My mom. She really encouraged me. That's the trouble with education: Unless you have a really supportive parent, you get left behind. Nellie McKay More Quotes by Nellie McKay More Quotes From Nellie McKay I really don't care what people say. It's amazing that feminism continues to exist at all, considering how much counter-feminism is out there. Nellie McKay feminismcarepeople There's a side of me that identifies with Aileen Wuornos. Nellie McKay sides Love is such a fleeting emotion. It's such a small part of the things you do in your life. Nellie McKay fleetingemotionlove-is In terms of content, a lot of rap is crap, with all the sexism and homophobic bullshit. It's incredible how rappers are always preaching nonconformity - you know, "I'm just gonna go my own way and be my own man and blah blah blah" - but they're the first ones to do so many things that they have to do. They have to do that hip-hop thing, a certain way of walking, and it's so conformist. Nellie McKay bullshitrapmen Public radio is the last oasis of free and independent music. For satellite radio channels, you have to subscribe; commercial stations are as corporate as basic cable. Nellie McKay oasisindependentradio I used to play in the subway. If everyone tossed in a quarter, at the end of the day it would add up. It shows you aren't invisible. And it's better than being ignored, or kicked in the head, or worse. Nellie McKay being-ignoredthe-end-of-the-dayplay I will say that art may well be the only thing that lasts, so I guess it's worth trying. Nellie McKay maytryingart I was approaching adolescence. For some reason, I guess my mother thought it would be less crazy out in the suburbs, which it wasn't. I just think adolescence is hard for anyone. Nellie McKay crazymotherthinking I never know how to get off the phone, so I'm terribly admiring of people who can. Nellie McKay admiringphonespeople I kind of go for the MGM version of every musical style. Nellie McKay stylemusicalkind In New York City, when they develop something, they never use the old buildings. It's so wasteful. Why not use what's there? Nellie McKay old-buildingscitiesnew-york If you're dissatisfied anywhere, New York is the place to be. If you're unhappy at college in Topeka, I don't know what there is to distract yourself with, you know? So anyway, I distracted myself until I decided that the distraction could be a school in and of itself. Nellie McKay unhappycollegeschool The civilised cultures are the most cruel. It's the same with education - often it breeds sadistic forms of cruelty. Nellie McKay sadisticformculture Less money for public media means less access to the arts. Nellie McKay mediameanart You can criticize something you strive for, and you can avoid something you dream about. Nellie McKay strivecriticizedream In the hierarchy of instruments, if you're a harpist, you're considered someone with a brain much more than if you're a singer. Even though singers, particularly singers who can play piano... If you go to the office of career development, you can get a gig much easier. Still, musicians tend to look down on you. I think they've got some nerve, because if they could sing, they would do it, but most of them can't. Nellie McKay officebrainthinking You know, if I can survive marching band, I can survive anything. Nellie McKay bandifsknows Music can make the cerebral accessible, the subconscious hummable. It communicates our shared needs and desires as sentient beings better than any other medium. Nellie McKay communicatedesireneeds In the hierarchy of instruments, if you're a harpist, you're considered someone with a brain much more than if you're a singer. Nellie McKay hierarchysingersbrain I'm glad I got a record contract, because all of a sudden everything you were doing before that made you a stupid person now makes you a smart person. Nellie McKay smartstupidglad
