Here's a wishlist of some of the people I'd love to interview someday on the G'Day World podcast (you know, the first and best Australian podcast that likes to chat to intelligent and stimulating individuals). I post this list in the vain hope that we are only six degrees of separation from someone out there who can connect me to these people in a credible fashion. I hate to beg.
Ok, so, here goes. My TOP TEN. In no real order...
1. Lou Reed. Okay, Lou really *is* at the top of my list, because his songs are pretty much the soundtrack to my adult life. I didn't discover Lou until I was about 18 and ever since his approach to his craft has been an endless source of inspiration. The guy is the poet laureate of rock and just too damn cool for school.
2. Noam Chomsky. His official website says he's too busy, so don't send emails. I've been reading Noam's political work for the last decade and, again, his pursuit of the truth and his ability to expose the machinations of power is inspiring.
3. David Lee Roth. The clown prince of rock and the ultimate frontman. Dave's always seemed to me to be the smartest guy in rock if for no other reason than he doesn't take himself too seriously. Last seen working as a emergency medical technician in NYC (no kidding).
4. Ray Kurzweil. Not only because of his pioneering work on synthesizers, text-to-speech recognition and OCR, not only because of how insanely great "The Age of Spiritual Machines" was, but because he is also into another of my favourite topics, calorie restriction.
5. K. Eric Drexler. Let's talk about nanotech. I first read "Engines of Creation" about 1990 and I've read it half a dozen times since.
6. Garry Kasparov. I wanna get inside that brain and understand a little more of how it does what it does.
7. Bill Gates. I don't want to talk about Microsoft. I want to try to figure out what drives the guy. What is the one thing he wants to leave as his legacy. What is his biggest, hairiest goal.
8. Peter Bogdanovich. I want to talk about Orson & Kane. PB's commentary on the Kane DVD was a revelation. I'd also love to talk to him about being Jennifer Melfi's shrink.
9. David Chandler. The world's foremost (English speaking) Napoleonic historian. Holy crap. I was googling Chandler to find a bio and instead discovered that he passed away last year, on my birthday no less. Wow. That's a real blow. Chandler's ability to paint the big picture was breathtaking. In his place, I'd love Max Gallo. Gallo's novels on Napoleon, from which the very average recent French mini-series was made, were brilliant and invigorating.
10. Wendy Whiteley. The muse and widow of Australia's greatest artist (a big call, I know, but this is my blog), Brett Whiteley, who passed away in 1992. Brett's work has also been a key inspiration to me for many years. Every time I see one of Brett's painting or sketches it makes me want to pick up a brush.
So there you have my TOP TEN interview dream list as of this moment. If you happen to know any of these people (or if any of these people happen to be doing a reverse name look-up and find this post), my email is cameronreilly@gmail.com.
Interesting design for your blog...pity for the colour though :-)
Posted by: CD | Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 02:35 PM
Wow - these would make some excellent G'Day world 'casts.
And I had no idea Chandler passed away. :(
Posted by: Ben | Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 05:18 PM
In year 10 i passed Wendy Whiteley who was just sitting alone outside the Art Gallery of NSW. I didn't say anything to her and was berated later for it by my art teacher.
Posted by: Hugo | Monday, September 25, 2006 at 12:57 PM
Hugo, what year would that have been?
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Posted by: Yogesh | Friday, December 15, 2006 at 07:36 AM