Quotes About Music

Sonic Youth is one of my favorite bands.

Sonic Youth has a very democratic process for the most part. It almost doesn't matter who brings in an initial idea; everything gets worked over by the band and kind of co-written by everyone in the end because everyone's ideas get contributed to it.

Sonic Youth was not a singer-songwriter band. It was an electric collective. And, whatever else people's perceptions of Sonic Youth were, it was always about putting together a time-based composition - and that is exactly what songwriting is, in its classic form.

Sonic Youth could never really get it together acoustically - quite frankly, it wasn't something we were really that interested in.

Obviously, Sonic Youth has been a huge part of my life for many, many years, and I love all those guys dearly.

Sonic Youth played one show before we even had a drummer. It was just me, Kim, and Thurston. The lights slowly went down, and the set was just 30 minutes of feedback.

I feel very lucky to get to fly the flag of RCA Records and Sony Music.

There has never been any proper commitment to marketing these artists and their music. We are not Sony.

I sold 2 million records on Loud, which was one-tenth of the size of Sony.

Until the '90s, major labels were looking for a certain look. This Sony guy told me I was 'too black, too fat, too short, and too old.' Told me to go and bleach my skin. Told me to step in the background and just stay back. I had the voice, but I didn't have the looks.

I got a record deal with Sony, and I really just put acting aside. But it's a love.

'Angel Of Death' was a big problem. I remember getting a phone call after the album was done: Sony wasn't going to release it.

I am probably the oldest new artist Sony has ever signed.

I got signed to a development deal when I was 15. That fell through after about a year when the company merged with another label. Then I got picked up by Sony publishing. So I was writing professionally from 16 to 18. Then I started making my own records.

I was honored I was signed to Sony. But later I felt like they weren't the right team.

I'm just glad to be feeling better. I really thought I'd be seeing Elvis soon.

'Gorgeous' was one of those records that, as soon as I heard the beat, I was like, 'Man, this is the one. This is that 'This Can't Be Life' Kanye beat.'

I used to send out emails to producers to collaborate and they'd give me nothing, not even a response. As soon as I started popping off, out they came!

I think that when you're making your way up in the music industry, you have all these heroes and the reasons why they are your heroes. As soon as you get into the industry, your guidelines change a little bit. For me, my heroes now are great people first and great artists second.

My father was a preacher so I wouldn't sing at all when he was around, but as soon as he locked the door, 'La la la.'

I'm continuing to produce and will start a new record soon, as well.

I did a lot of writing for a lot of different kinds of bands that I was in and out of during those five years and that left me with a little body of songs that I liked better when I played alone, so I ended up going out solo and very soon made my first album.

I was going to be a concert pianist, and when I was in high school, my parents were scared to death that I would focus too much on that too soon. And that I'd end up in some sort of dead end, and not fulfilling whatever potential they thought I had.

However, I began composing as soon as I started taking piano lessons.