Friday 3rd October 2014 by Andrew Trendell

Meet 3RDEYEGIRL: Their favourite bands and influences

Behind the music of Prince's new band

Hannah Ford, drummer: "FKA Twigs. She is out there, man, but it's really cool stuff. Her videos are really cool and her music is so psychedelic and different to what I'm used to. It's really interesting and Prince introduced us to her."

Donna Grantis: guitarist: "Prince introduced me to a couple of Miles Davis records, like On The Corner. I'm familiar with his different eras and albums but I hadn't heard those records and they totally blew my mind. Those 70's funk n' jazz sounds were really cool."

Hannah: "I've studied a lot of different styles. My dad, as my manager, always stressed on me the importance of versatility as a musician, but rock has always been foundation - so John Bonham as my favourite drummer for my whole life has always affected my sound. Real heavy, real strong, a real heavy right-foot for some strong kick-drum. But at the same time, the studying I did with jazz and Latin music effects my technique and my approach to my rock."

Ida Nielsen, bass: "I always liked funk music, so that's really where I come from. What I grew up listening to a lot was Billie Holiday, so that might surprise people. I studied a lot of different styles and the more things you check it, the better you get at everything."

Donna: "I'm a huge jazz fan, so I really love John Scofield and Bill Frisell. Even though it's a rock album, we do a tonne of improving in this group. It's where the free-form idea comes in. When we do shows, we play different versions every time we play. Being able to improvise and react is one of those things that I draw upon from my jazz background but in this context."

Tags: Prince

This week sees the release of not one, but two Prince albums, with ART OFFICIAL AGE and PLECTRUMELECTRUM satisfying a hunger that fans of the Purple One have been harbouring for years. But of course, the latter would not be half as electrifying if it weren't for his new band, 3RDEYEGIRL.

Anyone who caught them on their recent Hit And Run tour would agree that they're one of the finest live outfits on the road, or as they put themselves 'the sound of a freight train rushing through a tiny town'.

We can't help but agree, so we sat down with the band to ask them about what the artists that inspire them and what they're listening to right now.