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Unsung Hero in Purple Engineering : Michael Koppelman

After he graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1988, Koppelman immediately got a job working at a recording studio in Wisconsin for “a drug addict rich guy.” He describes the experience as “dysfunctional” and “upside-down.” He continues, “One day, I finally quit, threw my keys at the guy and when I got home there was a message on my machine from Paisley Park offering me a job.”

Koppelman fell in love with Prince’s music after seeing Purple Rain when he was 17. “I have a journal entry from when I was a kid,” Koppelman says. “I was like, ‘Someday, it’s going to just me and Prince in the studio.’” And it happened—he spent a few years as Paisley Park’s assistant engineer, putting in 14-hour days, setting up microphones and plugging in cords. One day, the lead engineer didn’t show. Prince tried out two other assistant engineers, Tom Garneau and Dave Friedlander, and wound up choosing Koppelman as his main engineer.

Koppelman became much more intimate with Prince. He recorded and mixed Prince’s album Diamonds and Pearls, parts of Graffiti Bridge—“the highlight of my musical career,” he says—and played bass and keyboards on a track called “Blue Light.” He even co-wrote a Louie Louie song with Prince called “Dance Unto the Rhythm.” Though things ended on a bitter note when Koppelman was fired—“I called in sick and then said the word ‘no’” to a work request,” he says—he still has fond memories of working with Prince. The end of his run at Paisley Park presented Koppelman with the time to explore other interests—and he has plenty. (x)

Purple Tenure (1989 - 1994) Graffiti Bridge Diamonds and Pearls [Love Symbol] The Vault : Old Friends for Sale Martika’s Kitchen (Martika) Spellbound (Paula Abdul, Prince/U) Child of the Sun (Mayte) 1-800-New-Funk T.E.V.I.N (Tevin Campbell, Prince/Round and Round)

#Prince #Michael Koppelman #Unsung Heroes Week #The Engineers