The Human League (Phil Oakey) - Interview

[TMBuxton]

If the snotty interviewer is still alive today, I wonder what she thinks about pop music 30 years later. Lol. And I liked what the guy with beard was saying about people who aren't technical musicians per se but are musically-inclined. There are so many talented people like that out there that make great music (i.e. Kanye West). Why shouldn't they be allowed to share their talent with the world? But then again, this was 1983 when the synthesizer just started shaking up the pop landscape.

[francaisemusique]

haha that poor old bat, if she saw electronic music nowadays she'd hav a heart attack

[RockoJulian]

Poor Phil Oakey at the end :(. Bitch was mean, she didn't know her shit. Tea doesn't make you smarter or more musical experienced woman.

[EightiesDiscoFan]

I like how the host asks Phil "so you're going to put this sort of thing (referring to the Emulator) in the studio...". This "sort of thing" made The Human League legends of Synthpop!

[Erictheeviltwin]

Ooooh she's a tad snooty. I really wanted Phil to get up and hit her with the damn keyboard.

[MrMarcJackson]

that was brutal

[900GTi]

the Emulator I was rare

[DuranFan09]

Nice to see that even in 1993, ITV1 was still the place to go if you wanted to see ill-informed tossers talking absolute drivel about things they know nothing about. The Human League would ultimately have the last laugh though. Still going strong in 2011!

[lebzryty]

@DuranFan09  1983

[DuranFan09]

@lebzryty Sorry, only just noticed my typo. I did of course mean 1983!

[lebzryty]

@DuranFan09 no problemo. one more thing. is he a gay/bi?

[DuranFan09]

@lebzryty I'm not sure why you're asking me that question but no, he isn't. He's living with his long term girlfriend in Sheffield as we speak.

[keaneradri]

no se como se pudo sentir phil al estar en una entrevista con unos viejos xD que anticuado

[troddsy]

...hobbyhorse?

[Nemogudasesetim]

this is like being interviewed by your parents..

[troddsy]

strangely its as if they're discussing the Wheel or something.

was that a pterodactyl that just flew by? Heavens!

...sweaters....

[Nemogudasesetim]

@troddsy and the 'incredible' teapot :))

[troddsy]

@Nemogudasesetim phil Pasted like that and appearing most normal that is until you ask the teapot

[offthelinegt]

Why are people thinking he's gay?! He dated both of the gals in the band! You people dont seem to understand that it was in style for guys to wear make up during this time. . god, fuck off with the gay comments

[bernardocantu77]

LOL his expression after the interviewer said "take it you wouldnt dream of taking a machine like this on stage with you when you are doing a live performance" is priceless!!!!!

I couldn't stop laughing.

[sipeirson]

Well done for dealing with these clueless idiots in such a gentlemanly manner Mr Oakey . x

[sipeirson]

Hope the interviewer bitch is dead by now ..... just saying.

Most annoying thing i've ever had to deal with

[Jauly]

lol in the end you hear a punchy digital drum machine und synthesizer sounds as the signation...

[lambie22]

these people are idiots. phil seems extremely annoyed... i would be too.

[lambie22]

what a cool ass motherfucker

[sueplexify]

This reminds me of trying to explain the internet to my mother. She thinks online shops close.

[lebzryty]

@sueplexify what time do they close?

[CartoonsAndGameShows]

0:49

Well I do agree with Phillip in a way. But I have to say that back in the Punk era, there were a lot of bands that had barely any musical experience that made some great music.

Oh and 2:00 is my favorite part, lol

[blapo38]

Phil Oakey,as bloody gorgeous as always!

[onlywhenpissed]

Angela called him Phil 'Oakley'. She was hot back in the day so is forgiven.

[Winsel79]

He must be soo immpressed by the 'wonderful teapot" :-P. Can't believe he's straight btw....well, good heavens for that ;-)

[WeepingWillow74]

Funny how Phil looks damn good and completely ridicolous at the same time.....

[KunEtSekund]

@WeepingWillow74 Well said=)

[Philip42]

Angela Rippon sounds like such a snob with plums in her mouth, and as for the scientist guy with the argyle jumper...he's like the professor ff The Simpsons...what are "batons"?

[Philip42]

Angela Rippon sounds like such a snob with plums in her mouth, and as for the scientist guy with the argyle jumper...he's like the professor ff The Simpsons...

[VTS1337]

HOLY MOLY! That synth is totally cool!! That guy put a floppy disk in it!!!

[straightguyful]

What a hell, he's gay?!?! Well, I liked him, thought he was cute, but seeing him dressed like that was the end. I like men, not transsexual

[DerVampyrEngel]

@straightguyful you like men not transsexual ? you closet fag oh by the way he doesn't want a sex change mate and he had two birds two more than YOU Maybe you should change your nick And I don't even usually stick up Phil Oakey especially after as by this time it wasn't the "early" Human League but on wearing makeup this time I think will especially against pleb assholes like you

[ClareLouiseJohnston]

Get away, what is wrong with a bloke looking good in makeup? Weren't you there in the 80's? What about high society in the 16 and 1700's? And no, he isn't gay - fools!

[0oRevano0]

My god, Phil was and is so hot!!

[emmeaki]

@0oRevano0

Hell yeah he was hot!!

[unguardedsmiles]

"incredible tea pot,"lol, Phil looks hot as hell though.

[StevenTylersLova]

I lvoe the mic that got in the shot xD

[audiotrax2000]

OK, I'm a right poofter myself - but who is being MORE the poofter here; Phil Oakey or that guy in the sweater? Sheesh...... :)

[TheK3lsinator]

Its so weird that such a deep voice could come out of such a pretty face O_O

[soundscapenyc]

Phil looks as like he wants to backhand that smug bitch...thinking "stfu u ignorant twat."

[moonsault2506123]

cool keyboard,emulators used big time by depeche mode,this particular model by martin gore.

[Cesarsound1]

true gay.

[prlad85]

@Cesarsound1 no, he's not gay. Look it up on wikipedia.

Have a great day, a great night, a great week, a great month, a great week, a great duration of the summer and a great autumn! Puerto Rican Love from New York City!

[DOSkywalkR]

@prlad85 last time i checked it didn't say he's gay, but now i read there (in the section "today") that he lives with his long term boyfriend ... o.O

[prlad85]

@DOSkywalkR I don't think thats true.

[daboudzi]

Oh it's 9:15 i,ve to go to work!!! LOL.. I'll be late!!

[ohmeien]

he is very cool

[TrainmasterCurt]

That motorcycle sound reminds me of the beginning of Visage's Pleasure Boys

[TheDangerousDolls]

Amazing @4:12 a real live floppy disk lol

[rew428]

glad old cows like her arent too many these days, go the league

[toyprojector]

2:00 "...We Do"

Thats how true rock and roll is made.

[JustAKidInTheHall]

Ahhh gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous :)

[EdM021]

Phil Oakley was cute and he's still hot! No, he's not gay... just gay-acting-and-appearing... and he still has his gf from 20 years ago...

[freddifree]

She's a posh cunt

[sg2massive]

lol this is great and how cool is phil

the best bit is this bit 06;20 it makes phil smile .

[danw1374]

i bet he felt like hed walked into an old folks home lol

[fallonhadley]

@danw1374 Yeah probably, he looked so out of place and wasn't sure how to answer them. It made me laugh :)

[ILovePhilipOakey]

My biggest idle <3 :)

Love you <3

[LoveLucyLove]

sexy <333

[offthelinegt]

Sick of this shit ... why are synth players considered to not be musicians ... in other words these fucks are saying pianists are not musicians. FUCK OFF music is music

[DerVampyrEngel]

@offthelinegt Agree with you entirely there

[leftyla]

This is like a Little Britain skit! I keep waiting for that woman to throw up all over the drum machine. lol

[TRaddcliff]

ha ha ha...the tea is classic. awesome.

[boffinme80]

Phil is hotttt! :D

[degree7]

Must have been god awful, lol, being stuck on a television program with a bunch of posh twats sipping their tea, with an old bat that thinks the emulator is some kind of heathen device from hell.

[Animateme3D]

Human League just signed to UK recording label Wall of Sound! New material (songs, videos, album) expected in 2010!!!!

[acmedressform]

they're all such idiots!! except for Phil Oakey of course, he's so cool through it all.

[acmedressform]

the woman is such an idiot

[RobertBruceBanner]

No wonder I didn't see a drummer in the "Fascination" video.

[tall32guy]

I've never heard of Angela (big suprise, I'm American! LOL) but I actually like her! She seems a very bubbly, very cool woman. I like her interviewing style. The mix of her and Phil and how he was responding to what she was saying to the camera was pretty interesting and funny. LOL

[FrankietheMute]

HAHH1! These people are such yuppies.

It is an interesting topic, though.

Still much a current one.

[frankmunoz27]

THANK YOU ever so much for posting this. I LOVE HUMAN LEAGUE!!!

[nouveauxdecadence]

SIlly cow

[MrPhiloakey]

phil oakey always looks different-fascinating...

[TwoStallions]

Phil doesn't look very happy. Angela Rippon - stupid mare!

[TwoStallions]

Angela Rippon....crap. She even called him Phil Oakley......it's OAKEY you div.

[SuperMephistopheles]

Angela Rippon - way out of her depth.

[Luvinmyguitar]

I just realized that Visage used the Emulator featured here on this video for their song "Pleasure Boys"

[imonlyhumantoo]

Weird! Even though Phil looks like a mad drag queen here, he somehow also looks very, very good doesn't he....?

[panther0567]

LMAO he was so pretty! xD Gotta love 80's androgyny...

[leehowdi]

very patronising. love it.

[nickystickycrud]

Oh Mi God! I remember this!! Have loved phil since I was 5,(which'd be 1980 in my case). My first AND BEST crush. He only seems to get better with age!

[NEILVANCE]

I have been a big fan of the league from 1978, angela in fairness is quite a good journalist, I have always hated her as she looks like shite. she did press some great ad lib questions to phill, and I think she did put him on the spot a few times, he stood up well! nice one Phil.

[thewotsit]

excruciating elitist blinkered idiots!

[mistofoles]

Cheating. Anybody can press a button on a computer/emulator. I play synth music live on a keyboard.

[tshirtjay]

Philip Oakey is the king of cool.

[holysmoke45]

you couldnt stage this any better , hahahahhaa its just so funny , poor Phil bet he just thought beam me up Scotty. Nice cup of tea , while Ray hammond has been playing with his incredable Emulator hhahaha thanks for the post

[shaitarn]

Phil looks like he's thinking "Why am I here?!" And no, ecoplastico, he's not gay; any bio about the League will tell you he dated both the girls (not at the same time, obviously). He's just a staight guy who looked good in makeup!

[ajittffcure]

The funniest part is from 2:00-2:10 and the highlight of this video is from 5:49- 6:23.

[donKusseKurt]

Phil Oakey... Now that's what I call a King! Respect!

[oakeythesecond]

Interesting how Phil looks damn good and completely ridicolous at the same time....

[HAMFARPICTURES]

and that man was shagging the two female singers ?

[rongravy]

hell yeah!!! phil DA MAN!!!

[KiwiShibaInu]

This has GOT to be the MOST English TV show ever made!

[farerse]

agree. i liked the interview and the 5.25" floppy used with the emulator

[amen2u]

LOL...floppy disk looks so old huh? WOW!

[farerse]

sure do LOL!

[joelarama]

Phil Oakey..Love that bloke..well answered questions too..Human League..legends! Interviewees dull. Electric Dremas is such a magical song too..I misss the Human Laegue and what happened to the girl with the blonde swoop?

[synthpopclassics]

haha john julius is old school

[MannaMachine69]

Phil's the greatest pop star ever to grace our tv screens. God bless 'im!

[tshirtjay]

Philip Oakey is the king of cool smack dab in the middle of a bunch of retards.

[imonlyhumantoo]

Christ! If this was 1983 Angela Rippon was only 38-39 years old at the time (according to Wikipedia)!!!! Jesus....! Phil was 27-28.

[oakeythesecond]

My God!! She looks like a 80 y.o.!!

[oakeythesecond]

My God!! She looks like a 80 year old....!

[farerse]

cheese prolly

[imonlyhumantoo]

Hahahahaha...King Phil you're just brilliant!

[JIM2u007]

Tea and crumpets! lol. And the big floppy put into the Emulator at 4:14! Phil's cool and yes, does look totally out of place with Angela Rippon.

[fetaljunk]

How incredibly surreal, tea and crumpets and ladyboy phil looking so out of place, this must have been quite painful for him. I'd really love to see the whole thing, it seems that quite a bit is cut out. Any chance of that happening?

[synthpopclassics]

ladyboy? get real the guy was bonking two woman from the band

[zigzagbigbag]

the lip stick i can forgive...but those ear rings? ouch!

[sonmoixsitjar]

If I was gay or a woman I would be totally in love with Phil... What balls! To go into such a traditional crapstudioprogram with makeup and earrings... Respect!!!

[andyjdking]

Phil has so much gravitas doesnt he. As for the technology New Order used a similar looking emulator on TOTP performing Blue Monday

[elmokiwulu]

so cool!

[stellaviolens]

Good grief, is that plain looking brunette pouring the tea Anna Ford!! I didnt recognise her.

Angela Rippons body language is very amusing to look at too, the flirty lass.

[stellaviolens]

There are still brekkie /news presenters around now who are as thick as Angela Rippon but I excuse her as very few people understood anything about synths/computers back then. Phil Oakey as ever is being a really nice guy in spite of these fools on this weird show.

[leftyla]

LOL. What a stupid bitch! Who is she? I must find more of here interviews!

[whytrysprycom]

At around time 4:44 Phil mentions the Blade Runner soundtrack. Then how you can mash sounds all together.

Then the patronising bit*h smugly puts her hands behind her head in a desperate attempt to be all knowing, stating she would be criticised if she said that.

Bleh.

[orangefunk]

same principles just different media... USB2.0 sticks, smart media... etc... but yeah take your point... I was doing the same with my C64 cassette deck at the time ;-)

[MetalFrenchie]

Lol! This is the most randomest, stupidest interview ever! That womans so thick! Lol! She's well annoying, and Phils just sitting there like WTH, lol! What a crap show! And Phil is my husband I'll have you know! Pmsl!

Oh yeah and whats with the random giant teapot! Lol!

[imonlyhumantoo]

Hahahahah! Well said!

[Darkvampiree]

Phil is my husband! Lol =P

[monopolirecordings]

I gotta agree with GuinevereJuliet. I find it amazing how clearminded Phil is in this interview. He sits there like he's beamed in from 2007 between those silly people being scared of computermusic.

[moco635]

take a second & think about the musicianship of the orginal members of Genesis.Think of Steve Hackett, Tony Banks, Michael Rutherford,Phil Collins & of course, Peter Gabriel.They were a phenoemenal band w/incredible songwriters & musicians...its as if Human League were/are imposters...I do like thier stuff but when you compare them the original Genesis...there is no comparison..that was a surreal clip...

[fancypantsuk]

what an odd interview lol

[Novaheart1998]

yeah its odd.. but also oddly British, who else would have tea, an emulator and Phil on the same show?... it is cool however. :)

[Strawberryskyz]

Angela Nippon of Morecambe and wise fame!!!!

MMMM says it all really.

Phil looks at Angela in disbelief and thinks he is explaining the "Future" to his Granny.

Oh phil does the EMULATOR make a cup of tea???

Oh jolly good.

[thecity42]

Talk about a generation gap.

[GuinevereJuliet]

Phil is quite articulate and self-assured. I am more than impressed. I must also add that he is very nice-looking. Still is:)

[tall32guy]

Indeed! He is still sexy and has that sexy deep voice. :)

[saustrabeck]

Hmmm, Phil. Well, Martyn & Ian Craig went on and did quite well WITHOUT you for to chaps who "don't know anything about music." Producing Tina Turner's comeback album 'Private Dancer' not long after or one thing!!!! And what are YOU doing these days?  PLAYING THE MUSIC YOU RECORDED WITH THEM!!!! Everything comes around in full circle, no?

[1986uno45s]

I suspect Phil was talking about AFTER Ian and Martyn left, when the Human League was just him, Philip Adrian Wright plus Joanne and Susan. None of them were musicians, and it was only when Jo Callis and Ian Burden were brought in that the songs for Dare were written. It's those songs that are still being played today along with all material since that were written by the League mk2. One listen to 'Secrets' shows just how good they still are at writing great pop songs :-)

[saustrabeck]

Perhaps. I think the comment mine was a retort to has been removed. I was referring to what Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware went on doing with Glen Gregory as Heaven 17 and BEF (British Electric Foundation) after Phil took the namesake. Personally, I prefer the direction they took, and post-Ware & Marsh Human League never captured the brilliance of 'Reproduction' or 'Travelogue', 'Dare' being the closest to do so. But that's just one perspective.

[Rumpio]

very different times - a great big box like that would've seemed so silly compared to real instruments. You can't really blame them, it's new technology.

[sixfeetjenna]

My favourite is the old guy standing in the back drinking tea...he seems like he just wandered off the set of Fawlty Towers and has no idea where he is.

[stevesoxx]

To old farts! Damn Phil, u look so much like a bitch!!!

[stevesoxx]

I should've watched this all the way through before I commented, this shit is soo funny!! Tea in an interview? People older than 50 commenting on pshyco pop? This is down right stupid! The old guy knows more than Phil right?? HA HA HA

[hornking]

valerie simpltonne

[whateveriam1988]

This is like a lesson in how not to do an interview! Jeez, I hope they paid Phil a lot, cos whatever it was, it was not enough!

[Nouveauxromo]

Phil looks so good here. Under threat with this machine?????????? How ridiculous

[9sunskungfu]

Fucking bitch is more interested in tea than who shes interviewing,dumb old critizing bitch.

[THEELDER1]

Bloody stupid bitch! fancy implying that they needed that stupid machine to play!

The human league ROCK they personify talent!

get the f*cken plum outta ya mouth bitch

[ClownPoet]

Phil survived a serious patronisation there, didnt he just?

[Chacanger]

He looked very confused :¬|

[DAVE1R1111]

a single great individual stylist [phil],surrounded by excellent examples of english national style [without which,england/english would be just a bunch of usa-american wannabes!]

[therezabizarre]

the sample you refer to bwas used on visages " pleasure boys" single...

[SteveA1978]

You won't see Fiona Philips or Ben Sheppard pouring teas on GMTV

[mystiwiccanchick]

ok this is wat phil would be thinkin on this show...why am i on this stupid show with these god damn idiots!!!! they better pay me BIG!!! ohhh.. and i hope my G friend MystiWiccanChick is waitin for me..hehe..ok ok i made the last thing up...but...theres no harm in dreamin..is there?

[chanchiosi]

I could hardly imagine that people that live in the so - called "developed countries" could bear even for a minute such oddity. This is really the most bizarre, worst produced, most stupidly conducted TV program I have even seen in my life. The decorates, vomitive, made me feel sick. The interviewers' pullovers, crap. Even the homeless and street beggars from my country (in Latin America) would throw them awway if given some of these, absolutely tasteless.

[shinyhunk]

God Were People Really That UnOpen To New Things Phil Was Totally UnImpressed there! At Least The Middle Aged Emulator Guy Stepped In and Corrected Them. I Liked It When She Said 'So When You GO On a Live Show and you Don't Take One Of These On How Do You Cope' And Phils Body Language and What He Said In Reply 'We Do?!' Just Summed It Up. I Couldn't Believe How Closed Minded People Were!!!

[paulsoulsby]

Is that Harley sample the same one that's on Stripped by DM?

[cap65]

You noticed that too!! If so, it certainly shows DM weren't above using old, off-the-peg samples, three years down the road.

[ajittffcure]

Very good observation. I also thought the same. I think to be exact, on 'Stripped', it was a sample from Dave Gahan's Porsche car. The sound is quite similar though.

[nikamota]

What a fantasic video. Phil trying not to utter his distain for new music sampling technology while visibly showing his utter distain in his body language!

[steadfastcoward]

Hail Britain! You are always in the the 4th Dimension and you are smashing!

[dontthinkofme]

So here we've got Phil Oakey, an avant-gaurde man wearing makeup and earrings talking to what seems to be my great aunt, about how synthesisers will pretty much take over the world. And of course, we mustn't forget the nice refreshing cup of tea out of the 'absolutely extraordinary' teapot. It's a teapot. A TEAPOT!

I may cry

[Yoofaloof]

Did she just say Phil Oakley?

[shinyhunk]

Yes She Did!! He Must have left the studio feeling very annoyed and patronised!

[NEILVANCE]

yes she (it) did. So unprofessional of her (it)

[DevoAl]

as an Australian, this clip has made me laugh on the floor in fits. i CANNOT believe theyre having TEA while PHIL OAKEY, one of the most avant-garde ppl i can remember, is on. crazy

[boneyx]

This is a classic!! A posh Angela Rippon, a Northern pop star of the moment, nerdy but likable guy in a hideous jumper talking about his love of the 'Emulater'. A sophisticated news reader of the time then comes in and starts pouring the tea, while anglela puts her arms behind back stating " If we said that you would say we were desicrating popular music" haha classic viewing for an ex-pat. Makes me miss England just a little more.

[therezabizarre]

what A REAL PATRONIZING BAT!1 ANGELA RIPPOFF IS I HATE HER INNABILITY TO UNDERSTAND SAMPLING AND SYNTHS AND THE REMARK ABOUT FEELING WOW WHAT A CUTTING TROLLOP THE LAEGUE ARE LEADERS MARTIN RUSHANT UNDERATED FAB PRODUCER...

[simontan1]

quintesentially 80's English. Interviewing the frontman from a really successful pop group whilst drining tea from the finest china.

[ABC1971]

Watch Phil's face when Angela Rippon asks him about playing the Synth 'Live' on stage. She hasnt done her research very well !!! Love it x

[missfl70]

I was thinking the same thing. Good stuff! Poor Phil though - wonder how many interviews like that he had to suffer through.

[adultescent]

Absolutely love this! :) ... Classic footage... Thanks again, interjet :) ...