Quotes About Originality

Every movie you score you hope is unlike anything you have done before. You are always trying to not sound like yourself.

Non-film music is a different world together, and unlike films, usually there are no actors, actresses or other superstars to help you carry the song, they can only share and support.

I don't mind being unlikely. I'd rather that than be predictable.

I certainly want people to like my writing, but I know that if I write with the intention of trying to please people, the writing will not be good because it will not be authentic. So, ironically, I have to be willing to write something strange or unlovable in order to write anything truly good.

I'm an unorthodox type of guy, a funny guy - at least I think I'm funny. And one of the things I like to do is come up with nicknames for myself.

If somebody is young and brilliant and imaginative, he will be listened to, even if he is a little unorthodox.

We've got to be entrepreneurial; we've got to be innovative, and we've got to figure out ways of getting things done that people might think are very unorthodox.

I have taken my outside-the-box, innovative, and sometimes unorthodox approach to Congress.

Fela Kuti blew my mind. His playing is very unorthodox, but I learned how to appreciate that.

By not caring too much about what people think, I'm able to think for myself and propagate ideas which are very often unpopular. And I succeed.

In any art, unpredictability is the delightful factor.

I don't like the idea of fitting into a mould so as to conform. What I like is the danger, the difference - being unpredictable.

Everybody has to be reminded that there's another way to be. Another more mysterious, unpredictable way to be that's not necessarily based upon contrivances.

Every artist is unreasonable, because he or she is doing something that hasn't been done before.

Part of the charm of what I do is the fact that it's completely unrelated to everything that came before.

Another unsettling element in modern art is that common symptom of immaturity, the dread of doing what has been done before.

We've seen some insane signs: 'Is that a loaf of bread in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?' Funny stuff along those lines. Very original. One just said, 'I will do unspeakable things.' I thought that was very interesting - and mildly terrifying!

A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.

Every other guitar player was just copying other guitarists. From the time I was 13 up until 18, I practiced at least eight hours a day, every day. My health suffered for it - I was losing sleep and not eating properly.

The more original something is, the more of a threat it seems until the people catch up with it. That happened with Thelonious Monk. It happened with anybody who is really original.

My creativity is an entity unto its own.

Songwriting is an art unto itself, not to be confused with performing.

In my mind, I'm no longer daunted by the idea of a remake. In fact, I now look at it as a genre unto itself - so long as you make it your own.

Each book should be an entity unto itself, with its own structure, character, life, name.