To some extent I happily don't know what I'm doing. I feel that it's an artist's responsibility to trust that.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty in the creative process.
David Byrne suggests that a degree of uncertainty and a lack of complete understanding can be beneficial for artists. This ambiguity allows for spontaneity and trust in the creative process, enabling artists to express themselves authentically. It highlights the idea that not always knowing the outcome can lead to innovative and genuine artistic expressions.
In practice
In an art class, a teacher might use this quote to encourage students to explore their creativity without fear.
Forces that you might think are utterly unrelated to creativity can have a big impact. Technology, obviously, but environment, too. Even financial structures can affect the actual content of a song. The making of music is profoundly affected by the market.
When things get so absurd and so stupid and so ridiculous that you just can't bear it, you cannot help but turn everything into a joke.
I certainly agree that putting everything into little genres is counterproductive. You're not going to get too many surprises if you only focus on the stuff that fits inside the box that you know.
You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends.
Real sadness is such an all-encompassing intense thing that it takes you out of your humdrum existence. If you can still function, you want to show it while it's peaking. So when people tell you to cheer up, it's not always the best thing.
I find rebellion packaged by a major corporation a little hard to take seriously.
Inspiring music may fill the soul with heavenly thoughts, move one to righteous action, or speak peace to the soul.
What is the use of writing plays, what is the use of writing anything, if there is not a will which finally moulds chaos itself into a race of gods.
No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.
Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.
And your eyes must do some raining if you're ever gonna grow / When crying don't help, you can't compose yourself / It's best to compose a poem, an honest verse of longing / Or a simple song of hope.
She has form," he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove - "that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that arts are selfish. Still, it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.