You’d think after 25+ years of performing, R&B legend Stokley Williams wouldn’t have to introduce himself to anyone anymore. He feels, however, a proper introduction still needs to be made, which is why his first solo project, due out this summer, is titled Introducing.
“This is me,” he explains, “a different side of many different facets that you maybe haven’t heard. So it’s fresh, and familiar at the same time.”
R&B fans were first introduced to the Minnesota native through the music of Mint Condition, a band that became synonymous with great soul, and intimate evenings.
Myspace caught up with Williams, who told us a few stories about coming up in the Minnesota scene — stories that include working with Prince — as well as some highlights from Mint Condition’s numerous tours. Williams also revealed what listeners can expect from his upcoming solo project. Hop to the next page to read the full interview.
Minnesota has long been a hotbed for great music (Prince, The Jets, The Time). Were there any shows you remember attending where you saw a now legendary act in an intimate, local, venue?
I have a bunch of stories.
There was this event called the Black Music Awards, and they would have all kinds of people come through. Prince had just wrapped Purple Rain, the movie, and there was also a new up and coming group produced by, and discovered by, Prince’s bass player, BrownMark, called Mazarati, and Mazarati were playing at this event.
I saw Prince come in after and congratulate them in his black cape — it was more of a shawl, a black shawl. I remember after that I saw instruments being set up. The drums were switched around, and I know Jellybean from The Time plays left-handed. I was like, I wonder if they’re here.
[It turned out] half of The Time was there, and they actually previewed “The Bird” for the first time. Prince was up on stage singing Morris [Day’s] part, because Morris wasn’t there. It was an amazing moment. That was right before Purple Rain broke. When I saw the movie I was like, “That’s the song they played!”
You ended up working with Prince. Do you have any memories you can share?
One time when we were in Europe, somewhere in France, there was one night when we opened. He wanted to have Mint, Larry Graham, and him, and he didn’t want the music to stop, so once we got off, three minutes later here comes Larry Graham, and three minutes later after Larry Graham was off, here comes Prince. Some of us had to share equipment, but he actually pulled it off. It was great.
One night was 30,000 people, the other night was something like 60,000 people. Really incredible.
After we got done with our set he was all hyped up, and he was like, “Man, did you have fun?” I was like, “Yeah, I was rockin’ the stage. It was beautiful.”
There’s this portion in Mint’s set where it’s just me and the piano, and I’m singing, and we just kind of riff back and forth. He was like, “Did you leave any notes for the rest of us?” [laughs]
He was in really good spirits. He was really really up. There were a few times when he was just up like that.
There was a time we were at The Forum. He had his residency there, and he was having all these different artists come up, and do their thing. There was one night where we’d just got done praying right before we were about to head on stage, and he was like, “Oh, I missed it. What song am I coming up on?” I was like, “You’re coming up?”
There was a song we do called “Caught My Eye,” and he was like, “What key?” We’re like, “E.” He said, “OK.” [Guitarist Homer] O’Dell said, “I’ll point to you, and you roll up,” and that’s just what happened. He rolled up, and killed it. The crowd went wild. He came up, did his guitar solo, and descended back down the stairs. That was really really cool.
There’s a lot of stuff. I obviously miss his late night calls to come out to Paisley and just sit and talk. He’s a guy who’s affected the world. We are all much better for it, and the whole world, I think, got a little darker, and a little quieter from his passing.
I think we all agree with that sentiment. Switching gears, the ‘90s were a great time to be in music. What was the show, award, party, or chance encounter, that you look back on as the absolute height of that era for Mint Condition?
I could always point to tours. I remember Janet Jackson, we toured with her and had a blast of a time. It was a great moment, and it was just when things started turning the corner for us.
Were there any pranks, hijinks, or snowball fights, on that tour?
Oh man. That one … I don’t know, but I know when we first started we had so much, what I call “youth juice.” We were doing our water gun fights through the hotels, and that kind of thing, almost getting kicked out of hotels, knocking on people’s doors and running, just some really silly shit.
Your music has been the soundtrack for a lot of couples’ intimate evenings. How many times has someone come up to you and told you a Mint Condition song was their wedding song, or that they named their baby after you?
The biggest compliment is, “Man, I have made many kids off of y’all.” That’s the ultimate for the guys.
We all know you’ve also had your fair share of female admirers. Do you recall any incidents where you felt a fan went too far, or a fan incident turned scary?
Yeah, too many.
It’s crazy. You’re thinking you’re doing this stuff that’s bringing people together, and creating positivity, but there’s been some pretty crazy moments of getting grabbed, and scratched, during the show.
I used to jump down off the stage all the time, and a couple of times made me think about it a little differently.
Did you lose part of your wardrobe?
Part of my skin, just ripped off.
That made me swear off that for a couple years unless it looked safe, unless we had the right kind of security, or the right kind of barrier, a little buffer.
Let’s talk about your upcoming solo debut, Introducing. It's an interesting name for an album by someone we’ve been listening to for close to 30 years. What aspects of yourself are we just now being introduced to?
Even though people know my voice, and some of the production, it’s been kind of fragmented.
All of us inside of Mint, you get portions of us when we make it one entity, but each person is a whole person. Within that person you have many different facets. For me, that’s what I’m trying to convey, all these different things.
I love old school, and new school. There’s analog and digital. I love these two worlds coming together, colliding.
I call myself a sonic healer because that’s what it is. People can come, and I’m hoping what they get out of it is it’s a refuge for people to come and dance, or cry, or contemplate their life, pray, make love to, whatever it is they get from this, and go out and help affect somebody, help bless somebody else’s life, help affect change, because we definitely need it.
It speaks to, of course love, and relationships, as it relates to your significant other, or your family, but most of all love for yourself. Having the confidence to do the things that you want to do.
There are some things, even with my kids, that just make me think of younger people faced with being themselves, and being their whole self, and being proud of it.
Sometimes kids will dim their light just to try to fit in. I’m like, no, shine. Shine, shine shine. So there’s a song called “Wheel’s Up” on there. Just lift off, and fly. Do your thing.
That’s the thing, each kid’s parent has to parent, and tell their own kid to have that self-confidence, and celebrate what somebody else has. We all have these gifts, we have different things that we bring, so you celebrate your friend, or your loved one, and what their gift is, and lift them up when they’re not as good at something.
[The album] is a little bit of everything, it truly is, and it’s all the stuff that I love.
Want more blasts from the past? Check out our #THROWBACKTHURSDAY page.
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