194 Quotes by Stephen Malkmus

Most people want to be seen or heard. You want to shine. That’s my way of shining.

The word “down,” is very musical. It just always comes.

I’m thinking, I’m singing like Ozzy Osbourne, but I don’t sound like him enough, ever.

George Oppen wasn’t a larger than life personality, but I’m not either. And he lived a long time, so he was happy. Going down in flames is fine, too.

There’s always a chance, a goal to make something different and get it right, finally.

I think it’s just entertainment for people that are interested in the form. To sing along to and be psyched by.

It’s just a compulsion to create something new and stay busy. I don’t know how to do anything else. It was never exactly right. Those records came out in spite of their flaws. And because of their flaws they were good.

So much of rock lyrics is just a mirror of real feeling. It doesn’t feel dangerous to me. They just feel like “rock lyrics.”

You don’t realize that when you’re young, and you’re surprised there’s a lot of people at your gig – you just think it’s general British-press hype.