Are these the most unexpected collaborations in recent music history?
Scan through music history and you'll stumble upon some brilliantly odd collaborations: and singing Christmas songs on Bing's TV show in the late 1970s; Walk This Way by and (doesn't seem strange now, but it was a revolution in 1986); gangsta rappers teaming up with for Home in 2002... the list is almost endless, and recent years have thrown up their own fair share of unusual pairings. Here are a few of our favourites:
Slaves and Skepta
In May, covered's Shutdown in the , but no one expected the grime MC to join the two-piece punk band on stage at later that month. When he did, it caused the most explosive moment of the festival and they entered the studio together soon after. At least one song was recorded, but Slaves recently said there are no plans to release it.
Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher
Damon Albarn on Britpop
Jo and Steve are joined by Damon Albarn for a chat about his amazing Britpop days.
It's 20 years since the Battle of Britpop, which pitched against in a genuinely lively chart battle. Blur's Country House beat Oasis's Roll With It by a considerable 58,000 sales, but time heals wounds and come 2013 and were performing together at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. They're good mates these days, too. Listen above from 14 minutes onwards.
Lou Reed and Metallica
Lou Reed & Metallica - White Light/White Heat (Later Archive 2011)
Lou Reed and Metallica perform White Light/White Heat on Later... with Jools Holland.
forming a band with was a genuine double-take moment, although it actually made a kind of warped sense. Nonetheless, their joint album, Lulu, was largely panned - except by one notable fan. As Lou's widow, , said: " made a big point of saying to me, 'Listen, this is Lou's greatest work. This is his masterpiece... It will take everyone a while to catch up.'"
Disclosure and Gregory Porter
Gregory Porter
Highlights of Gregory Porter's set at Glastonbury 2015
seemed to come out of nowhere when he featured on 's comeback single, Holding On, but he's a big figure in jazz, winning the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2014 for Liquid Spirit, after getting a nomination in the same category for 2010 debut, Water. Still, a surprising co-sign that led to Gregory performing with the Lawrence brothers as part of celebrations.
Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea
Iggy Azalea - 1Xtra Live 2013
Highlights of Iggy Azalea's set at 1Xtra Live 2013
Genuine friends have genuine opinions. It's possible and healthy to have a differing thought"Iggy Azalea
Here's performing at 1Xtra Live in 2013, long before she hooked up with for Pretty Girls. Something about the idea of that collaboration didn't feel quite right and the track iself was a misfire. It failed to make the Top 20 in the US, leading to a not-very-pretty public argument between the two stars. Iggy believed Britney's label hadn't promoted the song properly, later backtracking slightly by saying: "Genuine friends have genuine opinions. It's possible and healthy to have a differing thought without it being b****y or shade."
Refering to some cancelled Iggy tour dates, Britney responded by tweeting, "Can’t wait to get back to Vegas. So thankful I have shows for the rest of the year to look forward to."
Franz Ferdinand and Sparks
FFS
Highlights of FFS's set at Glastonbury 2015
Let's be frank here: although arty Scottish rockers and even-artier US rockers have been speaking to each other for years about doing something together, this collaboration would never have happened if the two bands were still at the peak of their powers. was something of an opportune, fun back-up plan and it worked - giving both groups a new lease of life.
Kanye West and Justin Vernon
Kanye West
Highlights of Kanye West's set at Glastonbury 2015
One of them is the biggest rapper in the world, the other a bearded folky who recorded his ultra-indie debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, under the alias of in a cabin in northwestern Wisconsin. A strange pairing indeed, but this love-in shows no signs of abating. Justin was a feature on the last two albums, and became his only (official) guest on stage at Glastonbury.
Scott Walker and Sunn O)))
Scott Walker on Scott O)))
Stuart speaks to Scott Walker about his new collaboration with drone experts Sunn O))).
No one saw this coming: one-time teen idol of 60s pop sensations teaming up with US drone metal band duo for Soused, a one-off album in 2014. But, as Scott's many devoted fans know, his work in recent years has been in the realm of the avant-garde and, in their own way, Sunn O))) make avant-garde music too. The album made perfect, brutal sense.
