“If the words make sense on paper, and make me feel good, and I feel like it will connect, that's all I'm worried about it.” Quote by Ian Simpson
“It took a little time to get where I wanted. It took a little time to get free. It took a little time to be honest. It took a little time to be me.” LittlesWantedHonestBeing HonestLittle Time Author:Conor O'Brien
“I just think I'm a narcissist, really! I guess when I write albums, they take a huge amount of time out of my life and I'm aware of not using the same processes as I did with the last one, or else I'd get really bored and wouldn't feel inspired.” ThinkingFeelsWritingLastsProcessHugeAmountInspiredAlbumsBoredGet RealNarcissist Author:Conor O'Brien
“I think the trick is that you have to change how you take stuff in. Maybe the early beginnings of a song come out in a subconscious way, but then you might have to crack it to a certain degree, where you might use parts of your brain that you don't normally use.” ThinkingWayUseMightCertainSongStuffBrainDegreesTricksCracksSubconsciousMight Use Author:Conor O'Brien
“There's no way anyone's going to understand my own personal experiences, where the songs came from, because they're mine. But I was very conscious of leaving loads of space in the songs so that people could interpret them with their own memories, feelings, and emotions. I love the process of taking stuff away so that people could finish the songs themselves. I was hoping it'd end up being as universal as possible, even though it comes from the most personal place.” PeopleWayEndsFeelingsSongStuffProcessMemoriesMy OwnSpaceEmotionMinesConsciousUniversalLeavingLoadFeelings And EmotionsPersonal Experiences Author:Conor O'Brien
“If you're writing a song about a relationship ending, what you're really doing is honoring how much that person meant to you.” IfsWritingPersonsSongRelationships Ending Author:Conor O'Brien
“I think for me, the only depressing music is music that doesn't give credence to those kinds of feelings, music that's just written for money or commercial reasons. Sad music can be the most uplifting thing in the world.” ThinkingWorldGivingKindReasonFeelingsWrittenMusic IsUpliftingDepressingCredenceSad Music Author:Conor O'Brien
“When I am recording on my own, it's like an oil painting: I can put that on top of that and build up layers. But with the band, it turned out more watercolor: you're leaving white bits of paper exposed, so that nothing is too overworked.” I CanBitsMy OwnWhitePaintingBandPaperLeavingOilExposedLayersWatercolorsOil Painting Author:Conor O'Brien
“America's a funny place. Every time I've come over it just feels absolutely gigantic and massive. I've always had good shows there, but I just go and come back, feeling like another singer/songwriter in a sea of thousands of singer/songwriters. I don't really know what "breaking it in America" is or means. I just focus on touring day-by-day, and show-by-show, and see where it goes.” KnowsFeelsMeanShowsFeelingsAmericaFocusSeaSingersOver ItMassiveSongwritersTouringSinger Songwriters Author:Conor O'Brien
“I would rather say that I have to be not from Los Angeles but from America. When I go to Europe or Asia, I find myself disoriented. I'm not so inspired by their culture as much. It's not going to really come out in my work. I would be more influenced by what somebody from America does - like a sign painter from Pennsylvania.” DoeWould BeAmericaCultureEuropeInspiredPainterLos AngelesAsiaPennsylvania Author:Edward Ruscha
“I never expected to sell my art. It wasn't like today where you come out of art school and they promise you a future. Now it's almost regulated in a way. When we came out of school, we just wanted to make art that'd blow your hair back and do it for sport. There was no commercial possibility that we saw.” WayArtTodayWantedSchoolSportsSawsPossibilityHairPromiseSellsBlowExpectedArt SchoolWhere You Come Author:Edward Ruscha