“Some of your best songs come from a desperate attempt to escape, so sitting in an airport for hours I can just start pulling out little fragments of songs from my head. A lot of times a melody will just occur to me and be my companion for a couple of months.” LittlesI CanSongHoursMonthsCoupleSittingDesperateCompanionMelodyPullingFragmentsAirports Author:Andrew Bird
“The orchestra's an amazing instrument, but I don't want to just arrange my songs for it. I think that might be kind of boring and a little bit overdramatic, perhaps. I'm still just having too much fun doing it my way, for the time being.” ThinkingWayWantKindLittlesStillsMightSongFunBitsToo MuchLittle BitInstrumentsBoringMy WayBe KindOrchestraToo Much Fun Author:Andrew Bird
“Pretty much any given day, barring some major distraction, I get melodies coming to me. Lyrics don't come quite as easily. So I've been inventing little projects and challenges to sort of kick my ass with the lyrics.” LittlesGivenChallengesProjectsMajorsAssKicksMelodyDistractionInventing Author:Andrew Bird
“I'm coming from a place that's more experimental and indulgent already, so for the last 10 years, it's been more like, "How can I defend my own sensibilities by writing a nugget of a little catchy pop song?" That's how I'm stretching myself, by writing something really simple.” WritingYearsLittlesLastsSongMy OwnSimplePopsSensibilityStretchingPop SongCatchyNuggets Author:Andrew Bird
“If something gets under my own skin, and keeps reoccurring, it starts to take on a certain weight and value, and I think, "I have to put this in the song. I have no choice but to mention Greek Cypriots in this song." It's a little internal challenge to myself. Like creating little imaginary rituals in yourself to help the song go from nonexisting to existing.” IfsThinkingLittlesHelpingCertainValuesSongChoicesChallengesMy OwnCreatingSkinsWeightGreekInternalsRitualImaginaryCypriots Author:Andrew Bird
“If you take a little time, let's say three weeks off, after recording a song, and you listen to it every other day, you're just going to know eventually.” IfsKnowsLittlesSongThreeWeekLittle Time Author:Andrew Bird
“I'm into lately being a little less precious about writing and being like, "Okay, what if I just locked myself in my room, pretend that there's someone outside with a gun that's saying, 'Don't come out until you write something.'"” IfsWritingLittlesRoomsGunOkayWhat IfLocked Author:Andrew Bird
“Norman is a very up-close, personal, character drama and I'd like to do something more zoomed out, a little more pastoral, some sweeping epic. I'd like to try something different.” TryingLittlesDifferentCharacterDramaEpicSweepingPersonal Character Author:Andrew Bird
“You travel with the hope that something unexpected will happen. It has to do with enjoying being lost and figuring it out and the satisfaction. I always get a little disappointed when I know too well where I’m going, or when I’ve lived in a place so long that there’s no chance I could possibly get lost.” KnowsWellsLittlesLongHappensLostEnjoyChanceSatisfactionUnexpectedDisappointedSomething UnexpectedFiguring It Author:Andrew Bird
“I think I'm still a little too intense for my own good sometimes.” ThinkingLittlesStillsSometimesMy OwnIntense Author:Andrew Bird
“A good espresso to me is a little bit salty; you just become used to a good taste. Anytime I go into a new place and they don't clean their machine properly or the water temperature isn't right, it tastes awful.” LittlesUsedBitsWaterTasteLittle BitMachinesCleanAwfulTemperatureGood TasteNew PlacesEspressoSalty Author:Andrew Bird
“I create little challenges for myself, like, 'Okay, whatever you do in this song, you've got to somehow work in Greek Cypriots,' or something like that.” LittlesSongChallengesOkayGreekCypriots Author:Andrew Bird
