not so kind side of Prince. Then you hear he’s paying for classes to help further Griff’s career. Prince was a true Gemini. Thanks for sharing your story!

[@shaundonaghy9476]

Awesome interview.

[@tonydeltablues]

Great to hear from Griff! I have to agree with Griff's point about Prince's live performances often being better than the studio recording.

[@sandrasmith7501]

tonydeltablues Yeah.....I think his live performances were better than most studio versions. What he felt and heard in his mind is what he did..even if it was right in the middle of something that had been rehearsed for hours. Says a lot about his musicians! Love the rehearsals and aftershows as well. Great interview.

[@3t-sm954]

Quality interview

[@dawnp9804]

Casey and Kim, thank you for another great interview. It was really nice hearing from "Griff." It's nice to hear from folks who weren't in the actual music industry but had interesting interactions with him. Prince was definitely multi-faceted as others have said. These series continue to give us a peek behind the curtain into who he was as a man not just a musical genius. Thank you so much. Awesome job!

[@TheVioletReality]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!

[@BigJEnterprises]

Great channel, another great interview, thanks for sharing Griff!

[@sunnypie2]

Thank you so much for this awesome interview. I totally get what Griff was saying in that Prince was a genius and he had trouble relating to most everyday people. He could work 24 hours and cared about the art, and had no trouble sacrificing the mundane needs of building relationships etc, that most of us need to feel complete. I don’t think he needed that, and was perplexed as to why people quit or could not fulfill his “simple” requests. That’s what I got from this interview. So cool to get Griff’s innocent recollections of Prince. I just wished that when Prince intimated him during their encounters that Griff tried to continue the conversation and tried to explain to Prince why he had to leave and etc...it seemed like a missed opportunity to see Prince twice and not have a conversation 🙁. Prince seemed cool, and I’m sure he would have listened ...maybe

[@troytoy63]

Another great interview,,,Thanks guys ....

[@tina8796]

Another great video ! loving this series. thanks guys

[@janethuegerich8411]

Thank you for another great interview. Griff seems like a nice guy, going to Amazon and order his book. Wouldn't it have been nice to have known Prince like that.

[@dukeeatmon6187]

NICE INNERVIEW!

[@HackneyJunglist]

Another fantastic interview 👌🏿

[@TheVioletReality]

Thank you so much!

[@wisdomseeker3362]

Andy does have a refreshing innocence about him.

[@Jay-ow8rm]

Another great interview guys,keep'm coming 👍

[@sandrasmith7501]

Another great job, thank you!

[@4422Lisa]

Sleep around should definitely have been released as the first single from Emancipation. I have always loved that song. Was a bit disappointed when he did covers, but for me the second CD on Emancipation is one of my all time favourite albums.

[@tanaburgard1302]

I've been a Prince fan, 4-ever... I ENJOYED, this interwove. ;) I was just at Paisley, 1st week of May. (I liked hearing stories of the game room.) Congrats, on your graphic design. He was cool, like that'. (It has changed.)

[@michaelkaine3684]

Sup "Griff"... Without Saying My Name ,I kno U Remember Me Because I Was The 1 that Started Calling U "Griff"... Think about it... 🤔 😁👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾... Cool Interview Tho Bro Stay Smooth

[@skygazer6898]

Great easy going chat with so much interesting info shared. Here is the thing, the more I hear about Prince the man the more I know I would not have warmed to him. Always will be remembered as a genius but for me a very flawed, complicated human being. To have employees on call for 24 hours a day (I hope the pay was good Griff) and not to be able to have any social life and yet Prince would fire them without a moment's thought to me shows what a controlling individual he was. I listened to another ex-employee talking about Prince who said he would see him most days but Prince would never talk to him. They passed each other on the stairs and the employee thought " he has got to say something now" but instead Prince just sprinted past him. Prince definitely had a side to him that I personally think was very unpleasant. In their last meeting when Griff went over to say hello Prince, just rolled his eyes, seriously, any decent person would say hi, how is life treating you...not Prince. They do say never meet the people you admire the most as you will come away disappointed. Still, who is perfect in this world? Griff, comes across as a thoroughly honest and likeable guy. You guys are so good at what you do.......nothing is stilted and your chats just flow so easily and are so natural Much appreciated

[@TheVioletReality]

Thanks Skygazer....Those are great points. He was a very complicated person and that's why we do this series.... To try and understand him from all different angles. Glad you enjoyed the interview!

[@warrenlightning8137]

Skygazer - We are all flawed. True PERFECTIONIST are always misunderstood and perceived as Difficult.

[@michaelfrazia4569]

you see why the people who lasted at paisley were kept...Griff and Kim are just cool people

[@user-gi6ee8vj1y]

He thought Wendy and Lisa worked in accounting?! LMAO!

[@rexxgarvin5313]

The guitar will always do it...............Always........ Prince, Amazing........

[@mozfonky]

can't find it on amazon, his stories are like so many of the other Prince folk, fantastic.

[@demetrimeko]

good interview

[@ChromeLuxx]

Book is not available and hasn’t been for some time. Hopefully there will be a reprint or electronic version.

[@4422Lisa]

Also I love this series.

[@Gothicblackchic]

His personality reminds me of Bobby Z

[@misiesnow2654]

Thank U 4 this interview. I have a question ~ I heard from someone that the Pay Per View Concert had 2 B started over becuz Prince was not happy with something. Is this true?? If so, how far had the concert progressed when Prince decided it had 2 B done over???

[@BrentWalterSmith]

Great job Andy!! I brag about you to my friends daily.

[@FRED-ed3qf]

Still have the T-shirt

[@gaylahuckaby1]

As much as I enjoy hearing about Prince... this guy omg his tone ... not a story person IMO

[@wendileona]

Did Prince PAY you for the illustration that you drew and he placed on T-shirts?