Below are the full sound recordings of the interviews I conducted. I asked a few questions about love and relationships. Beneath the sound recordings are some moments I have highlighted, and quotations that stood out to us as material for the piece.
Interview with a single man in his mid-twenties:
What kind of tough conversations have you had in your relationships?
“Making things official… without officially talking about them…”
Any landmark moments?
“…The size of the moment, the grandeur of it is on the situation, or the circumstance of how the two came together.”
What do you think of love?
“Love is lovely isn’t it?” “What is the borderline moment between when you really care, and really like someone… When does that become love?”
Do you believe in ‘love at first sight’?
“No no no, I know there is no such thing as ‘love at forst sight’, that is lust, that is simply love. It’s there, in the name, ‘sight’. Because when you see someone, it’s there, like boom, “you are fit mate”. Like, then they could open their mouth and it’d be like, the most hideous voice. Yeah, it would be the worst thing in the world.”
How long should you know someone before you say ‘I love you’?
“Because when you say ‘I love you’, it suddenly means something. I can only compare it to… when people throw around the term ‘best friend’… As soon as you put the label of ‘bets friend’ on someone, that suddenly makes them the one, they’re accountable and that is scary because you depend on someone, much like… well, it’s scary cos they could let you down… I think that’s why saying ‘I love you’ would be terrifying, because as soon as you’ve said it, you can’t take that back, and because… because it’s a display of emotion, and how you feel summed up in like three little words… You wanna run away from it, like if you don’t say it, you don’t put it on someone, they can’t let you down, and then like, its easier to accept someone’s faults when you haven’t put that on someone, put them in that position, on that pedestal. You know, “you’re the one I love, don’t fuck it up!” and “you’re my best friend, don’t fuck it up!” Same thing, isn’t it.”
Do you have any ground rules in your relationships?
“Just… be honest.”
Interview with a young couple:
What kind of tough conversations have you had in your relationships?
Girlfriend: I actually can’t remember any tough conversations.
Boyfriend: It’s probably like… what shall we have for dinner innit?
Girlfriend: Ha, yeah… ‘We should probably keep this secret for a bit because we’re flat mates.’ Oh and he asked me if Jennifer Anniston could go on his [bucket] list.
Any landmark moments?
Me: So you’re first anniversary, was that really special?
Silence… Laughter.
Me: It’s a voice recording, shaking you’re head isn’t useful!
Girlfriend: Well I think the first time he said ‘I love you’ was nice.
What do you think of love?
Boyfriend: It’s just, alright, innit.
Girlfriend: I’d say it was more than alright! I think he’s being a bit, harsh on Love there. I mean, I’d say it’s pretty sweet… pretty sweet… (Laughter).
How long should you wait before you say ‘I love you’?
Girlfriend: If you feel like you do, then why not just say it?
Boyfriend: I said it first… I’m a good boy.
Girlfriend: And it was really nice, cos it was really… of the cuff.