Home / Quotes / Quote by John Flansburgh

Quote by John Flansburgh

“I read The Onion, and I've read a lot of interviews that are very direct, often with people who are never direct. Which is interesting. But somehow the A.V.Club part of The Onion, I don't think is telegraphed into the popular culture.”

Author

John Flansburgh

John Flansburgh is an American musician known for his role in the band They Might Be Giants. Born on May 6, 1960, he has been active in the music industry since the 1980s. more

“Any time having international interviews is a language barrier, you don't know how much you need to simplify what you're saying for it not to be damaged in translation. But culturally, there are some interesting phenomena. I get the feeling that the way rock music gets described in Germany, it is all like Rolling Stone circa 1975, taken to the 10th power. If you're a rock musician, you're part of the counterculture. Your music is like a critique of everything that is wrong with America.”

Feelings Language Interesting Taken Musician Music Is Barriers Translations Critique Simplify Rock Music Rolling Stones Some Interesting

Author:John Flansburgh

“In Germany there's something about rock music much more political than it really is - like everything you were doing was an indictment of the American culture. I read an interview with one of the members of Sebadoh. He was saying he had just got back from touring Germany for the first time in five years or whatever, and one of the interviewers asked him, "Why aren't you still relevant?"”

Political Culture First Time Relevant American Culture Rock Music

Author:John Flansburgh

“That really sums up the strange bluntness that a really prime German interview can have. They're really interested in your cultural velocity in this way that I don't think people in the United States even necessarily think about alternative-rock bands. So it's not like we're against regular rock. We're not like a battling army shaking our weapons against The Rolling Stones.”

People Thinking Strange Army Shaking Rolling Stones

Author:John Flansburgh

“Being in a band, a lot of times people think of what you're doing in terms of a competition. They talk about where you are professionally in your career, and all this other stuff. And if you're a lifer, you know it's going to be ups and downs. It's not like anybody is always just steady on.”

People Thinking Term Competition Steady Ups & Downs

Author:John Flansburgh