I’m really inspired by the interplay of visual art and music, a total artistic environment where there’s sound and visuals.
BLACK FRANCISThere was a f**king review in f**king Melody Maker [of the first BOSSANOVA single, ‘Velouria’] – ‘Sounds like someone’s been taking singing lessons’. Like, motherf**king A! I am the singer.
More Black Francis Quotes
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I don’t like to have everything all worked out in my head because there’s always a chance of it coming out different than you think it should anyway.
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I like visual images and there are certainly other bands that have strong visual images going all the way back to Elvis Presley, but it’s kind of like that’s never really been my bag. Probably because I’m too shy.
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I’m always looking to rock out. But it isn’t really about rocking out versus being mellow, in terms of your personal satisfaction. In the end, you just want to be good.
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My most cryptic, strange songs might be my most personal, but that isn’t how people are going to receive them, because they don’t know the code.
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Who do sing SONGS. It’s like I never sang before; like I was – I don’t know – reading PROSE on my previous records and now I sing. EXCUUUUUUSE me for singing
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I have had UFO experiences, and yet, at the same time, I can easily be convinced that none of it is true. It’s hard to say whether or not you’re a believer.
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If you’re a good band then the filter of the band is pretty strong.
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I don’t make records that way, where I’m trying to please the marketplace or anything. Not because I have anything against that, it’s just never been a part of my aesthetic, even when I was with the Pixies.
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I can remember back as far as age 8, performing with the Boston Folk Song Society. It was a Woody Guthrie song.
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When you look at something that’s really good, it might be Iggy Pop or it might be Leonard Cohen. Whatever it is, you want it to be really good.
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Stuff that you get for free, stuff that your older brother gives you, stuff that you can get out of the local library.
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Most of them are mangled and even have made up stuff in them, that is to say, made up stuff by the writer or editor.
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I don’t want to be flaky. I don’t want to be some temperamental, hard-to-work-with musician.
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For some artists the live performance is the chicken before the egg of writing or recording of repertoire. For other artists the writing or recording of repertoire is the chicken before the egg of live performance.
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I think if everyone agrees that that’s the goal then it doesn’t matter who’s the band and it doesn’t matter who’s the producer. It just means that that you try to realise the ambition no matter what the situation is or who the people are.
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I drive a lot. Just for pleasure. Sometimes I’ll get in the Cadillac and drive around the city or the country, kind of trying to get lost basically. Y’know, just see where roads lead.
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Wise is the tongue, wet of perfect thought.
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That’s more important even then what their background is or what they’ve done before, how good they are, how new they are or whatever. All that stuff is really secondary to just getting along with the person.
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That’s the most important thing, to get along with people. When you feel like you click with them.
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The first thing that inspires any song is a chord progression. When I have one I really like, I get into the lyrics even more.
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If I have more creativity that I want to get out of me, I try to find other ways than pursuing solo records so much.
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It’s obvious you shouldn’t steal, kill or be cruel.
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You think you’ve made something really great, but there’s a reason why it’s not resonating the way some previous work did. But it’s not that easy to just replicate.
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I listen to Neil Young and jazz and classical stations and, if my girlfriend’s driving, it tends to be Hall & Oates.
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I have two step-kids and one of my own on the way. That’s three college funds.
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You should never rely on interviews with musicians as being factual.
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