People are great. But there's people who you get together with and you talk and you go away feeling energized, you feel inspired. And then there's people who you talk with and you go away feeling horrible, feeling drained, feeling like you're incapable of doing anything. Those people are psychic vampires and I now stay away from them.
John ZornIโm constantly in doubt about what Iโm doing, Iโm constantly tortured, and thatโs why I say happiness is irrelevant. Happiness is for children and yuppies. Iโm not striving for happiness, Iโm trying to get some work done. And sometimes the best work is done under doubt. Constant rethinking, and reevaluating what youโre doing, working and working until you feel itโs finished. And thatโs an interesting point too, that youโve got to know when to stop. Sometimes thereโs a magical moment when everything comes together.
John ZornAnd I try to be as diplomatic as I can, but it always ends up being a psychodrama up there on stage.
John ZornThat was my challenge as a composer. Like with anything, to keep yourself interested in doing what you do, you set yourself challenges. So I said, Okay, I'll try to write a hundred tunes in a year.
John Zorn