I have interviewed hundreds of major names in music and creative business over the years, and most likely thousands of people in total, and this group of fantastic people keeps growing.
People often ask “Who was your favourite interview?”, but that is like naming your favourite child. What I think, however, is with the vast majority of interviews I almost always come out of the interview feeling better than going in. There’s nothing quite like hanging out with an inspiring human being to lift the soul.
I have kept recordings of the majority of the interviews, sadly a few have been lost through the years, and am currently writing recollections of my favourite moments from the archive planning to be published in 2023.
Here is (I hope) a comprehensive A-Z list:
Adam Driver (actor)
Adrian Sherwood (On-U-Sound, Tackhead)
Air
Al Stewart
Alan McGee (Creation Records founder)
Alan White (Yes)
Alec Empire
Alesha Dixon (Mis-Teeq)
Alexandra Burke (stage actor)
Alex Davies (KiNoBi gin distiller)
Alicia Keys
Allstars Collective
Alt-J
Amel Larrieux (Groove Theory)
Amos Lee
AmPm
Ana Johnson (musician and pro-snowboarder)
Anna Tsuchiya
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Weatherall (DJ, producer)
Andy Summers (The Police)
Ani DiFranco
The Answering Machine
Anthony Daniels (Star Wars’ C-3PO actor)
Aqualung
Arctic Monkeys
Ari Up (The Slits)
Armand van Helden
Art of Noise
Arto Lindsay
Asian Dub Foundation
Asobi Sekusu
Astrid Klein (architect)
Aswad
Audio Active
Autechre
Avenue Q Broadway cast
Average White Band
Backstreet Boys
The Baker Brothers
Bananarama
Band of Horses
The Bangles
Basement Jaxx
Basia
Beastie Boys
The Beautiful Girls
Ben Kweller
Ben Westbeech
Bernard Butler (Suede, The Tears)
Bic Runga
The Big Pink
Billkin (actor, singer)
The Bishops
BJ Fox (comedian)
The Black Ghosts
Black Kids
Blood Red Shoes
Bluey (Incognito, Citrus Sun)
Bobby Caldwell
Bobby McFerrin
Bombay Bicycle Club
Brand New Heavies
Brigade
Bruce Foxton (The Jam)
Buffalo Daughter
Candy Dulfer
Carl Barat
Carly Rae Jepson
Celeste
The Chapman Family
Charice
The Charlatans
The Chemical Brothers
Che’Nelle
Chiga Ogawa (Goldfinger women’s event founder)
Chris Broad (Abroad in Japan YouTuber)
Chris Mosdell (lyricist)
Chris Wells (voice actor)
Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders)
Circa Waves
Clara Chong (filmmaker)
Clean Bandit
Clementine
Cloudberry Jam
CNCO
Collabro
Coldcut
Coldfeet
Coldplay
Coach Kardan (life coach)
Corduroy
Cornershop
Courtney Pine
Craig David
The Crusaders
Crystal Kay
CSS
Daniel Ho
Daniel Monteverdi (Latina Corp. founder)
Daniel Powter
Darcey Bussell (ballet dancer)
The Darkness
Dave Broom (whisky journalist)
Dave Koz
David Benoit
David Gray
David Guetta
David Morales (Dj, producer)
David Sylvian (Japan)
DCappella
Deanne Tonking (hooper)
Deborah Ann DeSnoo (film and television director)
Declan McKenna
Dedachi Kenta
Delphic
Dennis Morris (music photographer)
Dex Pistols
Dido
Dimitri From Paris (DJ, producer)
DJ Alex From Tokyo
DJ Kentaro
Don Letts (Big Audio Dynamite)
Donna Burke (voice of the Shinkansen bullet train)
Donny McCaslin
The Draytones
The Drums
Duran Duran
Ebony Bones
Ed Sheeran
Eddi Reader
Editors
Elektrons
Eliane Elias
El Presidente
Emilianna Torrini
Endigo
The Enemy
Enya
Eric Benet
Erykah Badu
Eskobar
Faithless
Fancy
Fatboy Slim
Felix Da Housecat
The fin.
Flippers Guitar
Foals
Fourplay
Frankie Knuckles (DJ, producer)
Franz Ferdinand
Freyja Dean (artist)
The Futureheads
Gang of Four
Gaz Coombes (Supergrass)
Geoff Muncey (Fabric nightclub)
Gilbert O’Sullivan
Gilles Peterson (DJ, broadcaster)
Giovanca
Giovanni Allevi
Glasvegas
Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols)
Go Chic
The Go Team
Goldie
Gorky’s Zychotic Mynci
Gota Yashiki
Gotye
Grizzly Bear
Gwen Stefani
Hank Santos (Broadway actor)
Hanson
The Heights
Helen Noir (DJ)
Hilary Cole
Hird & Yukimi Nagano
Holly Cole
Holly Knight
Holly Valance
Hot Chip
The Hot Sardines
Hotei
Howard Jones
Hugh Bonneville (actor)
Hurts
I Am Robot & Proud
Ian Broudie (Lightning Seeds)
Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen)
Ilja Alexander
Incognito
Inhaler
Ivan Kovac (cinematographer)
Ivan Lins
Jack Penate
Jackie Boyz
Jaco Pastorius
Jade & Steve I
Jaicko
Jakob Lusensky
Jamaica
Jamie Cullum
Jamie Lidell
James Bowen and Bob the Cat (A Street Cat Named Bob writer)
James Morrison
James Nepaulsingh (artist, life coach, music producer)
James Taylor Quartet
Janet Kay
The Japanese Popstars
Jason Derulo
Jason Mraz
Jay Sean
Jazzanova
Jazzmatazz
Jazzie B (Soul II Soul)
Jeff Solorio (Dita eyewear founder)
Jem
Jeremy Hackett (fashion brand founder)
Jesse Harris
Jet
Jim Kerr (Simple Minds)
Jim Lambie (artist)
Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel)
Jimmy Choo (shoe designer)
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (music producers)
Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
JJ (Maydenfield)
Joe Sample
Joe Sumner (Fiction Plane)
John Boyega (actor)
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
John Lydon (Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd)
John Mayer
John Oates (Hall & Oates)
Johnny Hates Jazz
Johnny Marr (The Smiths, The Cribs)
Jonathan Barnbrook (David Bowie album jackets designer)
Jonathan Sherr (actor)
Jose James
Jose Parla (artist)
Josh Whitehouse (actor)
Joss Stone
Joyce
Judi Dench (actor)
Julia Baird (sister of John Lennon)
Julia Longbottom (British Ambassador to Japan 2021~)
Jungle
Junichi Yamamoto (Hikari Genji)
Junko Onishi
Justin Chadwick (film director)
Kai
Kaiser Chiefs
Kamasi Washington
Karen White
Karl Hyde (Underworld)
Kasabian
Kathleen Reilly (metalworker artist)
Katsura Sunshine (rakugo comedian)
Keane
Keith
Keith Reilly (Fabric nightclub founder)
Kelly Rowland (Destiny’s Child)
Ken Ishii (DJ)
Ken Lloyd (musician and my second cousin!)
Kenney Jones (Small Faces, Faces, The Who)
Kerry Ellis (West End stage actor)
The Kills
Kin Shiotani (illustrator, writer)
Kindness
Kings of Leon
Kitaro
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
Koyata Aso (katsudo-benshi)
Kraftwerk
Kyte
Lady Salsa
Lalah Hathaway
Last Days Of April
Late of the Pier
Laura Mvula
Lawrence Watson (rock photographer)
Lemon Jelly
Leo (koto player)
Leo Sayer
Les McKeown (Bay City Rollers)
Lightspeed Champion
Limahl (Kajagoogoo)
Lin Nishitani (oceans advocate)
Linda Lewis
Lindsay Kemp (dancer)
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Lisa (M-Flo)
Lisa Loeb
Little Barrie
Little Mix
Lizz Wright
Local Natives
Locksley
Los Campesinos
Louie Vega (DJ, producer)
The Maccabees
Madeleine Peyroux
Mademoiselle Yulia (DJ)
Manhattan Transfer
Mani (Primal Scream)
Manic Street Preachers
Marcus Miller
Maria Muldaur
Mark Dytham (architect)
Mark Owen (Take That)
Mark Robinson (writer)
Mark Ronson
Mark Stewart (The Pop Group)
Maroon Five
Martin Bashir (documentary maker)
Martin Fry (ABC)
Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, Human League)
Masa Hidaka (Fuji Rock Festival founder)
Masayoshi Sukita (David Bowie photographer)
Massive Attack
Mathew Herbert
Mathew Sweet
Matt & Kim
Matt Bianco
Matt Burney (British Council Japan Director)
Matthew “Matty” Healy (The 1975)
Maxi Priest
Maximo Park
Metronomy
The Metros
M-Flo
MGMT
Michael Buble
Michael Kiwanuka
Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks)
Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite)
Mick Talbot (The Style Council)
Mickey Thomas (Starship)
Midge Ure (Ultravox, Band Aid)
Midnight Juggernauts
Mike Skinner (The Streets, The D.O.T)
Mitsuko Watanabe (Vogue Japan editor)
Miyavi
Moby
Mogwai
Monday Michiru
Monolake
Monty Alexander
The Morning Benders
Mouse On Mars
Mr Scruff
Mutemath
My Chemical Romance
The Mystery Jets
Naoki Shimizu (Summer Sonic festival founder)
Naomie Harris (actor)
Natasha Bedingfield
Natty
Neil Barrett (fashion designer)
Nelly Furtado
Neon Neon
New Young Pony Club
Nicholas Pettas (karate and kickboxing champion)
Nicola Conte
Nik Kershaw
Nile Rodgers (Chic, music producer)
Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim)
OK Go
Olivia Newton-John
Olly Alexander (Years & Years)
Olly Murs
Omar
The Orb
Orbital
Oyvind Naesheim (Nobu Hong Kong chef)
Panic At The Disco
Patrick Wolf
Paul Madden (British Ambassador to Japan 2017-2021)
Paul McCartney
Paul Smith (fashion brand founder)
Paul Tunkin (Blow Up club)
Paul Weller (The Jam, The Style Council)
Pet Shop Boys
Peter Barakan (broadcaster)
Peter Hook (New Order)
Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music)
The Pistolas
Pixie Lott
PP Krit (actor, singer)
Prefuse 73
The Punk Piper
The Qemists
Rainer Schmidt Walk (Bert Kaempfert music estate manager)
Ralph Fiennes (actor)
Randy Bachman (Bachman Turner Overdrive)
Rasmus Faber
Ratko Backo (artist)
Raul Midon
Ray Hayden
Ray Parker Jr
Reggie Watts
ReN
Reverend & The Makers
Richard Branson (Virgin Group founder)
Richard Collasse (Chanel Japan CEO)
Richard Tognetti (Australian Chamber Orchestra)
Richard Winsor (stage actor)
Richard Woods (artist)
Rick Astley
Ride
Rina Sawayama
Robbie Dupree
Robin Gibb (Bee Gees)
Roger Dean (Yes album jackets artist)
Roland Kelts (Japan pop culture specialist)
Roisin Murphy
Rooster
Rox
Royksopp
Rumer
Ryukyu Underground
Sagisu Shiro
Sam Fender
Sam Moore
Sam Sparro
Sananda Maitreya (Terence Trent D’Arby)
Sandro Chia (artist)
Sarah Bareilles
Sasha Bailey (photography curator)
Sasuke
Scissor Sisters
Scouting For Girls
Sergio Mendes
Shakatak
Shuya Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive)
Silversun Pickups
Simian Mobile Disco
Sinead O’Connor
Snow Patrol
Somegoro Ichikawa (kabuki actor)
Sparks
Speech (Arrested Development)
Spiritualized
Squeeze
Stephen Jones (milliner)
Stereophonics
Steven Haynes (beauty pageant entrepreneur)
Steve Appleton
Sting (The Police)
Stone Foundation
The Stranglers
The Strypes
StuartO (voice actor)
Stuart Varnam-Atkin (bunraku puppetry expert)
The Subways
Surfaces
Suzanne Vega
Swanton Bombs
Swing Out Sister
Switches
Tahiti 80
Taio Cruz
Take Dake (bamboo instrument group)
Take That
Tank & The Bangas
Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders
Teenage Fanclub
Temples
These New Puritans
Thom Browne (fashion designer)
Thomas Dolby
Those Dancing Days
Tiffany Rossdale (transgender spokeswoman)
Tim Deluxe (DJ, producer)
Tim Hitchens (British Ambassador to Japan 2012-2016)
Tim Rice (lyricist)
Ting Tings
Todd Rundgren
T.O.K.
Toku
Tom Sachs (artist)
Tom Tom Club
Tommy Emmanuel
Tomoyuki Tanaka (Fantastic Plastic Machine)
Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
Trevor Horn (The Buggles, music producer)
Tricky
Tristan Prettyman
The Troubadours
The Twang
TV On The Radio
Two Door Cinema Club
Underworld
U.S.E.
Us3
Utada Hikaru
The Vaccines
Valerie Simpson
Vanessa Carlton
Victor Davies
Victoria Broackes (V&A museum David Bowie is, Pink Floyd curator)
The Vines
The Wedding Present
The Whip
White Lies
William Saito (software entrepreneur)
Win Morisaki
Wolf Alice
The Wombats
Yelle
Yoshimasa Kanze (noh performer)
Young Punx
Zachary Alford (David Bowie drummer)
10CC
120 Days
The 1975
2 Banks of 4
2 Many DJ’s
3 Oh 3
4 Hero
80 Kids
808 State
!!! (Chk Chk Chk)
Virgin Megastore Tokyo Events Guests:
Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones)
Janet Jackson
Jessica Simpson
Lenny Kravitz
Muse
Ray Manzerek (The Doors)
Press Conferences:
David Bowie
Madonna
Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody movie)
Random Bumping Into:
Dionne Warwick at Blue Note Tokyo
The Jacksons at InterFM radio studio Tokyo
Liza Minelli on Omotesando, Tokyo
Best “Worst” Interview:
Grace Jones in Sydney 1988. I remember it was an amazing interview with Miss Jones in full-flight recorded at her hotel, but when I got back to the studio the recorder had run out of battery power and I had a completely blank tape. I learnt from that day on to always have a back-up recorder.
