I love the energy of an independent film set. No one is there for the money. Everyone is there 'cause they really want to be there. It makes all the difference in the world. It's without ego and agenda, other than just wanting to fulfill a creative dream.
I'm not a politician; I'm an artist. So I always feel the need to give the unfiltered truth, (or) what I think is the truth, at least.
I can't write a lie; the world of imagination is no good. I objectively capture my own experiences and those of my friends. I want to put true feelings into words. If I make a song when I'm sad, it's a dark one, but I think that's good. No matter when I want to be true to myself.
You can only be yourself, and it sounds cheesy, but when it comes to filmmaking, there's really nowhere to hide.
I'd like to study the drawings of kids. That's where the truth is, without a doubt.
A lot of my albums that I've done, a lot of the songs have been the first take. It's before you mess with it too much - you can take away all the spontaneity and the emotion of something by trying to make it sound perfect.
We do this basically for ourselves. People appreciate it, which is cool, but I think they appreciate that we're doing it for ourselves. We're doing it our way, and how people like it is not up to us. We like it.
I want everything, no matter what concept or genre, to feel real, because it is real. I want to keep making real music, I hope people remember me for that, that's a good thing to be remembered for.
I think the most important thing for an artist is to not worry about what anybody else thinks. You just have to do what comes from your heart and your being and put it out there-that's true in any of the arts.
What appeals to me about 'Blind Willie' is just how sparse that music is. Just this idea - the grain of it, the rawness of it and the simplicity of it. The directness of the language.
The great songs just come out. If it comes quick, just leave it that way.
I always just experiment with different sounds and styles until I find something that evokes the feeling I'm going for. I'm not trying to think too much about what anyone else is doing.
I think you just have to be yourself instead of catering your sound to a specific audience, make the music you want to make, and the audience will find you.
I'm not trying to appeal to anybody. I just try to do my thing and make the best music I can make.
There's just something, maybe it's the authenticity. I think that's the appeal and why people choose to watch really unpolished and unprofessional videos on YouTube over these multi-million dollar television shows.
The one place where I'm allowed to rebel, and the one place where I'm allowed to not worry about censoring myself is my music.
You gain a level of fearlessness performing when no one's there to see you.
To me, soul music is anything that is made from the heart, and therefore moves the listener; it's not overly self-aware, and leaves room for the listener to make their own conclusions.
Music is primal: when it's done without pretension, you can really feel the shape of someone's soul.
I just like stuff that's raw, itself, real and genuine. I think that's the way art should be. That's the kind of stuff that people can connect to more.
I do not correct my first imaginings by my second--well, yes, perhaps a word or so, but only to vary, not to delete. I want to represent the course of my humors and I want people to see each part at its birth.
We're not trying to impress anybody. We're not trying to change anybody's mind. We're just out there playing, and it's something we love.
We don't really intentionally try to sound like ourselves. I think that would be overthinking.
