74 Quotes by Bryce Dessner

We've played in places where there were more of us onstage than in the audience.

As a pop musician, as someone who makes songs, the best ideas are the simplest. They come, and that's the lightning bolt moment.

We all contribute to The National, and it's like a familiar family. Matt is dad, Brian's like the dark horse uncle, Scott's the long-suffering mum, and Aaron and I are the bratty twins.

I can imagine myself as an old man writing music for choir or orchestra. I don't know that I'll be touring six months out of the year in a rock band when I'm 60.

My background in music is classical - I did graduate school in music. At that time, I was studying composition, but I was studying classical guitar very seriously.

I love the physicality of instruments, and instruments as objects, like dancers are bodies.

For me, the exhausting thing about touring is the sitting around, which is why working on my concert music is really great - and also seeing concerts and seeing friends and, whenever possible, getting out to see a museum.

I like to think of myself as a musical scavenger.

I call The National my family, and I'll be doing that as long as I want to.