Quotes About Artistry

To me, songs come of their own volition - and with an open-ended philosophy.

What part of people is resistant to an artist doing more than one thing? Is it somehow perceived as greedy? Anyone who has that weird volition to become an actor probably has a weird volition to do lots of other creative things - to write, to play music, to paint, to cook.

The Soft Machine's 'Volume Two' inspired me heavily. That record just feels like it was all done in the same breath. It's genius, and it's silly at times. But I love the fact that every time I listen to it, I listen from the beginning and want to play it out.

But you have to give your whole life to a cello. When I realized that, I went back to the guitar and just turned the volume up a bit louder.

In 1971, when I was 29, I wrote my first volume of poetry. I am a poet, and I have published four books of my poems.

When I was doing 'Formula Volume 1,' I had so many ideas that I knew one album was not going to be enough.

Whether I'm doing a routine where I want to move people, or if I want to feel moved myself, I definitely tap into those moments where it's not just dancing or movement. It might just be a hand gesture or just a slow look, or even just the way you slightly tip your head forward. These subtleties speak volumes.

My music is almost like vomit! It's a horrible way to put it, but I feel it, I say it, and I doubt myself all the time throughout my whole life, but when it comes to music, I just don't. I don't doubt myself.

I created the role of Captain Von Trapp.

I would amputate my toes to work with Lars von Trier again.

If people remember me for any scene in a Lars von Trier film, I'm extremely honoured and forever grateful.

Lars von Trier, Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog: They all write, which is much better because it's their baby, and they know what they want.

I mean, if you are director like Lars Von Trier who is able to get actors on a table like Lauren Bacall, Ben Gazzara, James Caan, Nicole Kidman, Chloe Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgard, Udo Kier, all in the self-service situation in the same room, the same trailer, no money, then you must have something that everybody accepts.

Fashion isn't interesting when it comes from an uninspired place. It's like voodoo; we don't want things that are soaked in blood, sweat, and tears. I adore life, and I'm very easygoing - and it shows in my work.

The Knife can't stop cloaking brilliant pop songs in voodoo jam blankets.

I'm not an actress who's a fan of gratuity, so I don't seek projects that have nudity for nudity's sake. I don't know any actors who do, unless they're in 'Spartacus.'

For me, Mexploitation seemed like something that should have existed, but didn't.

While in other films I've always played a character, 'Naach' sees me playing a personality.

When you write, you write out of your best self. Everything else drops away.

At some point, I'd like to make a record that's more of a self-serving guitar album, because I really love to play. It's not really something I'd expect a whole lot of people to buy, though.

I got my style. I got my own way of playing. I'm a musician. I'm self-taught.

You have to be selfish to be an actor.

I pretty much started going more towards the singing route when I came out with the song 'Selfish.'

I'm very selfish in that I make music for myself, not for other people; I kind of only think about other people afterwards when it's out.