Q & A With Michael (Oslo) Oakvik
Q: What are you up to these days?

A: I’ve been a homeowner in Blaine, MN for 11 years.  I’ve been a cop (I mean, a  p-o-l-i-c-e  o-f-f-i-c-e-r) for the city of Brooklyn Park for the past 14 years.  Being single with no kids I am able to enjoy a variety of hobbies such as:  I own a classic 1968 AMC AMX which I race around town every chance I get (I carry a “get out of jail free” card, remember); I own a 2002 Honda CBR954 sport bike which I race around the farm roads of Wisconsin every chance I get (those WI cops are hardcore, my card doesn’t work over there); I’m still a bodybuilder (gotta stay in shape to chase all those felonious juveniles around); and I collect toys from the 1960’s & 1970’s, my childhood years (one would be surprised at how many cops collect toys of different varieties).   

Q: How did you hook up with Prince?

A: I was a doorman at First Avenue from 1982 – 1986 but my first introduction to Prince came from my younger brother, Jon, who has been a Prince fan since before day one!  He and I were at an old club in Minneapolis called “The Mirage” listening to another local band, “The Flamin’ O’s”.  The band went on break and put a cassette into the sound system for the audience to enjoy.  It was Prince’s Controversy album.  Jon became all excited and began pantomiming the Controversy video, “What? No flash again?!”  I said, “Who is this?”  Jon answered, “Prince.”  I irritatingly inquired, “Prince? Who’s Prince?”  Well, he looked at me as bewildered as could be and said, “You work at First Avenue and you don’t know who Prince is?!?”  That night, Jon lent me the first three Prince albums and I was hooked!  I also began to pay more attention to the bands that played at First Avenue, primarily Prince.

About 2 years later the girlfriend of one of the managers of First Avenue came screaming into the club saying there was this big guy (she used some other adjectives that I won’t repeat in print) in the garage that had just called her a “Bi**h” (she was) and that she didn’t want him coming in the club.  I told her I would take care of the matter and stepped outside the entry doors to confront this big guy.  I was a bodybuilder myself so, how big could this guy really be?  Well, around the corner out of the garage came this semi-truck of a man!  He was huuuge! I mustered up all the courage I could and, as he approached, said “Excuse me, sir.”  This hulk of a man answered me in the tiniest, most genteel voice I have, to this day, ever heard, “Yess?”  (I suddenly had a mental picture of Mickey Mouse.)  I explained that there had apparently been a problem, with whom he had had the problem and that I wouldn’t be allowing him into the club that particular night.  His response was simply, “Um, I’m with Prince…”  He needed say no more.  I opened the door and accompanied him into First Avenue, much to the chagrin of the manager’s girlfriend!  Later in the evening I took a break from the door, went to find the large man and introduced myself.  He introduced himself as Prince’s bodyguard, “Hucky”…

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Q: What are you up to these days?

A: Well, I’m married with 2 beautiful children, a boy and girl ages 4 & 6, so needless to say that they keep me very busy. I’m also an Account Manager at a marketing firm.

Q: How did you hook up with Prince?

A: I was an extra on the set of Purple Rain. During one of the lighting changes, he caught us doing some dance routines and he asked Alan Leeds to give us a tape of 7 songs, then he asked if we would be ready to film the next day. So we worked until around 1AM and had to be on the set at 6:30AM, we were exhausted, but it was our 1^st break and we didn’t want to blow it.

Q: What is your favorite Prince album?

A: Black Album, Sign of the Times

Q: Have you heard Prince’s 3121 album, and what do you think of it?

A: Creative, he’s gone back to doing what he does best, being an innovator.

Q: Best Prince Drummer?

A: Without a doubt Michael Bland, but I’m partial with Sheila E running a close 2^nd, because she was blowing up at that time and even though we were just dancers, she always treated us nicely and I respect her for that.

Q: How and when did you get in the music business?

A: It all started while performing in dance contests at First Avenue and kind of blossomed from there. I remember that I couldn’t make up my mind to either re-enlist in the Marine Corps for another 4 years or give the music business a chance. Needless to say, I chose the music industry.

Q: Favorite TV Show?

A: Currently it’s 24, I love that show!!!!

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: Being a husband and father to my wife/kids and never looking back after I left the band. I’ve been asked so many times, where have you been, how come you don’t attend any of the party’s/events. Really, the bottom line is that I needed some time away from the scene and decompress, when you’re in the business, you tend to lose perspective on what’s really important in life (family, friends) because you’re so focused on your career and being successful. When I left, I found out who my real friends were and it gave me an opportunity to narrow my circle of influence and concentrate on what I wanted to do in life and not on what everyone else thought that I should do.

I’ve always been an individual who really didn’t care about what others thought, I pretty much did my own thing and others followed. I began finding my self absorbed in what others thought of my work and found myself constantly frustrated trying to please others, so I think stepping back actually help me find myself again.

Q: Favorite tour and why?

A: Diamonds and Pearls, because it was my 1^st US tour. I enjoyed the Nude tour, but that was in Europe and my family and friends were not able to see that one.

Q: Best Prince Moment?

A: I have a few, but I’ll save those for my next installment. Stay tuned!!!

Thank you, Tony