Tom Stroud Meets...
Tom Stroud talks to Duffy
She's 24, Welsh, blonde and with her single "Mercy" and album "Rockferry" she's responsible for two of the biggest records of 2008.
I caught up with Duffy as she returned to the UK after a series of massive shows in the US. As you'll hear she's still full of energy and joy, happy to talk, very polite and very thoughtful. And perhaps a bit flirtatious?
Happily none of Duffy's success seems to have gone to her head. She's grateful for her fame, if a bit baffled by it all. Listen for the stories behind some of the songs too. Ever wondered where Warwick Avenue is? All will be explained, along with why "Mercy" is a very naughty record indeed.
Duffy is one of those people who you feel like you've known for ages after talking to her for just a few minutes. Since she came on the show she's sold even more records, appeared onstage with Paul Weller and had John Lydon reduce her to tears. Lots to talk about then, and I look forward to her popping in again for a cup of tea and another chat!
Tom Stroud talks to Coldplay
The biggest band on the planet right now? Probably. The most talked about album of 2008 so far? Almost certainly. Is it any good? Coldplay aren't sure yet......
Here Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland and Guy Berryman talk about the making of their fourth album Viva La Vida. You'll hear tales of producer Brian Eno, stitching together their own stage outfits in the secret bakery that they rent in North London, also about the tunes that inspired the album and how the band steal from the best!
Coldplay don't do that many interviews. They give the impression that they dislike talking about themselves or their music. If you believe some of the stories in the press you'd think they'd be hard to talk to, difficult, distant and on the edge of walking out at any moment. Listen to this chat though and you'll hear a band happy to talk and who make each other laugh a lot.
They were great fun and they even posed for a picture. You'll see that I lucked in by wearing black and that rockstars don't smile in photos. I'm the second from left in case you were wondering.....!
Tom Stroud talks to Paul Weller
Where do you start with Paul Weller? The songs? The performances? The style? The Changingman who has always embodied values of "real music", snappy dressing and a magpie's eye for a good tune? Since the mod-punk energy of The Jam he's always been around. He's 50 this year but you wouldn't know it.
Probably the best place to start with Mr Weller (I shan't be calling him the Modfather) is now, and his #1 selling album "22 Dreams". Paul is a man on the go; thinking about the moment and not looking back. He has a reputation for moodiness and a dislike of interviews but I suspect the truth is that he doesn't suffer fools gladly and he's probably been asked once too often "when are The Jam getting back together?" He's not big on eye contact but as you'll hear he's engaging, direct, thoughtful and passionate about his music.
So here's a chat with the man. Me, Paul, some bottles of Peroni and the studio fire alarms turning a blind eye to PW's cigarette smoke. There's a new album about to be released, Paul's in the middle of rehearsing for his upcoming tour and he's got lots to look forward to. It's not a time for looking back, although we do talk about his enduring iconic status and his continued success.
Tom Stroud talks to Kylie
Kylie. Kylie, Kylie, Kylie. Surname unneccessary. One of the most famous women on the planet, definitely one the most loved, and purveyor of top-notch pop tunes like Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Spinning Around and 2 Hearts. Kylie. Yes folks, I interviewed Kylie. And she was as lovely as you would expect.
It's late 2007. 2 Hearts is about to be released, followed by the album X. Kylie will appear in the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special and there's a tour about to be announced. Kylie is back in the public eye again with the release of "White Diamond", a film that documents her return to live performance following her treatment and recovery from breast cancer. There's been an exhibition of her outfits at the Victoria And Albert Museum, and to many people, she'll always be Charlene from Neighbours....
So where to begin? So much to talk about, so little time. Everyone's got a question they'd love to ask Kylie. I've got 15 minutes with her. I gave it my best shot!
Happily Kylie is as sweet and friendly as you'd hope. She's also thoughtful and clearly very aware and in control of her life, her music and her image. The interview rushed by and I came out of the studio slightly in awe of her and with no real memory of the conversation! I spent the train journey home wondering if I had enough material on the CD in my bag. This might sound like bragging but I do know that she enjoyed the interview; she passed on a compliment. She didn't need to do that - with most artists it's just a part of the job. On you go, next please. Kylie was certainly different. Lots of eye contact, revealing answers and very friendly.
A very odd, dreamlike day. I was the most nervous I've been for a very long time and I think interviewing Kylie is probably the biggest thing I've done in my career. I hope there's a second time!
Tom Stroud talks to the Sugababes
Keisha, Heidi and Amelle are the Sugababes, the most successful all-female act of the 21st century in the UK. It's been quite a journey to get to this point (Keisha is the only original member, with Heidi and Amelle arriving as replacement members at various stages in the life of the band). They wear it well and seem happier than ever. You get the feeling that Keisha is the boss, Heidi's pretty easy going and Amelle is still getting her feet under the table right now.
They've been on my show several times and they're always fun. Here we catch them at the end of 2007, talking about the release of their album "Change", the runaway success of "About You Now", and preparing to see in 2008 at the O2 in London with Take That. We also talk about buying flats, doing photoshoots and whether Heidi should allow husband-to-be Dave Berry to do the weekly shop by himself.....
Tom Stroud talks to The Feeling
They love it when you call. Fill their little world right up. Never be lonely. They thought it was over. All of them with huge choruses, hands in the air and lots "aaah aaahs" in there. Unashamedly pop, The Feeling have been on the show several times now to chat, ponder the state of the charts, have a laugh, talk about the new songs and then choose odd pieces of classical music to play instead of pop songs.
Dan (the singer, songwriter, fringe, blazer) and Richard (Mr Sophie Ellis Bextor, bassist, fringe, errr blazer) do most of the talking. Listen to hear about the making of the new album "Join With Us" and how, without Top Of The Pops, it's hard to prove you're a popstar any more....
Tom Stroud talks to David Gray
At the end of 2007, cunningly just in time for Christmas, David Gray released a greatest hits album. He came in to the show to talk about the songs on it and we found him at a bit of a crossroads. We snatched half an hour with him in the middle of rehearsing for a tour with a brand new band, while his hits album fulfilled his record company contract and left him free to consider his future.
He's a thoughtful chap, honest and uncomfortable with notions of being "a celebrity." We talk through the ups and downs of his career, the success of songs like "Babylon" and "Sail Away" while looking forward to the future.
Nice guy! I don't think he does many interviews which is a shame as he's good at them. It's clear that he puts a massive amount of himself in his music and I reckon he found it a little bit emotional to chat about the songs and his life so far.
