Viv Prince, the British drummer best known for his wild and unpredictable days with The Pretty Things, has died at the age of 84.
Jack White, famed White Stripes drummer, confirmed Prince’s death in an emotional Instagram post.
“I’ve received word through my friend John Baker, who knew the man well, that the great Viv Prince has just passed on,” White wrote. “Viv was an incredible drummer, wild and full of abandon. He played for the band The Pretty Things, and he influenced many other musicians like Keith Moon. I was lucky enough to meet Viv some years ago, who was working on his farm in Portugal at the time. He was an inspired and eccentric rock and roller, and maybe I’ll have to put together a team to work on a documentary about this man one day. Safe travels into the sweet beyond, Viv. You were one of the real ones.”
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Born in Loughborough, England, in 1941, Prince first played professionally in the early ’60s with bands like The Jazz Cardinals. Though briefly courted by The Kinks, it was The Pretty Things that made him a household name.
His chaotic, free-spirited playing style helped define the group’s raucous reputation, and it left a lasting mark on future drummers. The Who’s Keith Moon was a fixture at Pretty Things shows, carefully studying Prince’s technique — even asking Prince to fill in for him at a 1965 gig.
“He was a wonderful drummer, but…” recalled Pretty Things guitarist Dick Taylor in 2021, explaining Prince’s tumultuous exit from the band after one too many off-stage dust-ups in a 2021 interview with Classic Rock.
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“The final straw with Viv came at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester. He refused to play because the pub across the road wouldn’t serve him. What he hadn’t twigged was that it was attached to the hotel he’d been in the night before, causing mayhem with The Kinks. In the end, Phil said, ‘You’d better just go home.’ He was a wonderful drummer, but…” said Taylor.
Although Prince only recorded two albums with The Pretty Things, his legacy was cemented. The band even honored him with the 1999 track “Vivian Prince.”
Prince’s antics were infamous — from on-stage mayhem to off-stage feuds — and they became part of rock mythology. Yet beneath the chaos was undeniable talent, inspiring peers and reshaping how rock drums could sound.
No cause of death has been shared.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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