At 23, you can completely, literally reinvent yourself if you want to. John Darnielle completelyliterallyreinvent Change image and share on social
The more established you are, the less likely you are to do something ridiculous, which is one reason I'm proud to put out a wrestling album. If you stop and you go, 'Well, what if people don't like it?,' if you're already established in what you do, that'll strike fear into your heart. John Darnielle albumestablishfear share on social
Wrestlers give their bodies to their work. I don't know if I like the word 'crazy' here. What I would say is there are people who have a different relationship to their bodies than most people. John Darnielle bodycrazygive Change image and share on social
One of the great things about wrestling is how it interrogates this silly idea that you have one authentic self. John Darnielle authenticgreatidea Change image and share on social
Younger songwriters will ask me, 'What did you do?' And it's like, 'Well, I worked a day job, and I didn't stake anything. I didn't quit my day job. I didn't have any hopes at all. I just did the thing that I believed in, and I waited a long time.' John Darnielle believedayhope share on social
You get this really cool groove when you're playing just piano, bass, and drums where everyone's sort of feeling each other's space, which is the only way to put it, but it really is true, and everyone's sort of sitting in their own pocket. It's kind of jazz-like. John Darnielle bascooldrum share on social
Your intelligence doesn't override your desire to destroy yourself. John Darnielle desiredestroyintelligence Change image and share on social
You always feel like your 18-year-old self in some sense. And that's what walking through New York on a June evening feels like - you feel like it's Friday, and you're 17 years old. John Darnielle evenfeelfelt Change image and share on social
Songs are often character studies. John Darnielle charactersongstudy Change image and share on social
Your creativity before it gets formed into words and songs is the actual substance. No one else can see it, right? Unless you give it the shape of a song or a painting or whatever. John Darnielle actualcreativityform Change image and share on social