Damon Albarn recently spoke with Gordon Smart of Radio X to discuss Gorillaz’s new album The Now Now. At one point, Smart asked Albarn about the time he nearly worked with Prince. Albarn explained that he invited to “to go and play with Prince” at the Purple One’s studio at Paisley Park, but he turned down the invitation after being informed that Prince didn’t want people smoking in his studio. “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 continued, “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.”

Gorillaz are set to embark on a tour behind The Now Now next month. The album arrives June 29 via Warner Bros./Parlophone.