Michael Parkinson talks to Meg Ryan. Sort of. “It’s awkward,” says Meg, who trained as a journalist at NYU (3 mins)
George Lamb interviews Ray Davies of The Kinks, somewhat insulting the rock legend. (3mins to conclusion of Ray Davies interview, 4mins 40secs including George Lamb ‘justification’).
Fox host Ainsley Earhardt’s line of questioning is unsettled by author Uri Man’s flirtatious comments (2 mins)
Icelandic band Sigur Ros are encouraged to be monosyllabic by interviewer Luke Burbank asking an endless stream of closed questions (6 mins)
The Sigur Ros interview broken down to its components (15 mins)http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2007/10/anatomy_of_an_interview_gone_w.html
Tom Cruise interviewed on MSNBC by Matt Lauer. Cruise calls Lauer “glib” and tells him he should do his homework, taking control of the interview despite making nonsense claims. (6 mins)
Bill Grundy and the Sex Pistols – Today Show, ITV, 1976 (2 mins 40s). WARNING! Contains profanities!!!
The Word. My word. Terry Christian demonstrates the fine use of ‘dead air’ interviewing Keanu Reeves live, via satellite, from Los Angeles (4 mins)
Very, very awkard interview with Jake Lloyd who appeared as the Young Anakin Skywalker when he was a boy but has since given up acting. If only the interviewer had conducted some research.
A 54-year-old mystery revealed by ABC News that, well, is still a mystery. How not to make gripping television!
NBC News – Bush keeps reporter in line (stop at 1 min in before Bush’s war speech!)
“You want another follow-up? They’ve taken your mic away.”
SKY NEWS – Bush kept in line by Sky News reporter Adam Boulton
KTNV: And to conclude, how not to communicate with people in the street, even if your are a reporter and they are drunk
Interview reminders:
The term ‘off the record’ is meaningless.
Interviewee’s have the right not to answer a question, as much as interviewers have the right to ask.
Establish what is going on – is this interview live, pre-recorded, delayed?
Prepare!
Establish ground rules – remember who should be driving the interview.
I’m addicted to podcasts. Podcasts take up about half of the space on my iPod Touch and I spend more time listening to them than I do to music. They’re amazing! They’re free, and there really is something for everyone. Comedy, news , sports, arts and crafts, movies, books, audio journals, public radio, hobbies, language learning, cooking…there’s a podcast for almost anything you could possibly be interested in. Here’s what’s on my iPod (you can subscribe to any of these on iTunes):
American Public Radio’s The Splendid Table is “the show for people who love to eat”, according the the show’s host, Lynne Rossetto Kasper. My cookings skills don’t reach any further than toasting bagels or brewing coffee at work, but I sure do love food! And I love hearing about food. They do talk about cooking equipment and techniques, but it’s so much more than that. You hear about food from around world and around the country and at the end of the show, listeners of the show can call in and ask Lynne a question about food, cooking, or culture. The Splendid Table is an hour-long weekly show on NPR, released for download every Saturday.
American Public Radio’s The Story is all about stories. Hosted by Dick Gordon, The Story is another hour-long NPR radio show I’m in love with. In short, it’s basically a show that interviews ordinary and extraordinary people about particular events in their lives. Each show consists of two interviews, one long and one short. Interviewees have ranged from a family that traded homes with a French family for a few weeks to a woman telling her story about her life as a train-hopper. Dick Gordon is an amazing interviewer.
Best of YouTube is, put simply, the best of YouTube. They release a few video episodes each week of funny and/or interesting videos you might have missed otherwise.
The New York Times’ Book Review is a 20-minute long weekly podcast from the NYT. They review and discuss bestsellers and hidden gems, so it’s great for those times when you just can’t find anything to read. I’d recommend listening this when you’re in a position to jot down the title of a book that intrigues you.
Our intrepid junior correspondent traveled to Shreveport one afternoon in search of this interview. I think she was satisfied with the way it turned out……
Shannon: *walks into the Shreveport office of Herveaux and Son* Hi, I’m Shannon. I’m here to see Alcide Herveaux…..he’s expecting me. *smiles at receptionist*
Connie Babcock: *gives a judgmental look, gets on intercom* Excuse me Mr Herveaux…Your 2 o’clock is here, do you want me to send her in?
Alcide: *over intercom* Please do Connie, and hold my calls. *opens door* Why hello there. *shakes hand* Nice to meet you.
Shannon: *smiles and returns handshake* Likewise, Mr. Herveaux *Mary Kay was right, he is good looking and his hand is really warm.* I won’t take up too much of your time, I just have a few things to ask. My readers are super interested in hearing about you. *smiles*
Alcide: Why, thanks. Have a seat. *takes a seat in the chair across from the couch* Fire away.
S: *sits on couch and grabs notebook from my bag* Can you tell me a bit about the business you and your dad run here? *sweet smile* I know you are surveyors, but are you local only or do you travel at all?
A: *sits forward, elbows on spread knees, hands clasped loosely* Well, we have three offices – Baton Rouge and Shreveport in LA, and Jackson MS. We do quite a bit of business around the South, but I have been known to travel ’round the country in service of a good friend. *sits back and talks with hands a bit* You are correct, we are Surveyors, that is, we use various maths and measures to determine both fixed and three-dimensional space for land use and property determination. We also determine the grade, terrain and elevation of areas. I like to say both land and lake, as we are also equipped to handle the bayous of the south and other bodies of water. We retain skilled map makers on payroll, as to help meet the needs of various property owners or legal requirements. I don’t know if you want to get more technical than that, but we like to think of ourselves as Louisiana specialists as we have had our equiptment and people out to every parish and nearly every small town in this fine state.
S: *damn, Mark Kay is gonna kill me if I don’t “accidentally” take a picture with my phone*
You seem very knowledgeable about your work. I’d hire you. *giggles, Man, why am I giggling? Get a grip Queen of the BELLES*
With all that travel, it must be hard to maintain a successful personal life. I’ve heard you have an on-again, off-again relationship with a girl named Debbie? I don’t men to pry, but I’m sure the ladies who read my blog would be interested.
A: *gosh this reporter is cute* Um, oh, yes…Debbie, Debbie Pelt. Well, she and I have had a rough relationship, to say the least. She is fiery and can be such a wild child, something I am attracted to, but other times she can really be, well, evil. I don’t want to get into it, but the dark side of her is really really dark, and I know it. Then again, there is a fire between us and the makeup sex is… *realizes this conversation is getting too personal* Oh, excuse me…I apologize. I am not one to kiss and tell. I prefer not to date Were females as they are mainly interested in settling down and progressing the pack. I am not so sure I want these genes passed *looks towards @JacksonHerveaux’s closed office door* if you catch my drift. *shakes it off and looks at you* That and I’m also a bit of a flirt *cracks a roguish half grin, and runs a hand through my hair*
S: *blushes crimson from combination of “make-up sex” and grinning* Well, um….where was I? Oh yes *smiles* You mentioned traveling in service of a good friend. Would that be a business associate? *snaps discreet picture for MK*
A: Well, yes, to a point. Sometimes I have had business pushed my way from various Supes in connection with E(E)E, my good friend John @QuinntheTiger will sometimes mention Herveaux and Son to his clients. Other times our “silent” partner @EricNorthman has me do favors for his associates around the state and, sometimes, nation. *shifts uncomfortably* But I prefer to work here in Shreveport because I am a Louisiana boy through and through.
S: *scribbling down some notes* I understand, I like it here myself. Even though I’m still very much a Yankee at heart. Try not to hold that against me. *smiles and laughs*
There seem to be quite a few Weres in my area now fitting your description with very similar names. What’s your reaction to the sudden insurgence in the population?
A: Yankee? Why Darlin’ you sure do act like quite a Southern Charmer if I dare say. *looks up, thinking* ‘Bout those, um, other guys, well now, I think some are finally wanting to get in on a good thing, and I expect we’re gonna see more before all is said and done. You know that show that came out on HBO, True Blood? Well, I have seen all kinds of doppelgangers runnin ’round these parts. I do think I come across as genuine Alcide, that’s “Al-see(d) Her-voh” ‘case some are wonderin’. I reckon an original is bound to have imitators, but it is all in good fun. Those in the know, well, they know how to spot the real deal.
S: *nodding* Yes, I’ve heard of that program. The actors that portray some of the individuals on there are spot on. One of them is so perfect, I swear I’m watching this devilishly handsome friend of mine. It’s uncanny. *crosses legs* You know, I would have to agree with you about people wanting to get in on a good thing. There have been so many people interested and getting involved. I’ve heard you have a couple of fan groups similar to my own. I believe they are called *looks at notes* @HowlingHotties and @AlcidesLilReds. I imagine that’s quite flattering.
A: *watches legs cross* What was that? Sorry, I was distracted*shoots a roguish grin* Oh yeah…*a bit of a blush rising* the Hotties and the Reds have been such sweet groups of ladies it is all too much sometimes. I am flattered, really, it is nice to have such pretty women paying a guy like me attention. I think it is overwhelming too, as I never was one of those pretty boy Hollywood types. But don’t get me wrong, chère, the creativity and um, stimulation these women provide makes a man feel real good *winks*.
S: *laughs* I imagine some of the things they say are a good stroke to the ego. That’s just what the Belles do for the object of their affection. You boys give us so much to work with, how could we not adore and stimulate you? *realizes that came out sounding wrong* I mean, well your ladies….you give them so much to love and *stammers* They just want you. I mean want to please you. *ugh, shut up Shannon* Um, I think you get the picture. *looks down and pretends to write*
A: *belly laugh, grins* No worries darlin’, I understand what you mean just fine, *knowing look*, you know, you really do have a way with words…
S: *blushes* Hardly, I seem to stumble all over them most of the time. *smiles and starts to gather up my things.* I think I have all the information I need *stops and looks at you* That is unless you have anything else to add? Something you’d like to tell my readers?
A: *pauses to think for a sec* Well, I would like people to know I’m around. I may be a bit quite at times, but I always have my nose to the wind and catch a lot of what is happening. I very much like to meet new people and Herveaux & Son is looking for new business opportunities in the area, so people can check out our information on HerveauxAndSon.com, which also redirects to my blog AlcideHerveaux.com. *light bulb of memory clicks on* Oh, and on a side note, I know you spoke to Debbie Pelt a bit ago, and I want you to know you can’t always believe what she says. That is part of our problem. I’m not “working on myself” as much as she disappears for weeks and comes home smelling of vamp and all other kinds of were. *frustrated* You didn’t come here to hear it, but I wouldn’t want you to have the wrong impression…
S: *laughs* I’m a woman and I know how some of us can be and how relationships can be trying sometimes. No worries, I would never judge you for that. *smiles* I’ll be sure and add your email links to the interview and my blog. *stands up smoothing my skirt* I really appreciate you meeting with me. This will be a great help to bolster my readership. *extends hand* It’s been a pleasure, Mr. Herveaux…..*glances down* Alcide.
A: *don’t look down her shirt man, don’t look down her shirt, don’t do it, be strong…ah damn.* It was so nice meeting you.
S: *shaking your hand* Likewise. *looks up, realizes what you’re doing and blushes crimson* Um…bye.
A: *she caught you! So unprofessional man…* Bye, Shannon. *watches her hips sway out the door…palms forehead-again!*
Very early interview with the Mondays. Oh how the time has simply *flown* by. Don’t believe me? Well compare and contrast the above with this recent gem.
Fan pics/cams of Lee Min Jung at Lotte World on 2010.03.12, it’s for the recording of KBS Entertainment Weekly Guerilla Date. There is a chance this is going to be aired in today’s episode.
If there’s one thing there’s been no shortage of in the Taylor Hicks fandom over the past fifteen months, it would be press coverage. As long as the national touring company of Grease is arriving in some burg large or small, we’re pretty much guaranteed one full day of radio, TV and print promoting the production. And its spokesman has inevitably been Mr. Hicks himself, who has likely lost count of the number of interviews he’s done since Grease hit the road.
While all this promotion has no doubt been pivotal in making Grease a financial success, it’s also served to introduce (or reintroduce) Taylor to an American public that, in far too many cases, treats its artistic and musical population in a way I’ve come to refer to as the Bic method. Buy it, use it up (or just until you get your fill), and then toss it away when the next best thing comes along.
So while it’s heartening to see so many folks discovering what we already know about Taylor: nice guy, down-to-earth, charming, talented, there are only so many times we can listen to him being asked the same questions and giving the same answers before we reach the saturation point. There’s not a whole hell of a lot of diversity going on during these press junkets.
So when Taylor was generous enough to offer me an interview after his gig at the High Noon Saloon in Madison, WI in December, I jumped at the chance. I immediately knew my list of questions would contain zero references to either Grease or American Idol. Been there, done that, most definitely have the t-shirt. Instead, I pulled up a list of queries I’d been compiling since the Spring of 2006, when I first fell hard for the voice and the talent of that quirky, gray-haired guy who’d shown up on my TV.
Taylor’s schedule being what it is, it wasn’t until earlier this month that we finally pinned down a date for the interview. This past Thursday, the 11th of March, after trying twice to connect on the phone and running into reception problems, the third time proved the charm and our interview (Taylor in Pittsburgh and me in the northern suburbs of Chicago) began with the ubiquitous words, “Can you hear me now?”
I started by asking him about something he’d once mentioned as a topic no interviewer had ever brought up, and that was the music he’d made between the ages of 23 and 28.
W: I’d like to talk about the E-Z Widers. Is that a band you put together?
T: Yeah it was, actually. The EZ Widers … It’s interesting, you know, I’ve had names for bands backing me ever since after Passing Thru. That was a band … Jon Cook was in the band. [To Clay, laughing: Did you play in the band?]
Clay: Sometimes, but yeah, I played in the band.
T: Clay played in the band sometimes. I mean, you know, all of the bands that I had when I was growing up were kinda like revolving doors for musicians.
W: Yeah, I was gonna ask you that. I wondered if it was a static band or if you just brought people in as you needed them and it was always changing.
T: Well, you know, it’s like I had 3 bass players, 3 guitar players, one of ‘em was married, the other one was pregnant, one of them was … [laughter all around] … I mean … [more laughter] … I mean it was – big word here – a smorgasbord of musicians that came in and out. But you had to keep a plethora of musicians knowing your stuff because a grungy side musician at 25 is gonna probably get drunk and not show up. I figured if I keep 3 bass players, 3 guitar players, 3 drummers and 3 keyboard players, one out of 3 ain’t bad.
W: Yeah, you’re always covered that way.
I then touched on his original songs on In Your Time and Under the Radar and asked him which was his favorite.
T: I think I was in a good place … I think I was in a really neat place when I wrote the album In Your Time, and all those songs, I think, it was like a part in time where there were no straps, no stipulations. It was basically free artistic expression. I had time, you know? I was passionate, and still am, about song writing, but it was kind of like … it was like a new toy at Christmas when you were a kid. You have to be real excited about those kinds of things, whether it’s songwriting or whether it’s doing new stuff. The newness of that songwriting could really be heard in that album.
I asked him if it was harder to capture the muse now than it was before, when a lack of steady gigs had him in one place for longer periods of time.
T: Yeah, you know it’s interesting how it does hamper it. Here’s the way that I like to work: when I’m on tour, I’m on tour. I’m touring whatever I wrote or whatever I was into, and whatever I had the time to put mental effort into when I wasn’t touring. So I think that’s the way I like to operate. I can’t sit in the Holiday Inn in Topeka, KS and write music and then go to do Grease. I want to sit inside a songwriter’s house or my own house and be comfortable and be really focused in that song instead of being …
W: Well, yeah. You have to be in a place where you can really let yourself sink into it; where you can fall down the rabbit hole and not worry about it.
T: Yeah, you know because usually about the time that you start writing, turn-down service happens.
W: Right. And sometimes once you break that concentration, it’s gone. There’s no way to get it back.
T: Usually the turn-down service people have chocolate too, and once you eat that shit, you’re screwed.
We both get a good laugh out of that one. God knows, my concentration has been shattered by chocolate more times than I can count. Once we get past the laughter, I ask him to name some of his biggest musical influences during the IYT and UTR period; the musicians he was really digging then.
T: I would say Van Morrison, Bob Seger … You know, just all those singer songwriter guys. Under the Radar was … I wanted to create the Al Stewart sound, which was kind of impossible because Al had probably a 4 million dollar budget, I had a 4 thousand dollar budget.
W: Well, you did a very good job with the money you had.
T: Well, you know, I think that helped me realize that it’s not about how much money you spend, it’s about what you really have the dream for before you go into the recording situation.
Our conversation then moved on to Taylor’s creative process: how a song progresses from the initial idea to the studio; how he knows when he’s nailed it, and how he keeps the muse happy and well-fed. We also cover how he’s navigating the music business now that he’s his own boss. I’ll have part two of the interview up before the end of the weekend. Stay tuned …
