Yannis Philippakis

Music was my friend when I was a teenager, and I would inhabit and take comfort in lyrics. That's how I want…

— Yannis Philippakis

I started growing roses. I enjoyed the craft of it and that they're difficult to look after; they can provide joy.

— Yannis Philippakis

I was definitely inspired by gospel music, or old-school R&B; I got into some Good God gospel compilations.

— Yannis Philippakis

I like simple writing. I'd rather read Hemingway than Burroughs.

— Yannis Philippakis

I'm appalled by the tendency of some rock records to perfect everything to the point where it sounds like Botox and polish…

— Yannis Philippakis

You can get into a comfort zone writing lyrics, like wearing a mask. But I wanted to feel uncomfortable when I was…

— Yannis Philippakis

I never want to listen to the songs in front of people close to me. There's an emotional honesty in that place…

— Yannis Philippakis

By the time you finish touring the record, everything that's exciting to me is what's ahead of me. I want to write…

— Yannis Philippakis

When you're making an album with people who made your favorite records as a rebellious teenager, it feels like you've achieved something.

— Yannis Philippakis

I'm definitely preoccupied by thinking I'm just a biological thing. I want to feel that there's more, but so often I'm reminded…

— Yannis Philippakis

If you can express something in the simplest way possible, I think there's something noble in that. It's easy to flesh stuff…

— Yannis Philippakis

I like the fervor of religious music, the zealous aspect - that preachers can go from a conversational cadence into this passionate…

— Yannis Philippakis

I'm just worn down and weary of bands whose lyrics are cryptic and self-referential.

— Yannis Philippakis