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The narrative songs were well-written, like an article in The New Yorker. They're nice and pat. They're more like I'm just showing I can do that when I write a song like that. It's not my true calling.
Stephen Malkmus
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Stephen Malkmus
Age: 58
Born: 1966
Born: May 30
Guitarist
Musician
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Songwriter
Santa Monica
California
Stephen Joseph Malkmus
Write
Articles
True
Showing
Wells
Narrative
Well
Calling
Writing
Songs
Like
Written
Nice
Yorker
Song
Article
More quotes by Stephen Malkmus
George Oppen wasn't a larger than life personality, but I'm not either. And he lived a long time, so he was happy. Going down in flames is fine, too.
Stephen Malkmus
The earlier stuff is more like this is happening to me, but now there are more songs that are accusatory or something, or more declaratory. I don't know where that voice comes from, like, I've been down the road, we've been there and done that. That's sort of like a tougher style, or a less vulnerable style.
Stephen Malkmus
I just imagine that every song in and of itself is great, but when you add them all up, it's too much of me maybe.
Stephen Malkmus
The best I do, if I'm just playing around and riffing in a fantasy world, and then I'll write something down. Hopefully I write it down.
Stephen Malkmus
It's sort of irritating now - people always ask me, You're a dad, and how's fatherhood? If Bob Dylan or Neil Young had a kid, it didn't seem like it made them a different person. It didn't make you old right away.
Stephen Malkmus
So much of rock lyrics is just a mirror of real feeling. It doesn't feel dangerous to me. They just feel like rock lyrics.
Stephen Malkmus
When I see four young kids in a band, I think, That looks really fun, no matter how shitty they are. You develop your own thing, and get excited about your band name. It's all so harmless.
Stephen Malkmus
I don't really know where the songs are coming from often. Many of the best things I made up were just off the top of my head.
Stephen Malkmus
I know the world doesn't need maybe another of [a particular type of song] - the same thing again - but you can't help yourself. And some people like it, but you kind of know in your heart that it's a lesser version of what you've done before. But maybe it has a good tempo, or it feels fresh, but it's still not.
Stephen Malkmus
I would just imagine there's a criticism for just about everything, if you want to take something down. No one's invincible. The Jicks are a work in progress and we don't think everything we do is the bee's knees or something, we're just trying our best to get turned on by what we're doing.
Stephen Malkmus
The word down, is very musical. It just always comes.
Stephen Malkmus
Something taken off the page can sound great, I guess. Usually it doesn't. It seems like lately Pitchfork is trying to champion lyric writers more.
Stephen Malkmus
We're probably a couple of freaks who've created their own little universe, are living in our own little world and that's the only place where we can survive.
Stephen Malkmus
Maybe I don't have the patience to make a virtue of necessity - the patience to carry something all the way through, and to actually say something. Lately, the songs are more jagged and they don't really lend themselves to that. I just take it one bit at a time.
Stephen Malkmus
I'm thinking, I'm singing like Ozzy Osbourne, but I don't sound like him enough, ever.
Stephen Malkmus
I just don't think people listen. I mean, they can't listen to a whole album closely without checking their iPhone or wanting to skip to their favorite song, or putting something else on, practically. That's why the zone out is a good thing.
Stephen Malkmus
I thought The Doors were the greatest band for a while.
Stephen Malkmus
Most people want to be seen or heard. You want to shine. That's my way of shining.
Stephen Malkmus
Well, you know, it's a younger person, and it was maybe an effort to be a little more sincere and adult about the lyrics occasionally, which is a good thing. It's nice that it's not too self-conscious like some of our lyrics could be.
Stephen Malkmus
Obviously songs and musicians mean a lot to people.
Stephen Malkmus
