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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.

Black Francis

I come from an art history background. I studied at a master’s degree level; I chose to dork out on art for much of my adult life.
BLACK FRANCIS

Art Hero Musical
Stuff that you get for free, stuff that your older brother gives you, stuff that you can get out of the local library.
BLACK FRANCIS

Brother Free Library Local Stuff
I have two step-kids and one of my own on the way. That’s three college funds.
BLACK FRANCIS

College Kids Two
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
BLACK FRANCIS

Exclusive Previous Prose Reading Sing
If you’re a good band then the filter of the band is pretty strong.
BLACK FRANCIS

Band Filters Strong
That’s the most important thing, to get along with people. When you feel like you click with them.
BLACK FRANCIS

Done Important People
As soon as I got into music, I tried to be a working, real artist who gets paid for what he does, who doesn’t have a day job.
BLACK FRANCIS

Artist Jobs Real
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Bags Celebrity Kind Musician Shy Strong
I initially felt shy about doing painting because I wasn’t a professional painter. I almost felt like I didn’t deserve to paint. But I have gradually adopted a different kind of attitude about this.
BLACK FRANCIS

Artist Attitude Different Professional Shy
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Looks Mellow Rocks Want Satisfaction
We sing some song that we made up but I don’t want to make a record like that.
BLACK FRANCIS

Like Made Record Song
When we’ve got something to say to the world, we will. I’m really happy that people are interested. “So, what’s up with the Pixies record? So, what’s up with the Pixies record?”
BLACK FRANCIS

Done Guy People Something Will
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

might People Song
This is a particular thing, you know, catholic stories of martyrs who had their head removed and then continued to be miraculous in the last moments of their life.
BLACK FRANCIS

Catholic Lasts Stories
I don’t want to be flaky. I don’t want to be some temperamental, hard-to-work-with musician.
BLACK FRANCIS

Muiscian Some Temperamental Work
I have always been a singer, a writer, and a musician, not as a prodigy or as in a trade handed to me by my parents, but because of an inner voice or maybe a command from beyond reality as it is usually defined.
BLACK FRANCIS

Parent Reality Voice
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Firsts Inspire Song
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Cities Country Pleasure Trying
Wise is the tongue, wet of perfect thought.
BLACK FRANCIS

Perfect Tongue Wise
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Chance Different Thinking
One guy just kept asking me and asking me in an interview, and I kept saying, “I just got done telling you no, there’s nothing to report.”
BLACK FRANCIS

Asking Guy Interview Nothing One Report Tell
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Artist Eggs Writing
They’re pretty good actually, Hall & Oates. I gotta give them credit. They got a lot of toe-tappers.
BLACK FRANCIS

Credit Giving Toes
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.
BLACK FRANCIS

Editor Mangled Most Say Stuff Writer
I think everybody has a painter inside of them somewhere.
BLACK FRANCIS

Everybody Painter Thinking
Bob Dylan is quite a songwriter, and a great singer and musician. I won’t bother with comparing myself to him, but I will say that I heard his records at a very young age and I still listen to all his records.
BLACK FRANCIS

Age Heart Musician Records Young
I’m really inspired by the interplay of visual art and music, a total artistic environment where there’s sound and visuals.
BLACK FRANCIS

Art Feelings Thinking

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Black Francis Quotes