They're a curious breed musicians. The men and women who grace the world's biggest stages deal with an enormous amount of praise and criticism on a daily basis. Whether it be an adoring fan mailing a heartfelt love letter to them, a field of festival revellers jumping along to one of their hits or an internet troll spouting nonsensical hate, level headed human interaction can be a rare occurrence for the rock stars of 2014.
So what happens when they're sat in front of a journalist? To be clear, I'm not talking about your run of the mill tabloid hack, I'm talking about a clued up, straight talking journalist. Characters who make a living off interesting chats with the rich and famous.
Whilst interviews can hardly be described as natural situations, it's about as close to everyday life as the members of the worlds biggest acts can expect to get. Not so long ago I interviewed Foxes, the starlet from Southampton who won a grammy award last year. She was lovely, and was still in shock from the speed in which fame had picked up her and immersed her in its culture.
That encounter can be considered ordinary, but what about the extraordinary? Below are five of the most compelling interviews to ever be recorded. Brace yourself ladies and gentleman, these are pretty special.
1. Pharrell William's interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy
We start with one of the most successful songwriters in recent memory, Pharrell Williams and his fiery clash with Channel 4's news anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Things start to get heated when the message of 2013's biggest selling single Blurred Lines is called into question. The 'Happy' singer has his feathers ruffled more than he is used to and engages in a tense discussion which is compelling.
It meant that she's a good girl and even good girls have bad thoughts - hence the term Blurred Lines so she would take it out on the dance floor. Never once did I say in there anything sexual to a woman
2. Johnny Borrell's interview with Tim Jonze
Razorlight's frontman is no stranger to controversy, in fact his music career has arguably been overshadowed by his constant battles with the media. One of his latest bouts occurred last month when he was interviewed by Tim Jonze for The Guardian. The interview starts off awkward and becomes unbearable as Borrell's contempt for the press becomes more and more clear...
You're asking the kind of leading questions you'd get from a Sun journalist. I just think a conversation about music in the Guardian should be above that. I just do, I'm sorry. You may disagree. Have we reached our half-hour yet? I feel like we've done a good interview here ...
Never were his lyrics "I really, really wish I could be somewhere else than here" more apt.
3. James Brown interviewed on CNN
The godfather of soul was not in the mood to talk about the ongoing legal battles with his wife when he entered the CNN studio for an interview back in 1988. The anchor tries several times to establish a cohesive narrative but is stopped in her tracks by cries of "LIVING IN AMERICA" by the singer who by his words is "not out on bail but out on love". Drugs are bad kids.
2. The Sex Pistols interviewed on The Today Show
From the godfather of soul to the creators of punk, The Sex Pistols broke television history in their interview on The Today Show back in 1977 by repeatedly swearing live on air. Something that had never been done before. Bill Grundy, the presenter of the show, was reportedly drunk whilst conducting this interview and the band were not impressed by his questions or demeanour. Anarchy in the UK and car crash TV at its finest.
1. Kanye West interviewed by Zane Lowe
We're the real rockstars and i'm the biggest of all of em. I'm the number one rockstar on the planet
This interview will go down in history as one of the most bizarre, intense and inspiring hours of conversation ever to be recorded. Kanye West sat down with Zane Lowe for an interview in September 2013, and put everything on the table. From what was expected to be a talk about his musical career, became a conversation on his views of the world, conspiracies and where he felt his career was at that point...
"I've reached a point in my life where my Truman Show boat has hit the painting. And I've got to a point that Michael Jackson did not break down. I have reached the glass ceiling. As a creative person, as a celebrity. When I say that, it means, I want to do product, I am a product person. Not just clothing, but water bottle design, architecture, everything."
A must watch. God bless you Yeezus.