Quotes from Mark Kozelek

I think that I've gotten a lot more relaxed, and I know how to go about getting a sound now. I know what to do to get the vibe right. As an example, when I'm doing vocals, I don't have six guys sitting out there in the control room, messing around, making faces.

Throughout my life, there's just periods when I write and periods when I don't. I don't feel like anything's really blocked. It's just not where things are at right now, and it's just a matter of time until there's something going on where I feel compelled to write.

I don't have anything to prove as a writer anymore. I write about Panera Bread or Red Lobster or Satan or Richard Ramirez or whatever comes to mind. I just write.

Most of the people I interact with on a daily basis don't even know what I do for a living, so the 'persona' thing doesn't amount to much.

I play shows sometimes, and if everything's connecting, I start blabbing to the audience about anything. Between songs, talking about things in my personal life, or whatever. But there are other situations where I feel a little closed-off. It's really kind of a day-to-day thing.

I'm just writing less of my own music lately - I go in and out of phases a lot. Sometimes there are these accidents that just sort of happen, that are kind of waiting around the corner. I guess Modest Mouse was one of them.

Trying to cope with the balance between home life and road life has been a theme in my music since early Red House Painters records.

There were a lot more girls at the shows early on. I'd get off stage and there would be options. Those days are long gone, thank god.

There's never anything planned. I just do what I feel is best for the song at that time.

Christmas is cheery for some people and depressing for others.

Every artist has different priorities. Some artists I know don't make as much music as they used to, because social media has taken over their lives. I work at what I feel is a very normal pace, and things keep clicking. It's rewarding.

We're all human and life is complicated.

I could have easily doubled my profit and made two records out of 'Among the Leaves', but the songs represented a certain period, and it made sense to get it out there as one piece.

That 'Rollercoaster' album cover was very prophetic in its own way. My career has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

When you get older, you're bothered, or inspired, by other things in life than a girl breaking up with you. Things get heavier as you get older.

I think people choose to be offended by things as a way of bonding, as a hobby. They embed some piece of information into their brain without thinking it through because it's easier.

I wanted to remind people that there was a time when music required an attention span.

I'm 45 and I don't have time to spend two years of my life bringing in producers and dragging the record around the planet.

When you're a touring musician, you're always turning over new rocks and there's always a certain level of tension in your life.

I don't make demos. I don't have the interest or the energy or the time.

My perspective is so much different now, being 41. The main difference between now and then is just realizing that your time will come to an end - and that it might not be far away. You see your face change, see the gray hairs sprouting up. When you're 24, you worry about the day you'll turn 40.

Red House Painters were doing cover songs before our first record deal. I remember live shows where we did an AC/DC song; I think we did 'Send In The Clowns' by Judy Collins. We did 'The Star Spangled Banner,' which came out on our third record.

If people want to write long, rambling, pathetic articles about how sad they are about song titles, have a blast! I'll be out playing music to a room full of people, having a great time.

I feel like when the songwriting slows, I'd love to help others with their records. If it's something I really believe in, it's worth the effort.