Lyor Cohen Quotes

What inspires you, what excites you when you wake up in the morning?

I think the key is basically just your determination. As far an artist is concerned, it's just about your drive and your dream.

Passion is in all great searches and is necessary to all creative endeavors.

Every morning I wake up with new ideas.

I feel blessed that I found not just a profession, but a 24/7 way of life that I purely love. That curiosity to be current, to listen to the Hozier album, to be early in recognition of a Lorde and spending time with her and Miguel, the pleasure of seeing new talent erupt... I love it.

My secret? A desire to work, years of dedication and loving what you do; I can't live without music.

Lil Wayne'll make you wanna jump up, get three jobs, write a song, and do a movie!

I try to make films that I find exciting. It makes me want to get out of bed at five in the morning, have my make-up done and play for the rest of the day.

I did the whole rock and roll thing that's coming up. I think you're going to enjoy that! 'Burt Rocks', it's called. I like that he's a dreamer; I like how positive he is. There's a lot of things I think I can learn from Burt.

Inspiration is the key to everything.

What we do is wake up every morning and think about how we get more music out to people; how do we get better music? We breathe, eat, and sleep music.

I don't love the whole Hollywood mentality, but I do love the weather and how motivated everyone is around here. It motivates me to make fun music. I'm an East Coaster - I'm from New Jersey, so I'll probably feel like that forever.

I just love making music and entertaining. I really do live for this culture. I don't think about the other stuff.

When I hear other artists that are new and fresh and exciting, then I get excited.

A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.

For me, artists and people that are passionate are fighting for what they believe in and what they want, and that's always appealing. I find that really interesting.

Whatever you love, that will be an influence. It just will. So in effect the young writer's job is: go out and find some stuff to love.

Obligation is a flimsy base for creativity, way down the list behind passion, courage, instinct, and the desire to do something great.

I look for stuff that I'm passionate about.

Coming to Nashville has been so motivating and inspirational. Just watching people live and breathe their music and create something that they can feel from start to finish.

I roll from my bedroom into my workroom in the morning and craft-craft-craft.

You can't teach passion. You can teach everything else.

Art, a book, a painting, a song, can definitely inspire change, whether it's a small change or a big change but you know there's novels I've read or a scene in a film that I've seen where I definitely inspired something and made a change or addressed an issue in my life or done something cliche like make a phone call.

As a rock star, I have two instincts, I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both.

If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records, you had to reach far above the din of cynicism and modern living to get to that place, against all the odds.