Everybody's out trying to be commercial. I'm not trying to be anything, really. Tom Verlaine More Quotes by Tom Verlaine More Quotes From Tom Verlaine I can't presume to speak for the others, but I never felt anything negative from anyone when I was onstage with Television. When I played rhythm behind Lloyd, the only thing that concerned me was to push him as hard as I could so that he'd go beyond what he was capable of and come up with something new, and vice versa. That's the only thing that mattered. Tom Verlaine vices television negative I have a real soft spot for flying saucer songs and Frenkenstein songs. When I was a kid the first record I ever really liked was called "The Mummy", and the flip-side was called "The Beat Generation" which Richard Hell later re-wrote as "The Blank Generation". I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I didn't like Elvis much then, but I was very young. When I was a kid I used to play that monster all the time! Tom Verlaine real song kids I'd never assume an audience was anything but totally receptive and perfect. Seriously, it seems to me that's the only circumstance you can work under. Otherwise, speaking for myself, you may as well be in the advertising business. Tom Verlaine advertising-business perfect may I don't want any production credit. I think producers are overrated. They're for people who, first of all, don't know anything about music or arranging and have no ear for their own doings. They can't tell a good solo from a bad solo, stuff like that. Tom Verlaine credit people thinking Johnny Jewel is how people were maybe two hundred years ago. Back then, when people got up in the morning, they knew what they had to do to get through the day - there were 100% less decisions. Nowadays, we have to decide what we want to buy in grocery stores, what job to take, what work to do. But not Johnny. For him, it's all right there - it's a freer state, and that's what my music is looking for... ... To understand Johnny, you should think of William Blake. He was the same kinda guy. Tom Verlaine morning jobs thinking I'm kind of proud of that little record! I mean I've heard about a million other records that have come out since then by all these groups around here and there and I really like 'Little Johnny Jewel'. Tom Verlaine groups jewels mean My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to me, they look at me and just roll their eyes. Tom Verlaine careers eye thinking The Beat thing happened when I was younger. I used to run away from home, inspired by the Beats, like in '64 and '65. Tom Verlaine inspired home running Places like Belgium and the south of France, Sweden and Copenhagen are really alive. They really love rock 'n' roll, they really respond. Tom Verlaine sweden rocks alive I don't think anybody thinks about their past much, unless they're in a mental institution. Tom Verlaine institutions past thinking Emily Dickinson has great sound and sense. Tom Verlaine emily sound You have to have that organizational principle behind the song. Tom Verlaine principle behind you song