I was playing with George Harrison one time, and George loves takes. This song was up to Take 160. I said, 'George, do you want me to play the same thing or 160 different things?' It drove me crazy because, in general, I'm ready to play my part. Leon Russell More Quotes by Leon Russell More Quotes From Leon Russell I love you in a place where there's no space or time Leon Russell space love-you life I'm sort of an 'automatic' writer. I'm not much for chiseling away at songs or working at them for days trying to make them perfect. If I can sit down and write something in five minutes, then that's great. And if that doesn't happen, then either it doesn't get finished or else it's usually not any good. Leon Russell perfect writing song I am happy with what comes, I don't have expectations of any stature. Leon Russell i-am-happy i-am expectations happy I don't think there's any danger of me playing Indian music. However, I did a song of George Harrison's 'Beware of Darkness' that was kind of like that. That was an illusion. I was playing that on a thumbtack piano, and Jim Gordon was playing tablas. He's an amazing player. That was as close to India as I ever got. Leon Russell me music darkness song I really am serious abut catfish farming. I'm very interested in aquaculture. Leon Russell interested very farming serious I think probably my main advice to new artists is if you want to be in the music business, you need to be dang serious about it because it's a rough business. Leon Russell you music serious business Apparently I was a Billboard top touring act of 1973, but nobody told me. Leon Russell act nobody top me I started out playing 'Chopsticks.' Leon Russell playing started out chopsticks My hobby is silence. Leon Russell hobby silence The first canon of my religion is that you shouldn't try to convince anybody to believe like you do. Leon Russell try you believe religion Sometimes one misses the sign posts as you're going down the road. They aren't as obvious as they become when you get to the end of the road, so to speak. Leon Russell road you speak sometimes It's kind of depressing to make a lot of records and not get the kind of response they deserve. Leon Russell make get depressing deserve I used to write on pads with a pen but had trouble reading the words the next day. Years later, Bob Dylan taught me to just write and write on a laptop computer. Then I'd print that out. When it was time to write a song, I'd go through the pages and sing melodies to words that moved me. Leon Russell day me time song Oklahoma was a dry state, and consequently, there was no liquor laws. And I was able to take advantage of that by playing in nightclubs at the age of 14. It was real handy. Leon Russell take-advantage playing real age I've avoided the press and a lot of stuff that would have made me more visible just because it's not my style. Leon Russell just-because more me style I'm almost totally politically inactive. Leon Russell politically totally almost If everybody'd agree to quit using money, I'd be happy to play for free every day for awhile. But I don't play benefits or any kind of fund-raisers. I prefer to play at hospitals, for people who otherwise can't see us. But I can't see playing for causes, whatever the cause may be. Leon Russell be-happy day money people I'm not so much of a person for causes, unless I specifically - for instance, if it's my cause, or some poor people's, I'll try to help. But you won't find me playing for any peace candidates - or any candidates. Leon Russell me you peace people Both economics and politics are false sciences. Leon Russell false both economics politics I've always felt I struck out with Doris Day. Her son, Terry Melcher, was a producer I worked for at Columbia, and one day, he asked me to go to her house to play piano on a song she was doing. So I get there, and she has about 30 dogs running around the place - turns out she's a dog rescuer. Leon Russell day me dog son
