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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.
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