June 3, 2008

Switchfoot's Jon Foreman on Self-Worth

"Sometimes I feel like control is this illusion we have--we all think we have control, but in reality, life can end at any second. But we do have control over who determines our self-worth, and if we're letting other people determine what we think of ourselves, that's a really dangerous place to be as an artist because suddenly you're totally vulnerable. This record was about not really caring what people think anymore, getting back to the roots of who we were as a band and experiencing the joy of playing music for the heck of it, because I feel like that's when you're making your best stuff."

–Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman (MTV, October 30, 2006)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:04 PM

March 14, 2006

Anna Chlumsky on Perfection

“People think perfect is achievable, and then they get disappointed. Once you own up to perfection not being possible, a lot of beauty can occur.”

-Actress Anna Chlumsky (Entertainment Weekly, Sept. 2, 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:32 PM

October 25, 2005

Yellowcard's Ryan Key on Success

"We feel that we have something to prove because of the success we've been given and the opportunity that we have, so we definitely stepped outside of our boundaries with the new album. We want to be a band that matters to people, not just a band that got a stint on 'TRL' because they were a bunch of good-looking kids. So we had to make a record that mattered, a record with staying power for people. And maybe the younger fans who like our band are ready for that and maybe they're not. But either way, we're really proud of it."

-Ryan Key, lead singer of Yellowcard talking about their new album, Lights and Sounds (check out the single) and how it will be a departure from their breakthrough album, Ocean Avenue. (MTV, August 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:21 AM

September 6, 2005

Ben Gibbard on Writing a Book

"The thought sometimes crosses my mind that it would be nice to do short stories or to do fiction, but it just seems really complicated. I tend to think in terms of smaller pictures instead of larger pictures. I'm fascinated by how someone goes about writing a book. How do you do that? Do you lay out what's going to happen where? Writing songs, it seems kind of easy. You have a certain set space in which to say something. There's a verse and a chorus and a verse and a chorus. Though, for the most part, I don't write choruses."

-Death Cab for Cutie lead singer and songwriter Ben Gibbard talking about whether or not he'd write short stories or fiction. Death Cab for Cutie just released their latest album, Plans. (Paste, Aug./Sept. 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 12:44 PM

March 17, 2005

Alan Sparhawk of Low on Doing What You Believe In

"When we first started, we knew everyone was gonna hate it. But if you believe in what you're doing, then it's OK if no one else gives a shit. It's OK if you show up to play and everybody leaves."

-Alan Sparhawk, lead vocalist and songwriter for the band Low, who are getting a lot of attention for the recent release, The Great Destroyer. (Source: Paste Magazine, February/March 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:59 PM

Jacob Marshall of Mae on Success

"I don't see us equating success with record sales because that has never been the ultimate goal of the band. We have always wanted to make music that de-emphasizes commercialism, but still attracts a diverse audience. So, if our band breaks, it will simply give us the opportunity to develop the live show to the level that we want, so we can connect with people's emotions in increasing measure. And on our new record, we feel that we have captured the true emotion of our live performance in a way that we have never done before."

-Jacob Marshall, drummer for the band Mae. Their debut release, Destination Beautiful sold 60,000 copies and their next release, The Everglow comes out in a few weeks. (Source: Relevant Magazine, March/April 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:55 PM

Greg Hill of Mute Math on Religion

"The vision of the band, and everything else, is not getting caught up in religion. To me, religion is getting stuck on one thing. There's not much freedom in religion. You're bound to your rituals and your routines that you walk through every day. It is important to have those, but it's also important to grow, because if you're not moving forward, you're standing still and then moving backward."

-Greg Hill of the band Mute Math who released their Reset EP last year. (Source: Relevant Magazine, March/April 2005)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:25 PM

October 6, 2004

Bono on Crap Albums

"There's a real deal. A real deal, between us and our audience. Which is we don't have to worry about where our kids are going to school, paying a hospital bill, paying the mortgage, in return we don't make a crap album. Two crap albums and you're out. That's our deal with our audience."

-Bono, lead singer for U2, who release their new album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb on November 23. (Source: @U2, October 5, 2004)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 10:20 AM

September 14, 2004

George Lucas on Failure

"I've earned the right to be a failure and not be making mega-hits anymore."

-George Lucas, talking about being able to return to making the kind of movies he wants to make, like recent re-release THX 1138, regardless of their commercial success. (Source: CNN.com, September 13, 2004)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:39 AM

September 1, 2004

Mase on Standards

"With all the money and the wealth, you have to have something to hold, to keep you grounded. Not really to preach to people, but you need that substance to keep you grounded."

-Rapper-turned-minister Mason "Mase" Betha talking about his Welcome Back album and its positive message. (Soucre: MTV.com, July 19, 2004)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:48 PM

August 25, 2004

Mindy Smith on Openness

"There are times when I write songs that are spiritual; other times I write songs that are emotionally driven. This album is as naked as you're going to get me. Sometimes you have to decide what you want people to know."

-Mindy Smith, talking about her album One Moment More. (Source: USA Today, January 20, 2004)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:15 PM

May 13, 2004

Madeleine L'Engle on Expectations

"I expected it to be bad, and it is."

-Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time on her expectations of the movie. (Source: Newsweek, May 7, 2004)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:27 AM

March 26, 2004

Switchfoot's Tim Foreman on Christian Music

"We're Christian by faith, not genre."

-Tim Foreman, bassist for Switchfoot, whose latest album, The Beautiful Letdown has been climbing the mainstream charts. Other Switchfoot albums include Learning to Breathe, New Way To Be Human, The Legend of Chin and The Early Years: 1997-2000, which collects their first three albums. The Live in San Diego DVD is also available. (Source: RollingStone, September 24, 2003)

Other Switchfoot Quotables:
Jon Foreman on the Music Biz
Jon Foreman: I'm Not a Religious Salesman
Jon Foreman on "Dare You To Move"
Jon Foreman Owes U2

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:40 PM | Comments (101)

November 12, 2003

Mandy Moore on Success

"I don't really care whether or not my new album is a hit. OK, I know that sounds crazy, but here's what I mean: My new album, Coverage, is the first album I've done that I'm completely in love with, and that's what's important to me -- not selling 5 million copies and becoming a huge celebrity."

-Mandy Moore. (Source: Teen People, November 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:36 PM

Britney Spears Not a Sex Object

"The record label wanted me to do certain kinds of songs, and I was like, 'Look, if you want me to be some kind of sex thing, that's not me. I will never do that. I'm still doing what I love to do."

-Britney Spears, telling Esquire magazine that she's not a sex object, despite the revealing Esquire photoshoot, which Spears later expressed regret over. All the naked hype is part of In the Zone, the new Spears album that releases next week. (Source: MSNBC, October 9, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:26 PM | Comments (1)

November 7, 2003

Elizabeth Banks on Dignity

"When slasher films and teen comedies came along, I said no ... You have to maintain your dignity."

-Elizabeth Banks, who had roles in both Spiderman and Seabiscuit. (Source: Esquire U.K. Edition, November 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:44 PM

October 23, 2003

Clay Aiken on Artistry

"I'm not an artist. I'm just a guy who was on a reality show -- and I didn't even win!"

-American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, who recently released his debut album, Measure of a Man. (Source: Time, October 13, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:30 PM

Al Green on Gospel vs. Soul

"Am I gonna hear about it? Hell, yes! See, I'm a real preacher. ... For a long time, people would say, 'You can't sing "Love and Happiness" because that's not a gospel song.' And then I started to think, 'What's the second verse of "Love and Happiness"?' [Singing] 'Be good to me, and I'll be good to you/We'll be together to see each other walk away with victory.' Now, if we don't wanna see each other walk away with victory, something must be wrong."

-Legendary soul-singer-turned-preacher, Al Green, on whether or not he'll get flack for straying from gospel music on his mainstream release, I Can't Stop. (Source: RollingStone, October 22, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:12 PM

October 17, 2003

Mandy Moore on Artistry

"[The record company] was like, 'Here are your songs.' I was like, 'Hi, I'm 14. I'll do anything.' Those albums are why I'm here today, but goddamn, I should give a refund to anyone who bought my first record."

-Mandy Moore, talking about her new album Coverage, a collection of cover songs she recorded without her record company's knowledge to avoid their input. (Source: Spin, November 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:51 PM | Comments (1)

October 15, 2003

Beyonce Knowles on Being a Lady

"I have standards. There are things I will not do ... I always carry myself like a lady. I don't feel like I ever do anything raunchy ... It's entertainment and I believe God is OK with that."

-Beyonce Knowles of Destiny's Child, explaining how she draws the line on lesbian kissing (see Britney Spears and Madonna at the 2003 MTV VMAs) but has God's blessing to strut around in hot pants. (Source: Sky News, October 15, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 12:46 PM

October 7, 2003

Geoff Rickly on Using Big Words

"Sometimes I'll be like, 'Oh, man, this stuff is too obscure and crazy, and people aren't going to get it' -- but what can you do about that? It's just the music we make. You can't cater it, and you can't play down to people. You can't assume people are stupid. I'm not going to put in an extra chorus because it's catchy or take out some bigger words because I think people won't get them. You just have to say what you want, I guess. At least that's what I have to tell myself."

-Geoff Rickly lead singer for Thursday, whose War All the Time album came out last month. (Source: Alternative Press, November 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:30 AM | Comments (16)

September 29, 2003

Amy Lee on Mechanical Pop Robots

"Britney Spears doesn't rock. She's a mechanical pop robot, OK? Basically she's a puppet. Although Britney Spears isn't as bad as Christina Aguilera when it comes to showing skin ... Christina shows a lot more. They both seem to be competing with each other ... It doesn't offend me. It's just tragic. It's really sad. ... Don't feel like you have to sell sex just to get people to listen to you."

-Amy Lee, lead singer of Evanescence. (Source: Steppin' Out, via Relevantmagazine.com, September 28, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:17 AM | Comments (3)

September 25, 2003

P.O.D.'s Traa Daniels on Being Inspiring

"Our stuff is always gonna be inspiring. If P.O.D's having a bad day, we're not gonna come in and write sad songs. It's not how we are."

-P.O.D. bassist Traa Daniels talking about their upcoming album, Payable On Death. Other P.O.D. albums include Satellite, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, The Warriors EP, Brown and Snuff the Punk. The Still Payin' Dues DVD is also available. (Source: Teen People, October 2003)

Other P.O.D. Quotables:
Sonny Sandoval on Rock Bottom
Wuv on Positive Music
Sonny Sandoval on Marcos Curiel
Sonny Sandoval on Success
Sonny Sandoval on Sharing Faith
Jason Truby on Shaping Lives

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:42 PM | Comments (1)

Alexandra Nechita on Being a Rebel

"Being a rebel is about making an impact and making people do a double take."

-Eighteen-year-old artist Alexandra Nechita who released the book Outside the Lines in 1996 and was recently featured on passageway.org. (Source: ElleGirl, September/October 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:23 PM

Brody Armstrong on Being Crucified

"It's already happening. But the difference with me is that I'm a survivor. I won't be crucified. I decided a long time ago that I could achieve my vision. The weak are crushed. The weak are killed. I'm not one of them."

-Brody Armstrong, lead singer of the Distillers, on people reading into their latest album's cover art, which depicts a nude woman being crucified with blood gushing from her side. (Source: Blender, October 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 1:10 PM | Comments (7)

September 21, 2003

Britney Spears' Crotch

"I'm not gonna come out on this record and show my crotch or anything. That's not me. I would never do anything like that. It's all in the way you do stuff, all in the way you carry things. The music is most important to me."

-Britney Spears, despite her topless RollingStone cover, and revealing inside photos. Then again, Britney's never been one for consistancy. (Source: RollingStone, October 2, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:08 PM

Britney Spears on Taste

"I think every photo shoot I've done has been tasteful. I'll never be a vamp-vixen-sex goddess."

-Britney Spears, of Oops, I Did It Again fame, despite her topless RollingStone cover, among others. (Source: RollingStone, October 2, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 10:57 PM

September 12, 2003

Johnny Cash on Criticism

"Ignore it. Do what you do. You can't let people delegate to you what you should do when it's coming from way in here [taps heart]. I wouldn't let anybody influence me into thinking I was doing the wrong thing by singing about death, hell and drugs. Cause I've always done that. And I always will."

-Johnny Cash, who died today, giving advice to rappers criticized for focusing on death and violence. (Source: MTV.com, August 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 10:20 AM

September 10, 2003

Hilary Duff on Creative Integrity

"I actually didn't want to have control of the writing on my first album. To write, you have to have time to connect with yourself. I don't have that time right now, because I'm so busy."

-Hilary Duff, who played Lizzie McGuire and recently released her Metamorphosis album. (Source: Rolling Stone, September 18, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:46 AM

September 8, 2003

Chris Carrabba on Selling Out

"If we lose fans because kids just genuinely don't like the record I made, if that's the case, I'm sorry to see you go, but that's a real honorable way to turn your back on a band. I can understand if I didn't come through for you personally, if you prefer the other records. I'm sorry that you didn't like it. I like it. It's what I needed to do. I could not be prouder of this record. And if you hate it solely because it's popular, then that's not my problem."

-Dashboard Confessional lead-singer Chris Carrabba responding to long-time fans put off by the sudden popularity of their new album, A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. Other Dashboard Confessional albums include The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, Swiss Army Romance and MTV Unplugged. (Source: Spin, October 2003)

Other Dashboard Confessional Quotables:
Chris Carrabba's Vindication
Chris Carrabba on Celebrity
Jason Gleason on Chris Carrabba

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:38 AM | Comments (13)

September 4, 2003

Jessica Simpson the Robot

"Well, [the label] told me to tell everybody, 'This is the new me -- I've never been so happy.' But really, I was completely miserable. I was apart from the love of my life, and I was a robot, trying to do everything that everybody was telling me to do, trying to please everybody."

-Jessica Simpson describing the image change she went through with the release of her Irresistible album, which flopped. With her new album, In This Skin, Simpson is back to her old self. (Source: CosmoGirl!, September 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:22 AM

August 31, 2003

Hope Davis on Being a Cutesy-Poo

"I've tried to avoid stuff that would make me into, you know, the cutesy-poo of the moment."

-Hope Davis, who co-stars in About Schmidt with Jack Nicholson. (Source: Biography, September 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 5:21 PM

Stacie Orrico on Going Mainstream

"I obviously don't want to offend people, but I can't let it totally tear me apart inside and change the way I do things just because there are certain people who don't like the decisions I've made."

-Stacie Orrico responding to flack she's received for her mainstream, self-titled release. (Source: CCM, August 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 5:17 PM

August 29, 2003

Pharrell Williams on Vision

"You gotta have vision! You gotta be unafraid. You can't lock people into boxes that the public does."

-Pharrell Williams, music producer and half of the hip-hop duo The Neptunes, in response to the suggestion that it was a risk to work with teen-y boppers Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. (Source: Q magazine, September 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 10:41 PM

August 20, 2003

Christy Conway on Being a Britney Clone

"The vision was to do more of a Britney Spears pop thing, which was really a void in Christian music. Now that the musical climate is changing and we're hearing from our audience, we're learning what issues they are going through and how their tastes are changing as they get older. That's given us more room to grow. Plus, we've established ourselves a little bit more since we first came out, so I feel like we have more liberty to put more of who we are individually into the music."

-Christy Conway, of the Christian pop group ZOEgirl, talking about the group's new sound. (Source: ChristianityToday.com, August 18, 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:39 AM

August 14, 2003

Amy Lee on Talent

"You don't have to be half-naked to be successful. Just be talented."

-Amy Lee, lead singer of Evanescence (Source: Teen People, September 2003)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 12:20 PM | Comments (1)