Exit Interviews
Sometimes someone that’s been very close to you in your life leaves. I think that’s a part of growing older. The Girl Scouts have a saying for this “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold.” I’ve long had an affinity towards a great interview. Maybe for my lack of attention span or maybe for my love of primary documents but give me a Q&A over a biography anyday.
▶ Interview 01: Tony & "The Tape"
▶ Interview 02: Life After Accounting
▶ Interview 03: As The Band Goes By
▶ Interview 04: A Primitive Human Exercise
References
David Lynch’s Interview Project
This was a huge influence on this project both stylistically and format-wise. Could watch all of these in a row if not for the annoying 30 second intro every time. This taught me how unnecessary it was to have a famous person or even a charismatic subject for an interview to turn out interesting. Everyone has a story because everyday we’re writing pages in the book of our lives. It’s just that most never get shared.
Everyone loves you when you're dead by Neil Strauss
Damn does this guy know how to ask great questions. Believe it or not being a good interviewer is not as easy as it sounds. Oh sure anyone can write a list of questions and ask them but to be able to move seamlessly through various topics and know when to dig deep is a true skill. You need to find that sweet spot of putting your subject in the hot chair and having a free flowing conversation.
The Most Awkward Interview Ever: The Strokes
Marc Maron's WTF Podcast
If you’re looking for raw truth from celebrities look no further. The word cathartic is often used to describe his interviews. Marc has this unabashed, confessional personality where he’s able to get people to spill their guts by being open and candid about his own life. No question is too personal- childhood issues, sexual frustration, drug addictions- it all comes out in Maron’s garage.
Nardwuar
How do you not love Nardwuar vs _______ and all his Canadian, nerdy, gift giving, caffeine induced awesomeness. Going a mile a minute, never reading off a script, this guy has pioneered a whole new genre of hyper aware interviews where he reveals more about the band than the band themselves. Watching his videos always leaves me with the thoughts ‘Wow this dude knows everything about music’ and ‘this insufferable bastard is insane and incredibly awkward’. Doot doola doot doo...
Waking Life by Richard Linklater
A great film in general but more so because of my interviewing obsession. Willy Wiggins floating through different dream sequences while talking (or being to talked to) about dreams or existential philosophy or sexuality or politics. It’s all told through a series of cell-shaded vignettes with different characters floating in an out. My favorite being the late Robert C. Solomon discussing the french existentialist’s view on life. It started my Camus obsession.
Robert C. Solomon on Existentialism
Charlie Rose
The true southern gentleman of interviews. He doesn’t ask too many tough questions but he listens. A totally underrated skill. More so than most interviewers he actually lets his subjects talk and eases the conversation organically. Always excited when I hear someone I love has been interviewed on his show.
