I think all writing is necessarily autobiographical to a greater or lesser extent, and the less it tries to be confessional, the more likely it is that you're somehow sneaking the things you need to say in there. John Darnielle autobiographicalconfessionalextent share on social
You want the song to be at least at the same level of goodness throughout. Whereas with something you're doing live, a song dips and rises and that can actually be worked to the song's benefit. John Darnielle benefitdipgoodness Change image and share on social
My father would tell me if I wasn't writing in meter verse, it wasn't poetry. John Darnielle fathermeterpoetry Change image and share on social
It's not my style to be thinking about what a record is while I'm making it: I just write songs. John Darnielle makerecordsong Change image and share on social
When I'm writing a song, I'm just making stuff up as I go along. John Darnielle makesongstuff Change image and share on social
As an idea occurs to me, I'll either follow it or not, but I'm more instinctive than master-planner about stuff. John Darnielle followideainstinctive Change image and share on social
I've written a lot about southern California, but I don't use the same characters. Leave the people in the songs in the songs, is my philosophy. John Darnielle californiacharacterhave 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
That's what I used to enjoy so much: Bringing a record home, having it arrive in the mailbox. Having the whole experience of hearing it as you're holding it and looking at it and reading the liner notes, if they're anything. John Darnielle arrivebringenjoy 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