“Music is made out of nothing but some fairly simple rules . . . The notes themselves amount to almost nothing. But why some particular arrangement of these notes should have such a profound effect on our emotions is a mystery beyond even the hope of comprehension.”
— Cormac McCarthy, Stella Maris
Lady In White, from a larger writing…
Most of the actors in this film are Italian American. Little Frankie’s family is portrayed as a happy, normal family, with troubles, sure, but lots of love. Kinda like Leave it to Beaver but with Italian food and rhythm and names. This is the kind of thing that helps teach people how we are alike, by showing that what is different is wonderful, not destructive or threatening. It’s important. It is a lesson all of us must learn or we grow up harboring fantastic fears, (you can see it everywhere nowadays) and we grow terrible molds and spores made of rumor and conjecture and convenience, until we are racist, and sexist, and spoiled to happiness. Understanding these simple lessons that films can bring a kid is timely. Different syllables in names can seem like they are insurmountable differences. In the heart of us, we are living the same lives in America. Well, we were, anyway. I believe that we are connected by a common love of one another that is simply not celebrated nearly enough. Films are a way of reminding us how much we value our common legends and history.
—Rickie Lee Jones, Fish Sticks, 10/21/2024
“I think that a society lives or dies according to its respect for – for its art.”
—Kris Kristofferson
“A world without art is a world without interested, loving, united audiences. It’s a world without a healthy way to find each other and to celebrate communally outside of sports or religion. No thank you. I don’t want to stop finding you.”
— Neko Case, Entering the Lung, 9/26/2023
“Music is made out of nothing but some fairly simple rules . . . The notes themselves amount to almost nothing. But why some particular arrangement of these notes should have such a profound effect on our emotions is a mystery beyond even the hope of comprehension.”
― Cormac McCarthy, Stella Maris
“A whole lot of magic has to happen to make music. A whole lot of minds have to see something invisible. The act of making music — that could be spiritual. You’re taking something that’s not physically seen and you’re bringing it from nowhere, pulling it from thin air, so people can experience it.”–Valerie June, 2021
“I have found that the only thing that does bring you happiness is doing something good for somebody who is incapable of doing it for themselves.” —David Letterman
“I get irritated with the world. I get irritated with politicians. I get very irritated with governments and with corporations. But in terms of imagination – my imagination is always fertile. I’m always thinking of my own things or constantly engaged by the things that other people do.” —Patti Smith
“I guess I just process death differently than some folks. Realizing you’re not going to see that person again is always the most difficult part about it. But that feeling settles, and then you are glad you had that person in your life, and then the happiness and the sadness get all swirled up inside you. And then you’re this great, awful candy bar, walking around in a pair of shoes.” —John Prine, quoted by Pitchfork, 2018
read rememberances in Rolling Stone and The New York Times
