Cass McCombs Quotes

When I was young, I used to go to Baha'i camp, and they taught me a lot about the equality of religions.

I don't care much about politics. That kind of witchcraft I stay away from because people end up dead. I'd rather die for music.

Elvis Presley wore a Star of David and a cross around his neck and, when someone asked him about it, he said, "It makes me think." I love that quote. It's simple. It's beautiful. It's true.

I took piano lessons when I was a little kid, but even before that, you're singing in the classroom and wherever. Gosh, children are always singing. But I took music lessons, some choir and things like that at school. I learned how to play the guitar when I was about 13... ancient history.

I think I try to do a lot of things to weed out casual fans.

That's what I mean by "Western morality," is the lack of morality. There is none. People are out for themselves, and they'll stab you in the back.

I'm making music with my friends. It's fun. It should be fun. You shouldn't make music if it isn't fun.

I have been singing as long as I can remember. I used to be in choir; I used to do musical theater. I'd prefer not to sing my own songs, but there you have it.

All these biopics and biographies and people gossiping about so-and-so's drug abuse or who's sleeping with who, it's just a bunch of nonsense.

Folk art has never been much about politics; it's about action and utility.

Making music and art is about expressing something that's universally human, maybe even beyond human, at best.

I write for myself, and I write for my friends and people who I have a connection with. I try to give some dignity to peoples' lifestyles that tend to be ignored.

I don't like the word "happy." I wouldn't want to use it that context. I enjoy writing songs, it's a really good challenge, it tickles me. It's a wonderful way to engage with your surroundings, through poetry and songs.

Loneliness is the most compelling force in the universe.

I love being lost! I don't need to control anything. Even with romantic partnerships, I don't need to control anyone. I think I have some very meaningful relationships with people, we all do. At the same time, I recognize that everyone is following their own heart; there's been people who have left my life and I don't have a problem with that.

Usually there's no specific reason for loneliness - it's a broad feeling.

I don't know about timeless. I actually think most of what I do is completely modern, but universally modern. Who decides what timeless even means? Are the things that we consider timeless now going to, in fact, be considered timeless in 300 years? Probably not.

I've always been interested in an idea of boundless love - an impersonal, big love.

Even if I'm writing music, it's with a lyric in mind, to communicate some kind of feeling.

To me, craft work is the ultimate. Maybe I got this idea from the autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, who was employed as a sculptor to the state and church, making coins and things. While he admired Michelangelo, he also made fun of his spiritual angst with art.

It's hard to make out the difference between insults and bad advice.

I don't think music is my job - I don't think about it that way, because I don't really get paid. There's not paycheck at the end; it's more of a "whatever is left over" kind of situation. Also, it keeps me from thinking about my creativity as a business, which it is not. It should remain pure; that's one of the reasons I made music in the first place.

I couldn't write a political song. There's just opinion; it's all arbitrary anyway. It's all subjective.

Lyrics are my racket; music is play - the fluff stuff.

I've always thought about myself as somewhat of a folk musician. I just write words.

I project love, music and love, and I pray for peace. A good song cuts straight to the heart; sometimes it doesn't need to be too many lines - of course, I do love a good story.

Dead men always have the last laugh. They win. They're dead. You can't hurt their feelings anymore.

You can't just explain a joke. Either it isn't funny, or the person just totally missed the punchline.

Beggars can't be choosers. We don't have all the money in the world. So anyone who wants to be in the band and be broke - that's their own death wish.

This is a transitory world, we're all spirits just looking for love and finding it, and holding on. Even if it's a moment it's true love, true love doesn't mean that it goes on for eternity. Eternity is a terrible concept.

It's just a joy to be able to work with a lot of different musicians. When you play with great musicians, whether they're schooled or self-taught, they keep you on your toes.

People expect not just songwriters but all personalities to pontificate about their egos.

Making music and art is about expressing something that's universally human, maybe even beyond human, at best. To make it about the artist and to dwell upon biographical information can only make it singular, and I am really, really disgusted by that.

Try to keep your mind. Try not to eat bad, try not to wake up with too bad of a hangover.

I don't think I'm even a musician. I don't play a lot of instruments, not really a soloist or anything.

It's not my way to talk about my feelings. They're impudent to myself, so it wouldn't make any sense if I tried to explain them to anyone else. I've never been to therapy - not interested in it.

A lot of religious texts make for good reading. That's why they hold up.