The 64-year-old musician revealed on his radio show that the band's fans weren't keen on Prince.
He said on his show on Absolute Radio: 'I remember Charlie Watts was the first man to turn me on to Prince. He said: 'Have you seen this guy, he's got potential.'
'So we obviously saw what potential he had, even though he was dressed slightly wrong.
'He had a rain mac and stockings and suspenders and the audience didn't really know how to take him so he had a few cabbages thrown at him. Now he's come on and he is such a great performer.'