I think there are basically two kinds of musicians: some are extroverted and some are introverted. I think extroverted musicians are more in the entertainer kind of camp, which is just as valid, but you're going to be more apt to make music that is of the moment - whereas if you're coming from a more introverted place, the music is going to end up being more about the past or more personal. It's not going to be about the people in the room, per se.
Memory TapesMost of the press I end up doing now asks, "Make a playlist for us... What are your top ten current bands?" I'm like, "I don't even know one band!" It's kind of awful. I would love to get more new music. I'm just not that amazing with the Internet and things.
Memory TapesI'm definitely one of those people who feels that they were born in the wrong era. I don't know if that's nostalgia. I have a hard time relating to most current things. It's funny because I get associated with nostalgia a lot, but I don't hang out being like, "Man, if it were 1986... If only...!"
Memory TapesThere's no love in my songs. There's just a lot of resentment. Just bad attitude. But that's intentional, that's what I like. I love the whole idea of Motown. Their idea was to sing how down on their luck they were, but the song implied hope that it would get better. I liked that idea, and I wanted to go even further with it.
Memory TapesI like things that are contradictory or seem one way but are another way. I think it's more genuine. It's the way I am. I am very positive in certain ways and extremely negative in other ways. I think it's most appropriate if I can write a super pop-y song singing about killing myself.
Memory TapesIt seems that the Internet is setting the standard for almost everything. I can't imagine having something like punk rock happen where an entire culture is doing one thing. It's not like all the kids in England are discovering the Stooges and the Ramones at the same time. All the kids in England are discovering every band that has ever existed. I can't imagine there being one huge cultural moment like there was in the past. Everything ends up being kind of postmodern.
Memory Tapes