June 2003 – ‘Interview’ Magazine – Michael Jackson interviewed Pharrell Williams!
This interview, which took place in early June 2003, actually came about as the magazine was planning a piece on Pharrell Williams, who at the time was an upstart producer from Virginia.
As the editors were arranging the story with Williams, he casually mentioned that he’d always wanted to speak to Michael Jackson, who had been in the news after appearing in British journalist Martin Bashir’s infamous television documentary, ‘Living with Michael Jackson,’ which portrayed the singer at his most bizarre.
A complex chain of e-mails and phone calls ensued, messages were passed, reputations were vouched for, and a few days later, Michael’s office called to say that he would do the interview.
Here is the full interview!
MICHAEL JACKSON: So, I’m interviewing you, right? And I think it’s seven questions, or something like that?
PHARRELL WILLIAMS: Sure. Whatever you like.
MICHAEL: Okay. What would you say inspires you in your music? What is it that inspires you to create your music?
WILLIAMS: It’s a feeling. You treat the air as a canvas and the paint is the chords that come through your fingers, out of the keyboard. So when I’m playing, I’m sort of painting a feeling in the air. I know that might sound corny, but—
MICHAEL: No. No, that’s a perfect analogy.
WILLIAMS: And when you know it’s done, you know it’s done. It’s like painting or sculpting. When you let it go it’s because you know that it’s finished. It’s completed. And vice versa—it tells you, “Hey, I’m not done.”
MICHAEL: Yeah. And it refuses to let you sleep until it’s finished.
WILLIAMS: That’s right.
MICHAEL: Yeah, I go through the same thing. [laughs] And what do you think of the music today—are you into the new sounds that are being created and the direction that music is going?
WILLIAMS: Well, personally, I kind of feel like I’m taking notes from people like yourself and Stevie [Wonder] and Donny [Hathaway], and just sort of doing what feels right.
MICHAEL: Right.
WILLIAMS: You know, like when everyone was going one way, you went ‘Off the Wall.’
MICHAEL: Right. [laughs]
WILLIAMS: And when everyone else was going another way, you went ‘Thriller.’ You just did it your way. And I’m taking notes from people like yourself, like not being afraid to listen to your feelings and turn your aspirations and ambitions into material. Making it happen, making it materialize . . .
MICHAEL: Who are some of the older artists—not the artists on the radio today—who inspired you when you were younger? Like the artists your father listened to, did you learn anything from those artists?
WILLIAMS: Absolutely. The Isley Brothers.
MICHAEL: Yeah, me too. I love the Isley Brothers. And I love Sly and the Family Stone.
WILLIAMS: Donny, Stevie.
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READ MORE: http://www.mjworld.net/news/2013/10/14/michael-interviewed-pharrell/
Source: Interviewmagazine.com / MJWN / MJ-Upbeat.com
