One of my favorite things about Tom Waits is not only his songs, but when he does do live shows, it's the theatrics involved. It's like Kabuki theater, really old-fashioned theatrics. Like, standing on top of a piece of plywood lying on some cinderblocks and clapping his hands, banging on a bucket.

Brittany Howard

Categorized in : Things Live Hands Standing

When stuff gets hard, and you're feeling real down about everything or in a cark space, a song can bring you out of it.

Brittany Howard

music real song

I was a strange kid. I'm still strange. People didn't get me. And I didn't expect them to.

Brittany Howard

strange kids people

When I was a child I accidentally made a chemical bomb. I also ate my grandfather's heart pills. I got my stomach pumped for that one. I got over that so by the time I hit my teens I was kind of mild. Now I'm like an old lady who occasionally parties real hard.

Brittany Howard

party real children

Songwriting is like talking to yourself when there is no one to talk to.

Brittany Howard

talking-to-yourself songwriting talking

I'm a huge fan of dystopian films. I collect them in my brain.

Brittany Howard

them fan dystopian brain

Once, right before a show, I realized I'd forgotten shoes. I didn't want to wear my flip-flops onstage because I could trip. I ended up going barefoot, which actually worked out because it became my 'thing.'

Brittany Howard

wear right shoes want

I'm homesick all the time. I miss my animals. I miss my family. I miss my friends.

Brittany Howard

animals friends family time

I don't care what you're playing. You can be playing EDM music. Well, guess what? That came out in the early '80s. There's no way to be original. All you can do is put yourself into it and do the best you can.

Brittany Howard

yourself best you music

I'm just really impressed by oil paintings - I don't see how people do it! That's the style I like: classic oil paintings. Abstract art just isn't my thing.

Brittany Howard

see style people art

Contacts would bother me. I'm just not that used to them. I think glasses are a great accessory.

Brittany Howard

great think me glasses

I always felt out of place. I wasn't a cool kid, but I wasn't a nerd, either. I had trouble finding my place. But when I found the music, I had a place of my own.

Brittany Howard

place cool my-own music

I don't think I sound like Janis Joplin. I'm a woman with a raspy voice.

Brittany Howard

woman think voice sound

Even if nobody cared, I'm still gonna make music.

Brittany Howard

make nobody still music

I have a lot of respect for all the artists I get compared to, even if, as an artist, you prefer to have your own identity.

Brittany Howard

you respect artist identity

Onstage is the one time in my day that I can let it all out.

Brittany Howard

out day i-can time

I was a handful as a kid. I get bored easily. Now I'm pretty chill compared to back then. When I'm on the road, I watch Netflix and, at home, relax or fish.

Brittany Howard

fish chill relax home

By the time I'm 35, I'll probably want to have a family. I'd be happy doing that, teaching my kids to do the right things, to do good things.

Brittany Howard

be-happy good family time

I have a terrible lifestyle. And I don't really see it changing. Maybe in 10 years I'll see it differently - I'll want to see my great-grandchildren and live forever. But right now, young Brittany is not setting things up for old Brittany. And young Brittany does not care.

Brittany Howard

live see lifestyle care

I'm not really into EDM music; I really like when someone plays their instrument and stuff. But I saw Deadmau5 at a festival, and it was pretty tight, I have to admit. He's got the giant mouse head on and tubes coming out of the ceiling and giant mirror glass things.

Brittany Howard

mirror someone like music

People hear a powerful female singer in a rock and roll band, and they say, 'Janis Joplin.' I think people just make that comparison because it's easy. But I don't think I sound like her at all.

Brittany Howard

think rock-and-roll easy people