Damon Albarn turned down the opportunity to collaborate with Prince after he was told it was a no smoking policy in the studio.

Albarn appeared on Radio X to discuss the forthcoming new Gorillaz album when interviewer Gordon Smart asked about the rumoured project with Prince. “I was having a drink and a fag—I don’t actually smoke anymore, knocked that one on the head—but if you can’t be who you… If I’ve invited someone to my studio, they’re my guest, and there aren’t any conditions like that,” Albarn said.

“Anyway, it’s like, I can have a cigarette outside if I needed it—I’d be fucking excited, right? Why the fuck would I not want to fucking go mad if I’m with Prince? I’d rather not do it and not get pissed off with the whole thing. It’s just one of those ‘could have been’… I’ve got a few of those,” he continued.