“I hate the thought that someone had picked up one of my song records and was really excited about it, and walks [out of] a record shop with On Land and is disappointed because it isn't what they wanted. So, I try to make signs, graphically and visually, to say to people "Okay, this is this department of my work and this is this other department of my work." And of course I'm very pleased if people like all of them, but I don't want them to feel deceived at any point.” PeopleIfsWantFeelsTryingWantedHateSongCoursesWalksRecordsLandOkayI HateExcitedDepartmentShopsDisappointedDeceived Author:Brian Eno
“I think very often producers are really trying to repeat things. When they hear something in the new songs that they recognize as being a bit like something that was a success on a previous record, they're inclined to encourage that.” ThinkingTryingSongBitsRecordsProducersRepeatsLike SomethingNew Songs Author:Brian Eno
“The beauty of having a studio is I can go in and record any time I want to, so you can always put down your ideas or whatever. You use your voice recorder and, you know, take your voice notes down and just preserve all the little jewels and gems when you're in there, putting that song together.” KnowsWantLittlesI CanIdeasUseTogetherSongVoiceRecordsDown AndNotesStudiosPreservesJewelsGemsRecorders Author:Big Boi
“When you make a solo record, it's you. It's your name. It has to be the right songs for how you feel. It just took me a really long time to get to a place where I felt comfortable with the material and the recording.” FeelsLongSongNamesFeltRecordsMaterialsComfortableLong TimeSoloHow You FeelReally Long Author:Jenny Lewis
“I start songs all the time. If I weren't so lazy, I would finish them. It's like when I have a deadline I have to. I always feel very lucky that I am forced to make records at certain times. If I was forced to make 2 records a year, I would write twice as many songs. I can't make myself finish something unless I am forced” IfsFeelsWritingYearsI CanCertainSongRecordsLuckyLazyFoldsDeadline Author:Ben Folds
“Solace is my favorite song. It was the last song we wrote for the record. It was right when we really started to mesh as far as music goes and we started really connecting with each other.” LastsSongRecordsMy FavoriteConnectingSolaceFavorite SongMeshLast Song Author:Brandon Thomas
“I've never really been nervous about any concerts. I enjoy it so much. All that matters is getting the songs played well, trying to get them to sound as close to the record live, which isn't easy, because my music is quite complicated to play.” TryingWellsMatterPlaySongEasyEnjoySoundRecordsMusic IsComplicatedNervousConcerts Author:Adam Ant
“I tend to like to write a song and then think about it for a while. I record a demo of it and then put it away and wait until I've gotten more thoughts on it or get sure exactly how to approach it.” ThinkingWritingSongWaitingRecordsApproachDemos Author:Christopher Owens
“You can build up expectations for a song before you record it, and then it's like nothing's good enough in the studio.” EnoughSongRecordsExpectationsStudiosGood Enough Author:Andrew Bird
“I don't get particularly precious about things like this, though. Like the record company said, "We need a radio edit that delivers the hook" - I don't even know what they consider the hook in that song ["Oh No"] - "that delivers the hook sooner." So I'm like, "Okay. I see that." And they were all walking on eggshells, like is this going to be sacrilegious to me or something, to mess with this art I've created? And I'm like, "Great. I get to tinker with it, I get to mess with my song some more."” KnowsNeedsArtSaidSongCompanyRecordsWalkingOkayRadioMessHookEditsRecord CompaniesSacrilegiousEggshellsWalking On Eggshells Author:Andrew Bird
“There's songs that could either be taken as a conversation between two people, like "The Privateers," or "Why," from a much earlier record. Or "Glass Figurine." That's my version of a relationship song.” PeopleTwoSongTakenRecordsConversationGlassesVersions Author:Andrew Bird
“I had success. I had a number one record. I had a number one album. I have to make this kind of record again or else I'm going to lose it all. That's how you end up making the same song over and over.” KindEndsSongLosesNumbersRecordsAlbums Author:Jay-Z
“With rock music, it usually revolves around the band. You go in as a band and probably take about a year to record an album. But for a hip-hop song, you can create a track and an idea with verses and choruses in a day, and get three different people on it. It seems like you're able to do more with hip-hop.” PeopleYearsIdeasDifferentSeemsAbleSongThreeRecordsRocksLike YouBandTrackHip HopAlbumsHipsHopsVersesDifferent PeoplesRock MusicChorusHip Hop Song Author:Travis Barker
“Although I have guitars all around and I pick themm up occasionally and write a tune and make a record, I don't really see myself as a musician. It may seem a funny thing to say. It's just like, I write lyrics amd I make up songs, but I'm not a great lyricist or songwriter or producer. It's when you put all these things together - that makes me.” WritingMaySeemsTogetherSongRecordsMusicianPicksGuitarProducersTunesSongwritersFunny ThingsLyricists Author:George Harrison
“You are trying to do a more difficult thing than record folk songs; you are trying to record life.” TryingSongDifficultRecordsFolksDifficult ThingsFolk Songs Author:H. G. Wells
“I heard Pete Seeger records when I was a kid. I saw Bob Dylan when I was about 12. The first song I ever learned to play was a song by Phil Ochs.” FirstsPlayKidsSongRecordsSawsHeardBobDylan Author:Ketch Secor
“My philosophy on writing a song for myself is that I always, always, always want to write a song. I always want to write a song. I realize that as a record producer or a singer or whatever I might not, if I recorded on myself or someone else, the first time out I might not give it the right treatment, so that the world or many people will accept it and it'll be a public hit, or anything like that.” PeopleIfsWorldWantGivingWritingFirstsPhilosophyMightSongRealizingAcceptingRecordsFirst TimeSingersProducersTreatment Author:Smokey Robinson
“Well first of all, I'm a singer. I sing since I talk. So the great ballad singers, the people that sang with so much feeling, jazz, blues, all those singers, they were songs that I listened to, records that my mom played for me, and then later I bought.” PeopleFirstsWellsFeelingsSongRecordsMomJazzMy MomSingersBallads Author:Gloria Estefan
“I've had a very different career than a lot of other musicians. I went through the major labels. I was signed to two major labels and bands. I've toured with Aerosmith, and I've had records on the charts, songs in the movies. If you had checklist of things a person wants to accomplish in music...I've done a lot. And I don't mean that in an egotistical way; I never take it for granted. But you can't think outside the box unless you know what's in the box.” IfsThinkingKnowsWayWantMeanPersonsTwoDifferentDoneSongCareersRecordsBandMajorsMusicianBoxesAccomplishGrantedLabelsEgotisticalOutside The BoxThink Outside The BoxChecklistsAerosmith Author:Michael Angelo Batio
“I try to explain that to my kids - the experience of going to a record store, flipping through racks and finding that album cover that intrigues you - but my kids don't want to know about it. They download the one song on the album they like, and pay their 99 cents.” KnowsWantTryingKidsSongPayRecordsFindingsAlbumsStoresCentsIntrigueRacksDownloadsRecord StoresAlbum Covers Author:Jon Bon Jovi
“A lot of people hear the records on the radio, they aren't absolutely sure who exactly Tears For Fears is, they just know they like the song.” PeopleKnowsSongRecordsTearsRadio Author:Roland Orzabal
“It's really such a personal journey, making a record, but even more so writing the songs.” WritingSongRecordsJourneyPersonal Journey Author:Shania Twain
“All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff...Basically what people want to hear is: I love you, you love me, the leaves turn brown, they fell off the trees, the wind is blowing, it got cold, you went away, my heart broke, you came back, and my heart was okay...Modern music is people who can't think signing artists who can't write songs to make records for people who can't hear. Most people wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit them on the ass...If lyrics make people do things, how come we don't love each other?” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsWantWritingHeartArtistSongTurnsStuffBitsRecordsWrittenTreeModernLove YouWindColdMy HeartMusic IsOkayAssBrokeBrownLove Each OtherSigningWigsHeart BrokeBlowing ItModern Music Author:Frank Zappa
“If I made records for my own pleasure, I would only record Charley Patton songs.” IfsMadeSongMy OwnPleasureRecords Author:Bob Dylan
“Despite my own doubts of being marketable or crushworthy, my goal was to write a record of peppy pop songs, hopefully without annoying anybody.” WritingSongGoalMy OwnDoubtRecordsPopsDespiteHopefullyAnnoyingPop Song Author:Stephen Malkmus
“I have a real soft spot for flying saucer songs and Frenkenstein songs. When I was a kid the first record I ever really liked was called "The Mummy", and the flip-side was called "The Beat Generation" which Richard Hell later re-wrote as "The Blank Generation". I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I didn't like Elvis much then, but I was very young. When I was a kid I used to play that monster all the time!” FirstsRealPlayKidsYoungUsedSongSidesHellRecordsGenerationsHeardBeatsMonstersFlyingSpotsBlankFlipMummyFlying SaucersBeat Generation Author:Tom Verlaine
“With my records, it's just a matter of trying to create something fresh for myself in a very finite context, which is the pop song. I don't know anything about the people who buy my records, and what, if anything, they get out of them.” PeopleIfsKnowsTryingMatterSongRecordsPopsWhat IfFinitePop Song Author:Tom Verlaine
“I think Badfinger was the epitome of that type of music before the power pop term was coined. 'No Matter What" is always gonna be a great song on the radio. There?s probably two or three others off their records that are as cool like 'Day After Day'.” ThinkingTwoMatterSongThreeTermRecordsTypeMusic IsNo Matter WhatRadioPopsEpitome Author:Robin Zander
“Who is the best rapper ever? I'll probably have to say Eminem. I would definitely say Eminem. He came from a whole another culture, literally. Mastered it, outsold everybody and he did every kind of record imaginable. He could take any topic and make a song out of it. I haven't seen any artist do that yet.” KindWholeArtistSongCultureRecordsHavensRapperTopicsBest Rapper Author:Akon
“I don't know if there are artists out there who love their own records. I haven't met any, and I'm kind of extreme in the other direction, but therein lies the impetus to keep working and keep making new songs and new records.” IfsKnowsKindLyingArtistSongRecordsHavensMetsExtremesImpetusNew Songs Author:Ani DiFranco
“My process for the parodies is that I get an idea for a song and then get approval from the artist and then go in and record it and probably try to get it out as soon as possible.” TryingIdeasArtistSongProcessRecordsApprovalParody Author:Al Yankovic
“I write all the time, and I write a lot of songs, but before I started putting out records those songs always just ended up on stuff that I did with The Babies.” WritingSongStuffRecordsBaby Author:Kevin Morby
“I think if you listen to our records, they come at different points in your life. When people say to me that Stars records have themes, I think what they mean is we write songs - or try to write songs - that are timeless. We try to write songs that catch you at the right time in your life, and that you can hold on to. We write kitchen sink songs. If you're doing the dishes or you're driving to your mom's funeral, or if you're getting over having done MDMA and you feel sad, you can listen to Stars because we're not going to demand of you that you be cool.” PeopleIfsThinkingFeelsWritingTryingMeanDifferentDoneSongStarsRecordsMomDemandDrivingKitchenThemeFuneralDishesTimelessRight TimeYour MomBeing CoolKitchen Sinks Author:Torquil Campbell
“For all of my life, I've had this one song in my head, and I'm still trying to write it. I'm still trying to get that song out. I'm getting closer, every record I get a little bit closer to saying it the way I want to say it.” WayWantWritingTryingLittlesStillsSongBitsRecordsLittle Bit Author:Torquil Campbell
“I was writing music when we finished the last Walkmen record, Heaven, and a few of these songs may have even been started before Heaven was done. With The Walkmen we all wrote a lot of stuff alone, but then we'd start collaborating with each other.” WritingMayDoneLastsSongHeavenStuffRecordsFinishedWriting MusicCollaborating Author:Hamilton Leithauser
“I felt like I could get away with calling it Black Hours. That could easily be the most depressing record ever written, but because there is this sense of fun throughout the whole thing I felt like I could get away with it. Like "5 A.M."; that song's in a minor key and I'm just wailing away and it could have been just wallowing depression, but it's not.” Has BeensWholeSongFunFeltBlackHoursRecordsWrittenKeysCallingGet AwayMinorsDepressingCould Have BeenWailingWallowingMost Depressing Author:Hamilton Leithauser
“You want songs to sound cohesive with the other songs on the record but when you first start writing you just want to write to tell the truth.” WantWritingFirstsSongSoundRecordsTelling The Truth Author:Jon Foreman
“My record, Evolution, is really about me evolving as an artist and trying a few new things. There's a song called, Road Worn, which is about spending so much time on the road and is a lot more jazzy sounding than most of my other music.” TryingArtistSongRecordsEvolutionSpendingEvolveNew ThingsWorn Author:Eliot Lewis
“I know a lot of artists say, `If you want your song on my record, I get 50 per cent' I'd like to kick them in the face.” IfsKnowsWantFacesArtistSongRecordsKicksCents Author:Kelly Clarkson
“When you love what you do, you just really fall in love with it. Sometimes you record a lot more songs than the album will even hold. You record like 300 songs and only 12 songs go on the album. It takes time. But if you love what you do, it works out.” IfsSometimesSongFallRecordsGoes OnFalling In LoveAlbumsWork OutTake TimeIt Takes Time Author:Jacob Latimore
“It wasn't like we cut songs out; we cut bits of songs, bits of action or bits of whatever. So we would have to go back in get a full orchestra re-orchestrate it, re-score it, re-record it. It's a massive job. But, if there's a demand we can always discuss it.” IfsActionJobsSongBitsRecordsCuttingDemandScoreMassiveOrchestra Author:Eric Fellner
“There were very few real folk singers you know, though I liked Dominic Behan a bit and there was some good stuff to be heard in Liverpool. Just occasionally you hear very old records on the radio or TV of real workers in Ireland or somewhere singing these songs and the power of them is fantastic.” KnowsRealSongStuffBitsRecordsHeardTvsSingingWorkersFolksRadioSingersFantasticIrelandLiverpoolOld Records Author:John Lennon
“To me, a critic is someone who gets paid for their opinion, and they're entitled to that opinion but I don't really put a lot of stock into their opinion. I'm going to cut the kind of records and the kind of songs that I like, and the kind of things that I enjoy doing. If critics dig it, that's fine, if they don't, that's fine.” IfsKindSongEnjoyOpinionRecordsCuttingFinePaidCriticsEntitled Author:Jason Aldean
“I've written all my songs on every single one of my records, and that's what's been fun about looking back.” SongFunRecordsWrittenLooking Back Author:Taylor Swift
“I'd break out in hives if I had to sing (`Stairway to Heaven') in every show. I wrote those lyrics and found that song to be of some importance and consequence in 1971, but 17 years later, I don't know. It's just not for me. I sang it at the Atlantic Records show because I'm an old softie and it was my way of saying thank you to Atlantic because I've been with them for 20 years. But no more of `Stairway to Heaven' for me.” IfsKnowsWayYearsShowsSongFoundHeavenBreakRecordsConsequenceImportanceMy WayBreak OutSaying Thank YouHivesStairwaysStairway To Heaven Author:Robert Plant
“Quite often when I record a song, writing it and making a demo is the big thing and, after that, I think, how do I actually translate this into real life? A lot of the time I think I can't be bothered.” ThinkingWritingI CanRealBigsSongRecordsReal LifeTranslateBig ThingsBotheredDemos Author:Mick Jagger
“Records are one thing, and obviously, without hit songs, you don't have the opportunity to do your shows. But my live show has always been my selling tool.” ShowsSongOpportunityRecordsOne ThingToolsSelling Author:Jason Aldean
“I played a couple of ideas and then had this unusual texture underneath which was like this little granulated kind of pipe organ almost like a scratchy record which he started [inaudible] brilliantly. "Oh I love that song." And when things go fine, it's good. So he started loving that song and that song was used quite a lot in the movie which is very granulated stuff on the guitar.” KindLittlesIdeasUsedSongStuffRecordsFineCoupleGuitarUnusualOrgansPipeTexturePipe Organs Author:A. R. Rahman
“I've played death metal, punk rock, hardcore, funk... I've done it all. And all there really is music and at the end of the day, anybody who has a record and puts out a record that's basically the same song 13 times over on one record; to me they're just cheating the fans.” EndsDoneSongRecordsFansRocksThe End Of The DayCheatingMetalsPunkPunk RockHardcoreFunkAnd At The End Of The DayDeath Metal Author:Cristian Machado
“I think there's always been a myth that sailors brought in records in their knapsacks as if you could ... in the local shops. I think that maybe some songs did come in with the sailors and maybe they did whistle some of the things in the streets in sharp ears because.” IfsThinkingSongRecordsStreetsEarsMythLocalsShopsSailor Author:Derek Taylor