Patty Griffin Quotes

I took a break from acting for a little bit, came back, and didn't know how it was going to be, but I had so much fun. I really had, like, a reinvention, a renewal.

I just feel like I'm a very lucky person to have a new life outside of politics.

I've done comedy most of my career, which I love, but I wanted to expand.

I always want to set myself a challenge by doing something no-one would expect me to do! But, having said that, I don't feel as a musician you can steer too far away from what you normally do.

It was important for me to duck out of the fast and furious life I'd been living as a pop star. I was in a different mood.

No baby boomer has a completely original idea, but after 13 years on 'Today' and another 11 on 'Dateline,' almost 30 years total at NBC, I felt the urge to find out what was 'behind the camera.' I had the feeling there was 'something more,' though 'more' might be less.

I never imagined I'd be a solo artist. And now I couldn't imagine being part of a group.

When we tire of well-worn ways, we seek for new. This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb, and to seek the mountain view.

Being on my own in a studio is really, really different than making music with the band. I can't say I necessarily enjoy it more, but it was just a new experience for me.

I'm always pushing back against the last thing I did in some way, and some of that is restlessness and a sense of limited time.

I had opportunities to stay on shows for long periods of time, and maybe financially that would have been good, but I feel good about trying to keep doing things that are a little bit different than what I've done.

Television does devour you because you have all sorts of responsibilities, and I really needed to renew myself. I think I owed it to myself. So I honored myself and quit. I think that's a wonderful way to put it.

I've never really had the opportunity to play something that's a complete departure from me yet.

Perspective has allowed me to rekindle my love of music.

After 'Rings,' I had two feelings: One, I immediately didn't want to work on anything on a large scale. I wanted to work on something really small after I was finished filming the first three. But the other thing was that I had a continuing interest in working on things that were really different.

You're changing every day, right? Your curiosities and ambitions change, your ear changes, the music you like changes - and the music you want to make, too.

I mean, being a solo artist is very different than being a member of a band. It's absolutely different. The whole situation is very different - situations where you can't really compare, it's so very different. But I found happiness.

With '8 Diagrams,' I just skimmed the surface of musical exploration.

At some point, and maybe it's a function of age, you've had enough of it. You start to slide in other directions. A lot of comedy writers begin to turn the dial. With me, it was a switch. Comedy off. Drama on.

Coming to Old Trafford gave me a new lease of life.

When I'm at my best, I'm trying to destabilize myself and figure out new ways of approaching art as a provocation. I think I am at my best when I push myself into a place where I don't have all the answers.

I had no precise plan when I started 'Electronica,' but I think it has been a very positive journey for me.

The only intention I've ever had creatively, as a musician, is to be as different from myself as possible.

The only way I'm comfortable with a new album is if I'm taking a new risk.

I've put out a lot of stuff that just confused and alienated people: a huge chunk of songs that were verbal and musical challenges to myself, thoughts I was keeping myself busy with, nothing I had any intention of anybody grasping onto.