Doctor Fink
Encyclopedia
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name
Doctor Fink, is an American
keyboardist
, record producer
, and songwriter
. He is most known as a member of The Revolution
, the backing band for pop musician Prince
. Fink won a Grammy Award
in 1985 for the album Purple Rain
. The recording has sold over 18 million copies since its release.
and mask. He continued working with Prince until 1991 as an early member of the New Power Generation
(though the band was not officially named until after Fink's departure). Fink was also a member of the jazz-fusion band, Madhouse
.
Notable work with Prince includes co-writing credits on the song
s "Dirty Mind
", "Computer Blue
", "17 Days
", "America
" and "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night," as well as performing credits on the albums Dirty Mind
, Controversy, Purple Rain
, Around the World in a Day
, Parade, Sign “O” the Times, The Black Album and Lovesexy
, amongst others.
Fink's performances have also appeared on releases for Lipps Inc., The Time
, Vanity 6
, and many more.
Following his work with Prince, Fink built his own studio facility StarVu in Minneapolis and started working on many different things, from video game soundtracks to working with K-tel
. Doctor Fink also released his own Sony Acid Loop
Library entitled Dr. Fink's Funk Factory.
He released an album in 2001 called Ultrasound.
In June 2007, Doctor Fink signed an exclusive management deal for the European market with German-based management and production-company Mozart & Friends
.
In a 2008 interview with Minneapolis' "Real Rube Radio", Fink implied he may have a new solo album somewhere in the near future. In the same interview, he mentions Prince possibly releasing the unreleased Revolution album, Roadhouse Garden. Also, when asked about a reunion with the Revolution, he said "...if he's [Prince] ready and willing, then so am I."
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Doctor Fink, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He is most known as a member of The Revolution
The Revolution (band)
The Revolution was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979 by Prince. Although widely associated with rock music, the band's sound incorporated heavy metal, pop, funk, R&B and hard rock elements. Before their official break-up, The Revolution had released one studio album,...
, the backing band for pop musician Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
. Fink won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 1985 for the album Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
. The recording has sold over 18 million copies since its release.
Biography
Matt Fink was a member of Prince's band from 1979. In the live performances around that time before the Dirty Mind album, Matt wore a costume of a jailbird. After that, Fink usually appeared for performance dressed in surgical scrubsScrubs (clothing)
Scrubs are the shirts and trousers or gowns worn by nurses , surgeons, and other operating room personnel when "scrubbing in" for surgery. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes known as Theatre Blues. They are designed to be simple with minimal places for dirt to hide, easy to launder, and...
and mask. He continued working with Prince until 1991 as an early member of the New Power Generation
New Power Generation
The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, is the current backing group of musician Prince.-History:The phrase "Welcome to the New Power Generation" was mentioned on the opening track of 1988's Lovesexy...
(though the band was not officially named until after Fink's departure). Fink was also a member of the jazz-fusion band, Madhouse
Madhouse (band)
Madhouse is a jazz-fusion band from Minneapolis that was created by Prince. Two Madhouse albums were officially released in 1987.-History:...
.
Notable work with Prince includes co-writing credits on the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s "Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind (song)
"Dirty Mind" was the follow-up single in the U.S., and title track to Prince's third album, released in 1980. The song is built around a keyboard riff created by Doctor Fink, which dominates the song. The demo-like song lacks a chorus, and is a stark departure of the smooth R&B sound of Prince's...
", "Computer Blue
Computer Blue
"Computer Blue" is the fourth track on Prince and The Revolution's soundtrack album, Purple Rain. In the film, the song represents Prince's angst at the budding relationship between the characters played by Morris Day and Apollonia. The song was composed by Prince, with credit to his father, John...
", "17 Days
17 Days (song)
"17 Days " is one of the most famous of musician Prince's B-sides...
", "America
America (Prince song)
"America" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the final U.S. single from the group's 1985 album, Around the World in a Day and is a sardonic attack on the mid-1980s United States, referencing Communism, and worrying about nuclear war, a common theme in Prince's lyrics in the 1980s.The...
" and "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night," as well as performing credits on the albums Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind
Dirty Mind is the third studio album by American musician Prince, released October 8, 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced, arranged and composed primarily by Prince, it contains prominently sexual lyrics and incorporates musical elements of funk, dance and rock music. The album debuted at number...
, Controversy, Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
, Around the World in a Day
Around the World in a Day
Around the World in a Day is the seventh studio album by Prince and the second by The Revolution, released on April 22, 1985 on Warner Bros. In compliance with Prince's wishes, the record company released the album with minimal publicity, not even releasing an accompanying single until almost a...
, Parade, Sign “O” the Times, The Black Album and Lovesexy
Lovesexy
Lovesexy is the tenth studio album by Prince, released on May 10, 1988. Lovesexy was issued as a substitute record after the release of the infamous The Black Album had been suddenly cancelled. The Black Album and Lovesexy almost act as companion pieces, sharing the song "When 2 R in Love", but...
, amongst others.
Fink's performances have also appeared on releases for Lipps Inc., The Time
The Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, Vanity 6
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
, and many more.
Following his work with Prince, Fink built his own studio facility StarVu in Minneapolis and started working on many different things, from video game soundtracks to working with K-tel
K-tel
K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
. Doctor Fink also released his own Sony Acid Loop
Acid Loops
Acid Loops is a technology used with the music making software originally from Sonic Foundry called Acid. Created in 1998, it refers to the repetition, and transposition of sound clips, to form a song. The Acid Pro program is now owned and distributed by Sony, and is on version 7...
Library entitled Dr. Fink's Funk Factory.
He released an album in 2001 called Ultrasound.
In June 2007, Doctor Fink signed an exclusive management deal for the European market with German-based management and production-company Mozart & Friends
Mozart & Friends
Mozart & Friends is a record production and songwriting team working in genres of Pop, R&B and Hip hop. The team was founded in 2006 and is consisting of producers and songwriters located in different countries:...
.
In a 2008 interview with Minneapolis' "Real Rube Radio", Fink implied he may have a new solo album somewhere in the near future. In the same interview, he mentions Prince possibly releasing the unreleased Revolution album, Roadhouse Garden. Also, when asked about a reunion with the Revolution, he said "...if he's [Prince] ready and willing, then so am I."