Phil Elverum Quotes

Phil Elverum

Phil Elverum

American Musician

Born: May 23, 1978

Life Me Music Myself People Time

I consume the news daily. I'm not avoiding it. Phil Elverum

News Daily Consume Avoiding

It's challenging to live in Anacortes. I lived in Olympia for five years, went on tour for a year, ended up in Norway for a winter, and ended up back in Anacortes. But I have a long life ahead of me. I'll probably live in many different places, and then die in Anacortes. Phil Elverum

My daughter is like a tether back to the functional world, and I'm aware of how helpful that is. Phil Elverum

World Daughter Back Like How Helpful Functional Aware

I got into Nirvana, and it was my sort of awakening into the idea that music could be like rough and crazy and local. And so I started to realize that there were bands playing in my town, Anacortes. Phil Elverum

Music Crazy Local Nirvana Could Idea Town Like Sort Got Were Bands Realize Awakening Rough Started Playing

I am so thirsty to do my projects whenever I have a spare moment. Phil Elverum

I Am Projects Am Whenever Spare Moment Thirsty

I'm actually not fussy. I enjoy getting into it and talking about anything, really. It feels good. Phil Elverum

Good Enjoy Fussy About Feels Talking Getting Anything Really Actually

Twitter is so stupid. I mean, it sucks! Phil Elverum

Stupid Twitter Mean Sucks

I don't think my music is that big of a deal - my entire life is parenting. The fact that I make records and go off and play shows is a small percentage of my day-to-day existence. Phil Elverum

Life Music Parenting Big Think Entire Entire Life Percentage Small Records Fact Day-To-Day Make Deal Go Existence Off Shows Play

I'm really nervous about coming off as exclusive or elitist. At the same time, I recognize that when I put out vinyl or an expensive coffee table book not everyone can afford it or listen to it. Phil Elverum

I want to create a life that is just healthy and peaceful - an enclave, really, of retreat. It's not helpful for the big picture. It's totally selfish to run away like that. Phil Elverum

Life Selfish Picture Big Healthy Run Totally Like Retreat Big Picture Just Want Create Really Helpful Peaceful Away

I was really into Michelangelo in seventh and eighth grade. Phil Elverum

Seventh Michelangelo Grade Eighth Eighth Grade Really

It's easy to get swept up in the day to day ridiculous things that are in the news. They're not meaningless, they're legitimate and worth being engaged with. But it's easy to get overwhelmed and swept up and forget what real life feels like. Phil Elverum

People used to assume I was a serious/sad person because of my music for some reason. Phil Elverum

Music People Assume Some Because Person Used Reason

I can't bring myself to release an instrumental album because I feel like I want some meat on the bone. Something to chew on, lyrically and content-wise. Phil Elverum

Myself Bone Lyrically Release I Feel I Feel Like Some Something Feel Like Instrumental Because Chew Want Meat Bring Album

Nirvana was happening when I was 14, kind of the perfect age. Growing up in Anacortes, Washington, it was close enough to Seattle that it seemed like a local thing. Phil Elverum

Age Enough Local Nirvana Kind Seemed Perfect Like Up Close Happening Washington Growing Growing Up Seattle Thing

Clear Moon' is more... clear I guess! It's more round-sounding and it's slightly gentler. 'Ocean Roar' is more challenging and weird and darker and heavier - the idea was for it to feel like a thick fog laying on your head, versus a clear sky with the moon in it. Phil Elverum

I don't want to return to places and sing the same songs a second time. Phil Elverum

Time Songs Sing Return Same Want Places Second

Life here (in the Pacific Northwest, not in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland or the chain of buildings connecting them but in the rest of the place, out west and east from the north-south I-5 river) can sometimes feel like a half-dream, half-myth. Phil Elverum

Being a musician means I am 'hanging out' a lot, like driving on tour or being at a show or whatever, so maybe there's more time to interact with peers and develop jokes. Phil Elverum