Q&A: N*E*R*D

Interview by Ralph Moore. Originally published in Mixmag in September 2008.

How long have Pharrell Williams and Neptunes co-pilot Chad Hugo held a stranglehold on the colour and shape of contemporary urban pop and electronic music? Well, let’s see: with a breakout club hit for NORE’s ‘Superthug’ in 1998 and a worldwide smash for Kelis’s still-sizzling ‘Caught Out There’ in ’99, the answer is: a full decade now. Since 1999, Pharrell and Chad have conquered the globe as The Neptunes, producing Britney, Madonna, Jay-Z and Snoop along the way.

If their all-conquering production empire weren’t enough (and Pharrell’s more than considerable success as a solo artist), let’s not forget N*E*R*D, Pharrell’s all-important band project with friend Shay. With lighter and mosh-pit hits like ‘Provider’ and ‘She Wants To Move’ moving rock and urban heads alike, N*E*R*D is perhaps the musical project closest to Skateboard P’s heart. Away from A-list artist pressures, this is the space where he’s free to flex his adrenaline-drenched rock, hip hop and 80s synth muscles. Better still, the third N*E*R*D album ‘Seeing Sounds’ is a real return to form, referencing synth-flavoured electro and even drum ’n’ bass along the way. But after a couple of interviews where Williams was drilled on his relationship with Madonna (“I made her cry!”), the band have decided to carry out all future interviews together to promote N*E*R*D the band rather than ?P Williams the brand. We met the band backstage mere minutes before they took to the stage at Brixton Academy…

The papers reported that you got lost on the way to the Isle Of Wight festival this morning.
P: That was a made up story, that show was nuts. That’s what the paper said? What about a review of the fuckin’ show? So that’s all they talk about with N*E*R*D? That N*E*R*D didn’t know where the show was? Wow. Who cares? They said I was going to the moon or some shit.

Well, you do talk about space a lot in your lyrics.
P: I love outer space… on paper. But I’m scared of heights. I hate helicopters! That’s why we drove there last night. And if you know me, you’ll know that I’m too scared to get in a helicopter. I was watching in 1986 when the space shuttle blew up. Fuck. That. Shit. That’s not for me. Flying is cool. But going past the atmosphere or the stratosphere and all of that… no way.

We hear elements of The Police and classic new wave when we listen to your record…
S: The thing about that song is Pharrell and Chad originally produced it for The Hives and they produced three other songs besides that, but the band took two and left two. The two they didn’t choose we used.”
P: The Police and The Beatles, definitely. When I was making the album I was thinking about beach music. But not Beach Boys, just music to play on the beach. Are we Police fans? For sure!

It sounds like you had a lot of fun making it?
P: It was a lot of fun. Fun is the only way to do things. And it’s the only reason you should do them. Otherwise, it’s fuckin’ work. And what’s the point of that?

One of the best tracks on the album is called ‘Spaz’. When did you last spaz out?
S: Last night, Isle Of Wight. We felt like that was an appropriate title for a song!
P: But what do you think of the song? That’s the most important thing!

So how do you know when a song you’ve written is good?
P: It just feels right. It’s kind of like when you’re moving furniture around the room. When it’s almost right, it kind of bothers you every time you go in that room. And when it feels great, it’s perfect. Am I tough on myself? For sure, you have to be!

The other great track on the album is ‘Yeah, You’ which is almost a jazz record.
P: It was one of those weird songs that we wanted to find its way onto someone’s weird, ironic iPod playlist. That’s necessary with any N*E*R*D record, the song that makes you ?go ‘what the fuck’s that?!’ I’ve been introduced to great jazz by different people, people with greater ears than me: Q Tip, Amir, Premier….

Are you a fan of DJ culture as much as you are musicianship?
P: Yeah, why not? One doesn’t exist without the other!
C: Especially when there’s a phenomenal DJ and you’re part of an event. In the club scene, when a group of people feel the music with a groove and the build-up from the DJ, nothing can beat that.

Could anything get in the way of your friendship?
P: We are Voltron, we’re like one!
S: One of Chad’s burps could get in the way! Especially when he burps in the van! [they all laugh]

What was the last great song you heard?
S: I really like Adele’s ‘Chasing Pavements’.
P: Beach Boys ‘Sail On Sailor’, it’s crazy. I heard that at a store and I stopped doing everything. Then I contacted Joe Delgado who was the drummer for the Miami Sound Machine and an ill music historian. When I sung it he said, ‘1973, ‘The Holland Album’ by Beach Boys’ and the lead singer was actually the lead rhythm guitarist! That song’s incredible!

What was the last great film you saw?
S: The one with Jack Nicholson, what was that movie? The Departed, that was a great movie.
P: Iron Man was sick.
C: Life is a movie!

Sweet! Do you have anything else to add?
P: Yeah, this magazine is sick. Can I have a free subscription?

Read more: Mixmag