Lopez Blogs

GETTING RAUNCHY WITH ROBERT O’CONNOR:

Two things need to precede this interview. One ~ if you haven’t read my previous indepth chat with the incredibly charming Mr O’C (not once did he say “welcome to the OC bitch” which was incredibly disappointing) which is available here, then you are a fool. A fool I tell you. It’s witty urbane and cutting edge journalism :P haha. Two ~ If you have not checked out Robert’s music yet, then I hang my head in shame. In shame I tell you. His debut single – an achingly elegant cover of Gabrielle’s Ten Years Time, doubled up with the lovely alluring Spend The Night – is available for perusal on his myspace site. Go check it out and get back to me...

Howdy there Robert. It’s a very weird summer isn’t it? What have you been doing during these rainy/sunny/freak “day after tomorrow” weather months?

This summer has been very weird in terms of weather…though I haven’t been in one place for an extended period of time, so I can’t really comment too much. When I returned to Ireland after spending a month in Amsterdam recording, I was reading in the media how there hadn’t been a day without rain for several weeks, which is kind of extreme. I really pity you guys in England though, you’ve had some pretty bad luck this year. I was in New York for a couple of days too, which was a fantastic trip. I’m in love with the states and the pace of life there. My final trip of the summer is to Ibiza this weekend, and this one isn’t work-oriented. After that, it will be work, work, work, so I’m truly going to make the most of it. Fingers crossed for no environmental disasters!

Even though the weather is intermitantly crappy, lots of popstars are going the “Britney” route and dressing quite slutty with very few clothes. Which current stars would you like to “spend the night” with?

I quite fancy Sophie Ellis Bextor, though she’s married to the dude from The Feeling, does that matter? There’s something terribly sexy about Maggie Gyllenhaal as well.

Well if Mr Ellis Bextor doesn’t mind, I don’t suppose it would matter. I’ll ask him and get back to you. Oh and if you hook up with Maggie, get Jakes number for me. Now, despite having an ace collection of tunes, you are currently on your third record deal. Are you a label whore or just not found the right fit yet?

Actually I’m not on my third yet. I’m deal-less. You’re right in saying I haven’t found the right fit, but it’s more to do with the fact that I’ve done as much as I can do on an independent label. The first deal didn’t even materialise a single release. Infact the first deal was a total disaster, I don’t want to talk about that. The second allowed me to release my first single, but unfortunately they couldn’t offer the support I know that I need to allow my album to have a chance of success.

Talking of labels, what are your favourite clothes? Have you gotten rid of those bloody horrible chavvy shoes yet

OK, once and for all, those shoes were NOT my idea. Graham Cruz, the stylist on that shoot, brought them along and insisted they were ‘cool’. I knew they weren’t my ideal of ‘cool’ but went along with it, being the amicable (pronounced: stupid) man that I am. I didn’t even try to steal them from the shoot, that’s how awful they were. My real-life taste in shoes is considerably I would tend to believe.

In terms of my favourite clothes, my favourite label is Ralph Lauren. It’s classic, comfortable and works in any scenario. I was in Brown Thomas (the Irish Harrods) the other day wasting time before a meeting, and discovered some great Alexander McQueen pieces. When I’m not working or socialising I tend to wear more casual junk like Abercrombie and Canterbury.

You did a very lovely cover of Gabrielle’s Ten Years Time. What do you think the future will look like in 2017? More importantly, will the Simpsons still be going and what number farewell tour will the Spice Girls be on?

I think, in 2017, we won’t sleep anymore! There’ll be a pill for it! As it is people are working 12-hour shifts, commuting on top of that, socialising like Paris Hilton, taking care of the house and the kids. How do people do it? The Simpsons will still be going, yes, certainly. The Spice Girls, I hope, won’t be touring. I mean, it’s cool that they’re doing this tour, but for a group of that nature, you have to know when to stop. Maybe Victoria will be a megastar selling out Madison Square Garden in some huge change of public opinion towards her. It’s worth adding,

Talking of those girls known as spice, which ones would you marry, kiss and push off a cliff?

I would marry Geri and set up house, along with her fatherless child. I think that could be a very interesting thing. We could visit George Michael in St Tropez on the long weekends. I’d kiss Victoria, or Geri, that would be fine. I find Victoria sexy, though I am slightly afraid that she’d look like a 7-year-old in reality. I’d push Mel C off a cliff, as she’s looking particularly depressed in the new Spice Girls press shots, she probably wouldn’t mind so much.

There have been a lot of movie franchises out this summer – have you seen any good flicks? And because you have movie star good looks, if you were offered a role taking over a franchise which would one you go for? James Bond, Indiana Jones, Shrek or Harry Potter?

Bond. Infact, a few weeks ago, as I was discussing the treatment for my first video clip, one of the guys in the room suggested we “go quite Bond”, as in the whole suave “I’m the shit” look and attitude. I think I’d get quite a kick out of that. I pretend I’m Bond quite often anyway. You don’t see it that often in pop videos either. I bet someone’s gonna steal my ideas now!

Are you the new James Blunt?

No. I’m the new Elvis.

Describe your music for zapping readers in 50 words or less.

My music, in my mind, is the kind of music that you can totally relax to. It borrows elements of Soul, Rock, and occasionally R&B, but essentially it is Pop music. I think that most of my tracks feel very much organic, pure. For me the main thing is a strong melody and an equally strong lyric. I’m constantly influenced and I go off in day dreams about making concept albums full of chill out music, jazz music, club music. I’m completely mad, I mean, I haven’t even released my first record yet, but I’m very excitable in that sense. I don’t think I’d be the kind of artist to release three straight pop albums in a row.

Are you willing to take your top off to sell records? Do you need someone to grease you down? I am free most Saturdays...

I’m willing to take my top off, but I’m not sure that it would help to sell records, would it? I did some shirtless shots a few years ago with Andrea Benedetti, a photographer I worked with on my modelling portfolio. I was completely against it, but he was a pushy character, and suggested an open jacket with an open shirt as a compromise. Before I knew it, I was topless, and yes, there was “grease” involved. Those shots haven’t surfaced on the interweb, thank god. I’m sure they’re lurking around my old agency office somewhere.

Finally... has this interview been appropriately popjustice-y for you or did my zapping magic make you tingle from your head to your burberry covered toes?

I’m a fan of Popjustice, though not necessarily all of the music they choose to support. This interview, however, has made me tingle from head to toe. Though you can be sure there’s no Burberry involved!

LINK: Roberts official homepage

LINK: Roberts official myspace page