Andre Previn Quotes

People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music.

I am attracted only to music which I consider to be better than it can be performed.

People have these incredible expectations. So instead of being inspired by, say, Joni Mitchell's music, I look at it and say to myself, 'I'm going to quit - why would I think of writing or performing after listening to that?'

What people really should be able to be confident in is that the standards of music- making that classically trained musicians present is elite, it is the best and all of us as artists should be committed to that.

The goal is to try and make the perfect song. Which of course will never happen.

One of the things that's influenced me musically was my experience at Brown University. I was surrounded by musicians that I really admired, and felt challenged to come up with music, lyrics, and recordings that stood up to the expectations of those musicians and myself.

When you're playing such brilliant music every day, then the last thing you ever want to do is try to write something of your own that's crude and not as good.

I always think that you should be striving to write your best song.

I mean as long as I have been doing music I know I am only 30% of what I could be and want to be.

I'm dead serious about my craft and just really serious about making music in itself. I take pride in making songs and albums where no two songs sound alike. That's the challenge and that's what it's all about, to keep it original and fresh and funky.

The only time I've ever really felt envy is when I've watched people make music, which made my time living in the now-legendary Jazz Loft at 821 Sixth Avenue in New York a constant source of agony and ecstasy!

To do it always right, that is what music is to me.

You don't know how much artists go through to make it look so easy. It's all in the practice.

It's really about making the best music you can make. It's really about working hard.

I have often felt bad that I am not great at any one thing. Like just a super super singer. Or the Gregory Hines of something.

All he wants to do is practice and that's all he does, all day long. That's what it takes if you want to change the face of music. You've gotta be committed to it.

The writers that I aspire to, like Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman, they'll tell you that the work gets harder, not easier. And they set that bar for us where we're always striving to do something better than the last time, whether it's the next song or just the next line.

There will be no new music until it's good enough and until I'm ready.

Painting is something that you need to do, if not every day, then certainly most days. It is almost like being a pianist: if you stop, you lose something.

I am not really certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur.

As much as I don't want to admit it, my fans are the only ones that can hurt my feelings when they're not pleased with what I'm presenting. I want it to be perfect for them. I want them to have a different sense of pride in my music.

We're putting a lot of pressure on ourselves for this second album and so we want to make it as great as we possibly can.

As far as the creative side of making great, great albums and really trying to go down in history? I don't see that happening lately, you know what I mean? You have a lot of guys is talented, but at the same time, timeless music is more important to me.

There's a lot of integrity with musicians; you really still aspire to grow, and be great, to be the best version of yourself you can be.

The expression of this idea is Queens of the Stone Age, but the idea is that you will never slack on the music and will always humble yourself at the alter of Rock.