I'm somebody who gets a lot of inspiration from dreams. M. Ward More Quotes by M. Ward More Quotes From M. Ward I get annoyed with movies or books, songs or records that deliberately try to make you feel a certain way. M. Ward annoyed song book Try to take your vision and ego as far away from the song as possible. Give as much respect as you can to the song and the initial inspiration. M. Ward inspiration song giving My philosophy for producing a record is for everyone involved, including myself, to get out of the way of the song, and at the same time, listen to it as closely as you can, and listen to where the song wants to go. M. Ward records song philosophy I've never used the word jamming. It's a matter of finding a great song and learning the chords, then slightly altering the vocal melody, and matching a classic chord progression with another chord progression. M. Ward matching matter song When I was about 15, I picked up the guitar and learned how to play by going through Beatles chords books. I got this Christmas gift with the entire Beatles catalog. M. Ward guitar play book It was endlessly amusing to me to try to imitate John Lennon and Paul McCartney's harmonies using the guitar. M. Ward harmony guitar trying From a very early age, I started to get really interested in how songs were put to tape. Not just listening to the songs, but the way the songs were recorded. M. Ward age listening song I don't like the way recording to digital sounds. M. Ward digital sound way When I started to take literature and poetry classes, I just started to get inspired by these new incredible works of art that I had never seen or heard of before. I wrote a lot of bad high-school poetry, just like pretty much everyone did, I think, at some point. For me, the inspiration never really stopped. M. Ward inspiration art school I went every Sunday to church when I was growing up, and I think that music had an affect on me before my memory can recall. M. Ward growing-up sunday memories I remember when I was 5 or 6 years old, gospel music felt familiar, like I had heard it in the womb or something. A lot of those old gospel songs still give me that feeling, that it's older than time and there's actually music that can tap into a universal subconscious, or whatever word you want to put on it. M. Ward song giving years The way that I'm working now is basically the way I've been working since I was a kid: Find the greatest artist in whatever you do, and rip them off with respect. I think there's a big difference between ripping off with respect and ripping off in disrespect. M. Ward rip artist kids Even though someone has died, a piece of their spirit can still be alive. That's an exciting world for me to take music into, or to attempt to do that. M. Ward pieces alive world There's at least one fist bump every interview. M. Ward interviews fists bumps I got this Christmas gift with the entire Beatles catalog. I had fun trying to duplicate what I was hearing on these records, only using the instruments I had at hand - an acoustic guitar, and that's all. It was endlessly amusing to me to try to imitate John Lennon and Paul McCartney's harmonies using the guitar. M. Ward gift me guitar christmas I don't like the way recording to digital sounds. Most of the time, when I'm recording to two-inch tape, I still have a romantic vision of how songs sounded coming out of the radio when I was younger, and how they sounded coming out of my little four-track cassette player. M. Ward vision time romantic way There's a relationship between music and spirituality and inspiration and to a certain extent improvisation that draws me in, because I don't totally understand it. I know that those relationships have been telling me, since I started making records, where to go. What to write down. M. Ward down me music relationship I wouldn't want to cover a Hank Williams song in a country-western way. It doesn't occur to me instinctually to re-create productions. I'm interested in re-creating songs. Putting different clothes on them. M. Ward me clothes song way