Leo Kottke Quotes

When I did 'Ephorize,' I didn't know that later on I'd be releasing another album. It just came.

I was signed to A&M, I was signed to Lou Adler, who had a company within a company, which was A&M Records, and everything - James Taylor, Rita Coolidge, Carole King - I worked on all of that stuff.

I was kicked off a record label and didn't get picked up again. It was devastating at first because I thought, 'Oh my God. My career is over. What's gonna happen? What am I going to do?' Once I got that I could have a career, a very good career, without having a hit record, then I changed.

I'd done recordings, little demos, since I was in college, which I used to get gigs. But I never thought I'd have a record label.

Yes; my brother Bobby used to distribute records at King Records. I had a job there, too, packing records up and shipping them off. But I always wanted to play sessions at Stax, so I figured out a way to do it.

I would be a huge hypocrite if I didn't tell you that at one time in my life I thought the way that you made music was you got on a major label and you got famous.

I have a solo deal with Columbia Records. So it's about, do I want to release an album, when can we do it, what kind of album should it be, how should it be released and marketed and what's the right timing? Do I have time to do it? It's all about questions.

I knew that it was my only shot to be taken seriously in the recording industry, because it's fast and broad.

Yeah, man I am going to be writing a book soon. The reality of being in a rock band in the music business'.

I haven't really been recording in the last several years. I haven't wanted to. And even though I had to deal with Sony and now I'm on Universal again, I will probably put out a new record soon.

I did my first album with my own record label.

I learned a lot while working on 'Live From the Underground.'

Before my first album 'Born To Do It,' I used to DJ.

I'm so glad I didn't go into the big-music industry until I was 19 or 20.

I'm 23, and if I wanted to release a record when I was 17, I could have released a record, but I'm really glad I didn't.

If I could have stayed independent from the jump, then, maybe, things would have been different. 'Return of 4Eva' would have been an album instead of a mixtape.

I've been with Def Jam Records for five years and they gave me my first recording contract so for that I'm forever grateful.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked, 'When are you doing an album?' My career is way too transparent to do say, 'Guess what - I've got 16 tracks you've never heard!'

Most of the people I know in bands, all they are concerned about is getting to do the next record.

People are like, 'Wow you started your own record label,' and treat me like I'm some sort of innovative genius, when I'm not at all. You've got the Internet and music - you put them together, and people hear your music.

I always wanted to have my own album recorded and released before I graduated high school.

I tested the waters on producing a record, but I'm more of a creative guy. I can't get into minute details.

Our first record didn't come out on vinyl, so I think that might have had something to do with actually being in a position to make sure that it came out in vinyl this time. It sounds way better.

When I made my first album, there was no indication that anybody other than my parents were going to buy it.

When the label came to me to say, 'would you like to do another record,' I said, 'Well I got these sixteen songs sitting here, so let's do it.' And that was pretty much it... I never stopped writing, it's just the way that the business is now; you just try to find a different model.