“Internet radio stations like KCRW do take you everywhere, yet thats just one of a hundred small things you have to do to succeed. It used to be, if you just got on the cover of Rolling Stone and a spotlight on The Tonight Show, that was enough.” IfsEnoughShowsUsedInternetSucceedHundredStonesRadioUsed To BeJust OneTonightStationsRollingSmall ThingsSpotlightRolling StonesRadio Stations Author:Teddy Thompson
“I came from a folk-family background. Although we weren't really the all-singing, all-dancing-around-the-piano folkies or anything like that, there is that idea of singing and playing with your parents and your family and your cousins.” IdeasParentSingingDancingFolksBackgroundsPianoOur FamilyCousinFamily BackgroundYour Cousin Author:Teddy Thompson
“I used to listen to my dad a lot as a way of trying to be close to him, as well, because my parents were divorced and I didnt spend that much time with him. I used to put head phones on and listen to my dad talk and sing and kind of had a weird bonding in a way.” WayTryingWellsUsedFoundParentDadMy DadDivorcedBondingHeadphones Author:Teddy Thompson
“Country music was the music I was brought up on. It's the music that's closest to my heart and the music that speaks to me the most, and it's always been a big influence on my own songwriting.” HeartCountryBigsSpeakMy OwnInfluenceMy HeartSongwritingClosest Author:Teddy Thompson
“Any kind of creativity is not settling down into a happy little space. I don't try to be mellow or anything. I think I have quite... my voice is what it is, no matter what I'm singing, it's always going to sound like me. There's not too far I could go. I sound like myself. I hope that I haven't put any boundaries on anything.” ThinkingTryingKindLittlesMatterSoundVoiceSpaceCreativityHavensSingingNo Matter WhatBoundariesLike MeSettlingSettling DownMellowNot Settling Author:Teddy Thompson
“It's what is strange about doing a job that is also the thing you love, the thing you feel passionate about. People get to the point where they're burned out and disillusioned by the whole thing because when things aren't going well at work it also means they aren't going well in your heart, in your soul. They're all wrapped up together.” PeopleFeelsWellsHeartMeanSoulWholeTogetherJobsStrangePassionateYour SoulWorking ItBurnedDisillusionedThings You LoveBurned Out Author:Teddy Thompson
“I'm a hybrid-genre person, which a lot of people find confusing. I grew up listening to American country music and rock n' roll made between 1955 and 1959. The Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry were my first musical loves and are still what I am most moved by. Roy Orbison came a little bit later.” PeopleFirstsLittlesPersonsMadeStillsCountryBitsRocksBrotherListeningGrewLittle BitGrew UpMovedMusicalGenreRock N RollConfusingChuckBerriesHybridEverly Brothers Author:Teddy Thompson
“I remember writing 'The One I Can't Have' at the kitchen table. I was looking at a picture of Truman Capote with Marilyn Monroe and that's where I started. It doesn't make any sense because he was gay, but it was just the idea of the short guy and the beautiful blonde out of his league. That's where I started, but very quickly it became about me.” WritingI CanIdeasBeautifulRememberGuyGayTablesLeagueKitchenBlondeTrumanKitchen Table Author:Teddy Thompson
“Most artists never get a chance to be Picasso, but that doesn't mean you would stop painting.” MeanArtistChancePainting Author:Teddy Thompson
“The songs are definitely all about me. I am my favourite subject.” SongSubjectsFavourite Author:Teddy Thompson
“I do think it's probably true to a certain extent that you tend to sing music that fits your voice. If you're Lou Reed, you're unlikely to become a country singer.” IfsThinkingCountryCertainVoiceFitSingersUnlikelyReedsCountry Singer Author:Teddy Thompson
“The state of radio is not great. It's like playing the lottery. The chances of hitting are mind boggling slim.” MindStatesChanceRadioHittingLotterySlimMind Boggling Author:Teddy Thompson
“I was obsessed with country music when I was a kid, and it's definitely had a huge influence on the way I write songs. I was always attracted to songs that had a brilliant pun or a clever turn of phrase, but came from a dark, bitter place. As a writer, I've always gravitated towards that feeling.” WayWritingCountryFeelingsKidsSongTurnsDarkInfluenceHugeBrilliantCleverBitterObsessedPhrasesPun Author:Teddy Thompson
“I'm never worried about being upstaged. I love to have the best, most individual people come in and see if we hit on something.” PeopleIfsIndividualWorried Author:Teddy Thompson
“For a long time I was trying to be poppier and younger. I didn't want to be on public radio or do any of that stuff for older people. Then I realized that that is exactly what I listen to.” PeopleWantTryingLongStuffLong TimeRadioI RealizedOlder PeoplePublic Radio Author:Teddy Thompson
“There's this bubblegum pop thing which is prevalent now that we haven't had before. People's ears are slightly de-tuned; they've been exposed to this weird synthetic, implausibly upbeat, Mickey Mouse stuff which I think is just weird; it's not really a human sound.” PeopleThinkingHumansStuffSoundHavensEarsPopsExposedMiceMickeySyntheticUpbeat Author:Teddy Thompson
“Everyone's different, but it was fun for me to work with Garth Hudson. He's from 'The Band.' They are a massive influence, that was a big thrill. He's completely out of his mind.” MindDifferentBigsFunInfluenceBandMassiveThrill Author:Teddy Thompson
“I went to a boarding school when I was 13, and it was a very arty school, so there was an opportunity for a lot more. I joined a band and so on. We would do concerts at school, and I would play cover tunes and thought, 'This is really great.'” PlaySchoolOpportunityBandTunesConcertsReally Great Author:Teddy Thompson
“I vacillate between feeling grateful for what I have in such hard times for the music business and being frustrated that I haven't moved up more quickly. It can be dispiriting to play the same small clubs tour after tour. You think: "When am I going to get to theatres, maybe even arenas?" But maybe that's not on the cards for me, maybe I don't have a wide enough appeal. Most days, I am happy to have the best job in the world.” ThinkingWorldEnoughFeelingsGratefulMovedTheatreHard TimesFrustratedMusic Business Author:Teddy Thompson
“My career could've been anything, I just wasn't that good at other things. I'd say it was fairly easy starting out as I did in LA, meeting some great friends and musicians and landing a record deal. That's where the hard work began though.” EasyHard WorkMusicianMeetingsGreat Friend Author:Teddy Thompson
“I don't try to stop myself from becoming too personal. I just put it all out there. If anything, I try to remind myself to be as honest as possible all the time. Why hold back?” TryingHonest Author:Teddy Thompson
“I think I'm too cynical for L.A. My sense of humor doesn't go down well here, which probably affects my love life. I need to have a laugh track following me around so people know I'm trying to be funny.” PeopleThinkingKnowsNeedsTryingWellsLaughingTrackFollowingLove LifeSense Of HumorCynicalHave A Laugh Author:Teddy Thompson
“I love the sad songs with their maudlin, self-deprecating, almost funny lyrics. As an Englishman, they make a lot of sense.” SelfSongEnglishmenSelf DeprecatingSelf DeprecationSad SongSelf Deprecating Humor Author:Teddy Thompson
“Even for the people in the business who are real music lovers it's really about putting things in the right boxes, and my style doesn't fit into a box.” PeopleRealStyleLoversFitBoxesMusic LoverReal Music Author:Teddy Thompson
