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Vivian Martin Prince

9 August 1941 – September 2025

Viv Prince, the flamboyant and trailblazing drummer
best known for his explosive tenure with the

1960s band The Pretty Things, has died at the age
of 84.

Born in Loughborough in 1941, Prince began his
musical journey as a jazz drummer before bursting
onto the rock scene in the early 1960s. He joined The
Pretty Things in 1964, where his wild energy and

unconventional style helped redefine the
role of the drummer in rock music.

His influence extended far beyond the

band, inspiring legends like Keith Moon
of The Who, who studied Prince’s

uninhibited performances and adopted
his anarchic spirit.

Though his time with The Pretty Things

was brief—marked by two seminal
albums and a string of UK hits including
’Don’t Bring Me Down’ and ‘Honey I
Need’—Prince’s impact was seismic. His

onstage antics, from drumming on fire
buckets to laying carpet mid-
performance, became the stuff of rock

folklore.

After leaving the band in 1965, Prince

played with a range of acts including The
Who, The Honeycombs, and Hawkwind.

Later in life, he retreated from the spotlight, living on a farm in Portugal, where he

was remembered by Jack White as “an inspired and eccentric rock and roller… one
of the real ones”.

Viv Prince’s legacy lives on in the thunderous rhythms and rebellious spirit of rock
music. He is survived by a legion of fans and fellow musicians who continue to
celebrate his fearless artistry.

No cause of death has been reported.