Alanis Morissette

Over the last couple of years, I’ve really worked toward balancing my life out more, having a little bit more time with friends, family and my boyfriend. There was a period of time when they were way down the list. It was all about music and touring and if everything fell by the wayside, so be it.

I love songs that are very autobiographical.

I felt like I was making a record under the radar, and that is my favorite way to do anything.

What’s that line from TS Eliot? To arrive at the place where you started, but to know it for the first time. I’m able to write about a breakup from a different place. Same brokenness. Same rock-bottom. But a little more informed, now I’m older. Thank God for growing up.

I see my body as an instrument, rather than an ornament.

I was motivated by just thinking that if you had all this external success that everyone would love you and everything would be peaceful and wonderful.

Something just grabs you about a song.

I’ll play it first and tell you what it is later.

If there is no dance, there is not music.

For years the Trio did nothing but play for musicians and other hip people. We practically starved to death.

I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music.

I thought I had swell ideas and wonderful musicians but no one else did.

I start in the middle of a sentence and move both directions at once.

Once in a while, the thumb that fits over the neck of the guitar kinda bothers me a little bit, but not that much yet. I figure in time I won’t do much because of my age.

I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.

To imitate someone is to insult them.

I never had much interest in the piano until I realized that every time I played, a girl would appear on the piano bench to my left and another to my right.

The majority of people mistakenly feel they don’t need a live musical experience.

We never play anything the same way once.

If you don’t know what it is, don’t mess with it.

Any particular style of playing which represents an authentic way of musical feeling is genuine expression.