Bobby Z.

Robert B. Rivkin, better known by the stage name Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, most known as being a member of Prince's band from 1978-1986, and as a member of The Revolution.

Biography

Rivkin met Prince in the late 1970s as Prince was forming his first band for touring. Rivkin's stage name, Bobby Z., was derived from the nickname "Butzie" his grandmother used to call him. Prince was adamant about having a white drummer in an effort to have a racially diverse band, much akin to Sly And The Family Stone. Rivkin was acknowledged in Prince's self-titled album as being a "heaven-sent" helper. By the time the "1999" album was released, Prince was relying more and more on electronic drums and Rivkin had to adapt his style to operate these in concert. In 1986 when Wendy and Lisa left The Revolution, Prince also took the opportunity to replace Rivkin with Sheila E, but the split was amicable. Bobby Z also produced some tracks for Boy George's 1988 album, Tense Nervous Headache. Rivkin helped Wendy and Lisa on their debut album and even released his own album in 1989 (which included a re-recorded version of "River Run Dry" that he wrote for The Family. Rivkin has since focused more on producing for the recently launched record label branch of Copycats media.

The Minneapolis club "Bobby Z's" is actually not affiliated with Bobby Z; it is named after the Minnesota native Robert Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan.Fact|date=July 2007

Bobby's brothers are film maker Stephen E. Rivkin and fellow Minneapolis musician David Z.

References

*"Uptown #42". May 31 2000.