Richard Thompson Quotes

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Richard Thompson

Profession : Musician

Birth : April 3, 1949

People want to hear about the extremes of human nature. They want things that are larger than their own lives, and more romantic, and not necessarily of their own experiences.

Richard Thompson

I'm always making a conscious effort to be viable and accessible.

Richard Thompson

To stand up on a stage alone with an acoustic guitar requires bravery bordering on heroism. Bordering on insanity.

Richard Thompson

The best thing you've got going for you is individuality.

Richard Thompson

Well, first of all it's entertainment. That stops us becoming too pretentious or thinking we're great artists.

Richard Thompson

But music can save your life sometimes. It probably saved me from working in a bank or something. That's a kind of salvation right there.

Richard Thompson

The thing I do, really, is a communication with audiences more than any achievement through records.

Richard Thompson

I think the reason kids get into drugs and smoking is they don't have anything to do.

Richard Thompson

I want people to come to my music without prejudice. I want them to get the music first. And who I am isn't that important. If they like the songs to me that's a good thing.

Richard Thompson

I try to look for the good in everybody, regardless of the way they're labeled.

Richard Thompson

I probably wrote three-quarters of the songs without an instrument in my hands.

Richard Thompson

I try to make songs visual and tactile to kind of put you into the action.

Richard Thompson

All audiences should be slightly off balance.

Richard Thompson

What I wanted to hear didn't exist, so it was necessary for me to go out and create it.

Richard Thompson

It's amazing what some people read into songs.

Richard Thompson

I just like to entertain myself by sitting down and writing songs.

Richard Thompson

Amplifying acoustic instruments more than a little is really cheating, and everything becomes a compromise.

Richard Thompson

I have to remind myself not to set boundaries.

Richard Thompson

I like the idea of playing in unison with yourself.

Richard Thompson

You want the audience to be uncomfortable.

Richard Thompson