The most memorable moments from 2018's biggest interviews so far

By Luke Morgan Britton, 16 August 2018

Radio 1 recently caught up with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy to hear the band's new single, the emphatically-named TooTimeTooTimeTooTime

Like most Healy chats, it's a must-listen, with the singer calling from the band's studio/penthouse in L.A. ("As boujee as it is, it's the same as we'd be doing in Northampton... but it's not Northampton") to talk about everything from the dangers of social media ("Instagram and Twitter can get into the nooks and crannies of relationships") to how TooTimeTooTimeTooTime was made by accident.

Healy explained how he had been working on another song when "something went wrong, it just started looping too fast and the beat just kind of appeared. So we just kind of made that."

Annie Mac's show has played host to some memorable interviews this year so far, airing recent heart-to-hearts with everyone from Robyn to Stefflon Don.

But across the board at Radio 1, we've been treated to some great chats with music's biggest stars. Here's some of the best, funniest and most touching moments from the biggest interviews in 2018 to date.

Years & Years are other regular guests at Radio 1, having premiered their new album with a special Listening Party on Annie Mac's show in June. But it was during the trio's chat with Greg James in May that we found out how frontman Olly Alexander first met Dame Judi Dench, who appeared in a short film released to promote the band's new record, Palo Santo.

Despite Greg's incorrect guesses that the pair met at either a garden centre, a champagne bar or a Lethal Bizzle show, Olly revealed that they had in fact starred in a play together... which led to Dench buying Alexander a laptop.

"During the run of the play, my flat was broken into and my stuff got stolen," Olly recalled. "She found out about this and, without telling me, bought me a laptop."

And how did Olly thank Dame Judi for her act of kindness? By drawing her a picture of a bunny, of course, which she now has on display in her bathroom. Have you heard a more wholesome story?

For Arctic Monkeys' sixth album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, Alex Turner decided to shake things up a little, ditching the guitar for a piano, sitting down at the keys for the first time to write songs.

"The guitar had lost its ability to give me ideas," Alex explained to Annie Mac in May. "Every time I sat with a guitar, I was suspicious of where it was gonna go... when I sat at this piano, suddenly my imagination was ignited once more."

Turner had grown up listening to his jazz-loving father play the piano and said that "certain bits" from his band's new record reminded him of his dad and "things I remember hearing as a kid".

Asked whether Turner Sr had listened to the new music that he had helped inspire, Alex's reply reminded us that all parents are the same, whether their kids are rockstars or not. "Aye, he thinks it's alright," Turner said with trademark modesty.

Florence Welch's talents are well noted, but did you know that she can also predict the future? Well, kind of.

During the Florence + the Machine singer's interview with Annie Mac in May, we learned that she had almost preempted the broken foot she sustained at Coachella in 2015.

You see, when Florence first started making music, she pinned a list of '10 Commandments' to the studio wall. "One of them was 'appreciate your feet,'" Welch revealed to Annie. "Which was really weird, because then I broke my foot!"

Speaking about her band's Glastonbury headline set that year, which took place a couple of months after Coachella, Florence said: "There were like a lot of broken hearts and broken bones which led to that gig".

Strangely enough, that performance saw Florence and co fill in as a last minute replacement for Foo Fighters, whose frontman Dave Grohl had suffered an injury of his own (a broken leg) that ruled the group out of the big gig. Spooky stuff.

While some stars may be known for more debauched backstage antics, Kendrick Lamar's preparation for a live gig is a lot more Zen.

Speaking to Clara Amfo behind the scenes at one of his huge UK shows in February, King Kenny revealed a pre-show ritual that consists of drinking a "whole lot" of green tea and having "some oldies play in the background" (Marvin Gaye and Prince included).

"I might mix a little bit of rap in there," Lamar added. "But you know, just songs that I can feel good about and think about where I was at as a fan listening to these artists and going out there, reciprocating the energy and knowing how the fans feel about me being onstage."

Thirty Seconds To Mars' Jared Leto, meanwhile, told Nick Grimshaw in March that his backstage antics are equally as rock 'n' roll, revealing that his rider consists largely of "muesli, almond milk, carrots and celery". Not very rebellious, but it's worked so far, hasn't it?

You never know how weird and wonderful British TV can be until you try to explain it to a visitor. In February, Nick Grimshaw attempted to do just after finding out that Paramore had been enjoying Gogglebox while in the UK. Or, as singer Hayley Williams calls it: "That show where you watch other people watch another show".

After hearing Grimmy's descriptions, the US group thought Take Me Out sounded "brutal" and were even more baffled by the concept of Naked Attraction. "That's my nightmare!," Hayley exclaimed of the latter show through fits of laughter.

Prior to his passing in April 2016, Janelle Monáe worked with Prince on what would eventually become her irresistibly funky album, Dirty Computer. Prince "helped me come up with sounds," Monáe told Annie Mac in February.

But that wasn't the full extent of Prince's influence, with Janelle paying homage to the late star who was a massive childhood hero of hers before he later became a mentor. Monáe's tribute remains one of the best explanations of Prince's art and vitality.

"Growing up, [Prince] was always otherworldly to me, to the point where I was almost scared of him. When I would see his videos on TV they would make me very scared, mainly because I had never seen a black man express himself in the way that Prince did."

"I think one of the most important things that I got from him, and the thing that sticks with me most, is to embrace your authenticity," Monáe went on to add. "I cannot tell you what that means to have his support. I still feel his spirit all around... I think he's inspired the world and will continue to inspire the world through his music."

And finally...

Not a music star, but icons don't get much bigger than Sir David Attenborough. Making a special appearance as co-host with Greg James in June, the naturalist and national treasure dished out facts about pandas while also discussing what it's like to have everything from fossils to cats named after you.

He even demonstrated his "natural talent" of impersonating a wolf call, which has to be up there with the time he narrated the lyrics to Adele's Hello.

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