Quotes About Artistry

When TV came, it was a great medium and then daily soaps came in and ruined the quality of the work we were doing.

I always enjoy rhythms and melodies, but I always use my voice as more of an instrument and less of a soapbox for me to say or to preach.

I love a beautiful, soaring, singable melody. But what really draws me to a song, at the end of the day, is the words.

I've written songs sober and I've written songs high.

With soccer, I have the ability to do things differently. That is why I admire Leonardo da Vinci. He was able to create things other people wouldn't believe in.

Every time we give a musician the advice to give away the music and sell the T-shirt, we're saying, 'Don't make your living in this more elevated way. Instead, reverse this social progress, and choose a more physical way to make a living.' We're sending them to peasanthood, very much like the Maoists have.

I feel like a lot of creative people are socially awkward.

I don't fit into a group very well socially. And that might be reflected in my music.

When I make my socially conscious songs, I go hard with the lyrical content; I go hard with the imagery.

Clothing shouldn't be a societal shackle. It should be art and truth and a way for us to show the world what we want out of it. It's environmental armor.

Gene Kelly has meant so much to me through the years. I used to dance in my living room in socks and a tee-shirt, no idea what I was doing, but wanting to dance like Gene.

I love to sing big rock and roll songs; I love to sing country-pop stuff, and then I love to sing soft, sadder beautiful songs.

Singers who are dependent on digital audio pitch correction software cannot last more than two-three songs.

Wynton told us that Miles sold out, just wanted to make more money, just wanted to sell more records. I don't believe that Miles sold out but I'm not in a position to say.

Whether it's a huge hit or sold five copies, as long artistically and creatively I can stand by what I did, then I'll feel successful.

I never sold out. I never made an album to buy a house.

I think most artists find it difficult to part with their work but it's the parting that keeps us alive and keeps us working. In the case of the chariot, although it's been sold I actually still have it, just in another form.

Anybody who goes searching can find enough artistic things I've done that nobody can ever say I sold out.

I've never put out a song that I wasn't completely proud of and that I didn't love. In that sense, I've never felt like I sold out in any way.

I hate negative songs; I won't sing them. It doesn't matter if it's sold 2 million more albums.

My movies continue to be found and be sold because there's something going on in them.

The music sold itself before anybody knew who I was.

If you go to Hollywood, you've already sold out.

I never want to record something that I'm not proud of just because I think it might be a big hit. There's no positive about that because if you record a song you hate and it's a big hit, then you're singing a song every night that you hate. And if you record a song that you hate and it isn't a hit, then you sold out for no reason.