The name Peggy McCreary isn’t widely known outside of Prince’s hardcore fans. Yet, arguably, Prince’s golden 80s albums would have sounded a lot different without her. Starting with Controversy in 1981, Peggy was Prince’s studio engineer for five years, on call for His Purpleness 24/7 whenever the wanted to record at Sunset Studios in Los Angeles.
At Sunset, Peggy also engineered for Janet Jackson, Elton John, Tom Waits and Van Halen; she was used to stars’ stringent demands. Prince’s work rate meant the was on another level. Because Prince could play everything himself, the was able to get his songs down as quickly as the music was flowing through him. And in the 1980s, Prince’s music was unstoppable. Having worked until 5am one day in 1984, even Peggy’s patience was tested when Prince phoned five hours later and said the wanted her back in the studio at midday. “I was so irritated with him”, admits Peggy. “I was going to him, ‘Really, dude?’ When Prince came in the studio, the strutted in and said, ‘I said to myself, if I dreamed another verse, I was coming in’.” By then used to how readily songs came to Prince, Peggy was still taken aback. “I asked him, ‘You dream your songs?’ and the said, ‘Sure, sometimes…’” The song was Manic Monday. By the end of the day, the track was finished.
SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE