American Quotes

I'm actually forced to write about Michigan because as a native of that state it's the place I know best.

I enjoy about 1 out of 100 movies, it's about the same proportion to books published that I care to read.

I don't see gender as the most significant fact of human existence.

The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is don't do it unless you're willing to give your whole life to it. Red wine and garlic also helps.

Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness. And they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy... or they become legend.

The vocals are what immediately draw people in and sell the song.

That said, everything's important, and every musician who plays on the record is an integral part of it.

Some artists want a producer to be a kind of svengali - someone who actually creates a sound for them.

Normally when I work with bands I'm trying to refine and improve what's already there.

My other advice is to start writing songs and singing right away.

Music has become a bigger business, and with that there is more pressure to succeed; I think that it creates a negative pressure for being creative.

Most bands have a sound that they're already identified with, so for the producer it becomes a process of helping them find their muse in the studio to make a record that will not only satisfy them artistically, but will also do something in the marketplace.

I've become increasingly confidant in following intuitions ahead of thoughts as I produce more records.

I think we could have done a lot more great music, so I was disappointed that we didn't continue making records and touring, but it's hard to argue with 10 good years.

I think that technology has both introduced new sounds but also allowed an increasingly painterly approach to recording music as you can now paint over what you've done and more and more refine an existing performance.

I think my voice worked out fine, but it was a lot of work for me. And I was very self-conscious about it. I was a bit self-conscious about writing lyrics too.

I think being eclectic is bad when you're just starting out.

I see myself as the buffer between the band and the record company.

I had previously been in the band the Modern Lovers with Jonathan Richman.

For a young band about to make a record, make sure you get the vocals right.

But when you're beginning, you should try to focus on something you love and your own way of doing things.

The principles we live by, in business and in social life, are the most important part of happiness.

Most comic scriptwriters are very bad. The artists are good, but the writers are so bad.

I like Ireland because it means I'm near France.

What I ended up doing was becoming an actor who didn't mind doing other people's words.

Well, I want to do The Music Man. I think it's an amazing opportunity, but I think that they are probably looking at major movie stars right now, and I don't blame them.

Then when I got to Hollywood, the first musical I did was Festival in 1977.

Suddenly Star Wars came out while we were on hiatus, and we looked like the old Buck Rogers series, where they had cigarette smoke blowing out the back of the rocket ship.

So I got interested in singing and I have always used my voice. Not professionally as much, but around the living room, the campfire, that kind of thing.

It was the first time that I was on Broadway, and I got to run as fast as I could to keep up. And I loved it!