Listen to Looch: talking with Bill DeVille about interviews
by Mary Lucia
February 06, 2020
This week, Mary Lucia welcomes Bill DeVille, and the two pull back the curtain a bit on what it's like to interview the artists you love.
Interview Transcript
MARY LUCIA: Hey guys, it's Looch, with Bill DeVille.
BILL DeVILLE:: Thanks for having me. How're you doing, Looch?
MARY: I'm cold. How are you?
BILL: The same. (laughing)
MARY: OK, you had a really cool interview this week. You know, we did a lot more Theft of the Dials, it seemed, earlier in The Current. And they're a really cool idea; if you don't know, it's when we have an artist come in and basically they play DJ.
BILL: Right.
MARY: And they get to pick all the songs. Do you know beforehand what songs they've picked?
BILL: Yeah. Michael wrote them down on a list right as it was about to happen.
MARY: OK. So now, Michael Kiwanuka had been here a couple of times, and you had met him before.
BILL: I had met him once before, yes.
MARY: And he's clearly riding a huge high right now.
BILL: Well, yeah. He's kind of climbed the ranks. The first time he was in town, he played 7th Street Entry, followed by a couple of Mainroom shows, and most recently, the bigger Palace Theatre, and I think all of them pretty much sold out.
MARY: Pretty much! So he did this Theft of the Dial with you, which is airing this Saturday at nooner,
and I was talking to you earlier, just about when you're preparing to interview someone who you really, really respect -- let's be honest, every single person you interview is not on your high list of, "Hoo! I want to meet him!"
BILL: Right.
MARY: But, you know, you kind of get psyched in your head, at least I do, I feel like I have 10 seconds to prove that I'm not an idiot, and I'm not going to ask really dumb questions. And it puts a lot of pressure on me, but, you know, sometimes you feel like you have to ask questions that you think your audience wants to hear. Or do you sometimes just think, "No, I just want to ask questions that I want to know the answers to"?
BILL: I think it's a little bit of both.
MARY: Yeah.
BILL: You've gotta throw some out for the masses, and it's fun to have an icebreaker of your own.
MARY: I know!
BILL: So you can see what kind of a vibe you have going with the musician or artist.
MARY: OK, we'll tear down the fourth wall a little bit: When you're preparing for an interview, do you rely mostly on what for prep?
BILL: I kind of just do some reading and listening, and then just try to dream up a couple good questions I haven't asked before. You?
MARY: I always read their most recent interview, and then, literally, go, "OK, I won't ask that," "I won't ask that," "I won't ask that." And I try the whole thing. But it's super cool when you do get to connect with somebody who is just amazing and so talented, and you know they're going to be HUUUGE!
Lastly, what do you think of that new Green Day?
BILL: I think it's kind of cool!
MARY: Well, it's a bit of a steal ...
BILL: Yeah.
MARY: ... from Gary Glitter!
BILL: (laughing) And Joan Jett!
MARY: And Joan!
BILL: Yeah.
MARY: But at any rate, I was saying last night on the air that it's like, "Oh, I got a new Green Day track coming up." And then I thought, "You know, when Green Day first came out, did you think they would have longevity?" To be honest, I did.
BILL: I kinda did, too!
MARY: Yeah!
BILL: I still remember hearing that "Kerplunk" album back in '90, '91, thereabouts.
MARY: Yeah!
BILL: And they've only gotten better along the way.
MARY: I think so too. I digress.
The Michael Kiwanuka Theft of the Dial with Bill DeVille is this Saturday, Feb. 8, at noon Central.
