100 Quotes by John Zorn

I have art. I have music. I have the history, this legacy behind me that I can look up to. This is what I believe in. If you want to call it God or spirituality, that’s all up to you. Basically I believe in something that’s bigger than myself, and that gives my life meaning.

If you can make art with sound, can’t you make music with objects?

Classical stuff takes a lot of rehearsal time and preparation, but with stuff that involves improvisation, you can over-rehearse it and it gets stale. You don’t want it to be too comfortable. In fact, a good sound check, a good rehearsal usually means a bad performance.

Music is about people for me. It’s not about sounds. It’s about people; it’s about putting people into challenging situations. And for me, challenges are opportunities.

You know, when we were kids, we had to go to a theater to see a movie. And then television came in and you had to wait until midnight to see the one you wanted to see. Now, all you’ve got to do is go to a store and buy it and you can watch it whenever you want!

I’m not a practicing kabbalist. I’m not a spiritual master. I’m not a rabbi. I don’t – but it’s part of who I am.

I have wit in my work and a sense of humor, but I do not use irony in any way.

Discipline is important as long as you’re having a good time. What I always did was I did what I enjoyed, and I think that’s why I don’t have any grey hairs.

I feel like there are messages. I feel like there are angels. I feel that there is a legacy and an energy. And I feel that it’s possible to tap into that.