Adam Bravin is not your average DJ.  He's half of the recently reunited darkwave outfit known as She Wants Revenge, and is currently producing his solo studio project, Love Ecstasy Terror.  And every Saturday night, he can be found curating the music at mmhmmm at The Standard, Hollywood; where GIORGIO’S – the party he co-produces with Bryan Rabin – has just grooved past the three-year mark, stronger than ever. But, it was as DJ Adam XII that he became the go-to DJ for everyone from Stevie Wonder to President Obama.  But back in the ‘90s, he was just starting-out and was anointed by Prince to spin at his LA club, Glam Slam.  Here’s the story in his own words…

In the back of my mind I always imagined Prince would be the one musical genius who would survive into his seventies or eighties; and that someday, I would see him on some talk-show, still looking the same.  A few more wrinkles, maybe; his afro a touch thinner; talking about something funky, or spirituality, or how important it is to own everything you create.  But, I was never prepared to wake-up in a world where he was no longer with us.

I learned the art of seduction by watching Prince and listening to his music. Of course, it didn’t really play out so well, when I was 14, and trying to emulate his swagger (or looking at the girls I met, the way he looked at Apollonia, in Purple Rain); but it would definitely become a subtle part of my persona as I got older.

At 16, I became a DJ. I started spinning in high school, and once I graduated, I worked my way into the Hollywood club-scene (after a few years of spinning at every house party, in the San Fernando Valley). After a few years of coming-up through the ranks of LA DJs, I met a guy that was Prince’s DJ at Glam Slam, a club that Prince owned, downtown. I used to go religiously and listen to him spin, trying to figure out why Prince had chosen him. Honestly, he wasn’t that good (although he had as many Prince and Prince-related records as I did; which I’m sure is why he got the gig).

Prince would perform at Glam Slam once every few weeks, and he was always there. It was amazing. I would see him from across the club, and watch the way he moved; how he interacted with the women he had in his private area, how he would control the room as a front-man, while performing.  It was incredible. It was a really special place for me and a very special time in my life. I would ask my friend, (his DJ), all the time if I could do a set. He always said no. I asked almost every week for a year, always no. There was a private room upstairs that they would keep open late on certain nights and go after hours. My friend would DJ in that room as well. I would stand next to him, always imagining what I would play if it were me spinning in that room. Prince would be there sometimes, dancing, sitting in the corner, eating a lollipop.  You know, just doing really Prince-y things.

After asking my friend for a year straight if I could do a set, he finally said yes. “Come this Wednesday and you can spin for 30 minutes.”  I lost it. For the next week, I went back and read every single thing I could about Prince’s influences to make sure that I had the perfect set of music that I knew he would like. I had a little red box of 45s, all the sickest funk tunes I was aware of at that point in my life. I was ready. I showed up that Wednesday night, completely prepared. Nobody was there. Empty. The DJ and maybe 3 people. He knew it was going to be empty, obviously, and chose that night purposely. At around 2:30 am, he moved aside and let me on the tables. He laid down in the booth behind where we were spinning and nodded off.

I started playing my 45s, doing the best job that I could, for the 3 or 4 people that were actually in the room, sitting at the bar, having drinks. Suddenly, at 3:15am, a big bodyguard walks in the door, with Prince following closely, right behind him. I turned around to check on my friend, praying that he was still asleep.  He was, so I continued doing my thing. Prince walked by me and sized me up, like “Who the fuck is this young-ass white boy, playing all this funky shit??”

He went and hid behind a stack of speakers; slowly peering out from behind them every few minutes, to take a quick look, then slowly moving back into the shadows. A very Prince thing to do. Finally, he started dancing. He moved out to the middle of the floor and danced by himself, while I played one of the greatest funk sets of my life. He danced for 45 minutes straight. The Meters, The J.B.’s, Shuggie Otis, Larry Ellis & The Black Hammer, Sly and the Family Stone, Kool & The Gang, James Brown, Reginald Milton, and The Soul Jets. I kept playing: He kept dancing.

Finally, my friend woke up. He saw what was happening and quickly moved me out of the way and got back on the decks. His first song was “Atomic Dog” by George Clinton. Prince stopped dancing, and called his bodyguard over. The bodyguard was tall, so he had to lean way down, in order for Prince to whisper something in his ear. The bodyguard approached us, looked at me, and said, “Do you want a job?” “Yes!” I replied. He looked at my friend and said, “You can pack up your stuff and leave now, you’re done.” He looked back at me, “Boss wants you to continue. Get back on. You start in the main room, Friday night, at 10pm. Don’t be late.” I got back on, and Prince danced for another hour; then left, without any goodbyes. He just bounced. Everyone was gone, and I was alone. Prince’s new DJ. Fucking insane.

That first Friday night that I was there, I brought a friend with me, for support. On Fridays the party was called Erotic City; and they would do these huge, elaborate dance numbers with Carmen Electra, Jamie King, Pussy Control, Dorothy Parker, and all the Prince dancers. That night, while they did their show, I went downstairs to the VIP bar, and had a few drinks. I didn’t really drink, back then; and I got a little tipsy. I started to tell my friend how I really didn’t like the New Power Generation, and how Prince shouldn’t have that whack rapper on any of his songs, blah blah blah. Suddenly a look of horror sweeps over my friend’s face. I turned around and, of course, Prince was standing behind me, listening to me. “Please continue…” he said to me.

Now, I could have easily lied and made up some bullshit about what I was talking about, but I thought to myself, “Well at least I worked for Prince for one night!” I told him that I wasn’t a fan of the rapper and that I preferred the music he made when it was just him, without any guest vocalists or musicians. He smiled and said, “You have fun up there tonight, DJ. Make ‘em dance, Kid.”

Based on how he treated me, from that moment on, he had some kind of respect for me - for being honest and telling him the truth. He came up, in the booth that night, and just hung out behind me, while I played records. It was one of the best nights of my life.

Over the next year, I played every Friday and Saturday night.  From time to time, Prince would come to the DJ booth, with freshly pressed records of gold; and have me test new songs on the crowd, as he made them. “Cream,” “Get Off,” “Sexy MF,” “My Name is Prince,” and “Thieves in the Temple,” as well as songs that either never came out, or songs that would come out many years later.

It was incredible, completely surreal, and unbelievable. (I may or may not have taken the gold test-pressing of “Cream”.) I was scared of him, at first; but quickly realized that he was this funny, amazing, articulate, artistic genius, with whom, through the magic of music, I was now becoming friends.  I’ve been DJing for him on and off ever since.

There are so many amazing nights, amazing stories, amazing shows, amazing jam sessions, amazing laughs and amazing songs I can remember and will always have in my mind and in my heart. I can honestly say that there is no way I would be the human being I am today, if Prince didn’t exist.

Everything amazing that has ever happened to me was either directly or indirectly a result of music; and everything I’ve ever created has had a little bit of Prince in it. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s overt and sometimes it’s a secret part known only to me. Every hip-hop beat, every song I’ve produced for other artists; every part that I contributed to She Wants Revenge; and my entire yet-to-be-released solo project (Love Ecstasy Terror) – Prince is embedded in it all, forever; as he is embedded in me, forever. He was a mentor, and a father figure.  He was an all-around inspiration, who taught me that it’s possible to be anything I want in this life, if I just let go and follow my heart.

In my opinion, Prince was the most beautiful, talented, and special soul who’s ever graced this world. He was the greatest example of the potential we all have inside of us. There will never be another like him.

Maybe he's found the answers to all the April snow...

Prince
Remembered by Adam Bravin

Get into it!
#Prince