Following a bout of u-turns, Lloyd is finally releasing the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2007 sophomore album, Street Love. Bertan Budak talks to the R‘n’B solo star about his new album, Lessons In Love, underwear and crazy fans.
Hi Lloyd, how are you?
I’m fantastic! How about you?
I’m fantastic too! Are you wearing fresh underwear?
Always man, always!
Are you more of a boxers or briefs kind of guy?
Definitely a boxer shorts man.
What does Lloyd do in his spare time?
I watch a lot of dirty movies.
What kind of dirty movies?
Oh, well, erm… It depends on how I feel! I get a lot of tattoos as well.
Do you have any embarrassing stories?
Yes, but I’m not sure if I want to expose them! Actually, I do have one story. I brought one of my very good friends to the studio with me, and Redman walked into the room. It was all going well until my mate called him Method Man! That was quite embarrassing.
Oh no! What was Redman’s reaction?
He was actually pretty laid back about it – he’s a cool guy anyway. In some parts of the world they’d punch you in the face for that kind of thing!
I listened to your new single, How We Do It. I must admit, I’m not a fan.
Okay. Err… I would say opinions are like assholes – everyone has one! Different people have different tastes.
Has a fan ever told you they didn’t like a certain album or track?
Well if they did that then they wouldn’t really be fan. I don’t consider people like that as fans I consider them haters!
I also see you’re working with a number of high profile names on the new album…
There are extraordinary people on there including Nelly and Natasha Bedingfield. I think the artists in Britain are extraordinary – I’m a big fan of Lilly Allen. I think she would probably give my grandmother a heart attack. I think Santogold is amazing too! I’m really into Dizzee – I would really like to do a track with him. I also like this guy called Sway. I did How We Do It with him. I’m coming to the UK to do some promo and hopefully this time I would get the opportunity to perform.
Plaudits on the Sway collaboration! What’s your favourite London club?
I don’t know many clubs in London but there is a restaurant/diner that plays cool music videos. I think the UK is awesome! The thing about the fans in the UK is that they’re brutally honest, and they’re not afraid to throw tomatoes in your face.
Who is the most famous person in your phonebook?
Puff Daddy. The thing with him is that you have to be like the Secret Service and be ready when he calls. I think the last time he called me was about a party - he told me I had to wear all white!
How close are you to a film career?
Aside from watching porn I’m not that close. I want to focus on my music for now.
What’s your favourite website?
It’s Myspace. I think the weirdest Myspace message I’ve ever received is when a girl messaged me saying she was pregnant with my baby. I immediately blocked her!
How We Do It is out now
Lesson In Love is out August 4
FUN WITH LLOYD!
Ok, I’m going to ask you a series of stupid questions and you have to try your best to answer them.
I don’t think it could get any funnier than that underwear question you asked me dude - that was nasty [laughs]! I haven’t had that many great interviews. They’re always the same old, same old.
Why is it that if you blow in a dogs face it goes mad, yet when you take him on a car ride he sticks his head straight out the window?
Probably because he can smell what’s between his legs [he laughs]! I think he’s probably a bit smelly.
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
Love is blind, but who said lingerie represents love? It represents lust.
When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
Cheese.
If four out of five people suffer from diarrhoea does that mean the fifth one enjoys it?
I will be happy if I didn’t have diarrhoea. I heard if you hold your poop in it will come out of your mouth. The worst place I’ve ever had to go toilet was probably in the woods and on a school bus – I thought it was just gas but I was wrong.
Hang on! Did you follow through?
Erm…next question!
If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?
Well, when man evolved from monkeys and apes we didn’t lose a species we created one.
That’s a good answer! What is the best thing since sliced bread?
The best thing since sliced bread is an iPod man. I have Santogold, N.E.R.D and Coldplay on my iPod – they [Coldplay] are the best band in the world. I’m in love with their new song, Lost.
Whose cruel idea was it to put the letter ‘S’ in the word Lisp?
I don’t know, why don’t you ask someone who has a lisp?
If you choke a Smurf what colour will it turn?
Err… dark blue? They’re light blue now right? Yeah, I think dark blue or purple.
Why do they serve a round pizza in a square box?
I don’t know! These are some very funny questions [laughs]! Why do they serve square pizzas in a round box? Now that is my question! I guess people have weird traditions.
Last question: what’s your favourite magazine?
Young Voices!
