Rostam Batmanglij Quotes

Rostam Batmanglij

Rostam Batmanglij

American Musician

Born: Nov 28, 1983

Like Me Music People Think You

When my mom was pregnant with me, my parents moved from France to America. Rostam Batmanglij

Mom Me Parents France America Moved Pregnant

There's a bunch of rules that I want to break. I have a rule-breaking streak. Rostam Batmanglij

Rules Bunch Want Break Streak

I think that's kind of the perfect mix, where you do something that you're not sure about, you feel like you're taking a risk, and then you turn around and look at the artists that you're collaborating with and you can read the expression on their face if they like it or they hate it. Rostam Batmanglij

You Hate Face Think Collaborating I Think Kind About Something Risk Perfect Taking Feel Like Look Read Sure Around Mix Artists Where Turn Then Expression

I'm very aware of what, say, electric guitar recordings in the '60s sounded like. Rostam Batmanglij

Guitar Say Recordings Like Very Electric Electric Guitar Aware

What's interesting about Vampire Weekend, everyone in the band, except for me, had a band in high school in which they were the lead singers. And I'm the one who never had that experience. Rostam Batmanglij

Me Experience School Band Everyone Vampire High High School About Except Weekend Lead Never Had Singers Were Which Interesting Who

In some ways, the more that I write songs, the more I feel that telling a story is the most important thing; just being able to close your eyes when you hear some lyrics and go somewhere. Rostam Batmanglij

You Eyes Somewhere Important Lyrics Ways Telling I Feel I Write Able Some More Write Songs Feel Most Most Important Thing Important Thing Go Hear Close Just Being The Most Important Story Your Thing

Only a straight white person would have no concept of what visibility is. They've never contended with anything but visibility. Rostam Batmanglij

White Visibility Would Only Never Concept Person Anything Straight

I never identified with ‘indie,' I don't like that word. Rostam Batmanglij

Word Indie Never Like Identified

I like to be able to work quickly, to capture the spark of an idea before it goes out. Rostam Batmanglij

Work Before Out Able Idea Like Quickly Goes Spark Capture

Some of the journalists who've ended up writing about our band - and this is disappointing to say - have a very narrow outlook. And because of that they fundamentally misunderstand us. Rostam Batmanglij

Writing Band Our Say Some About Outlook Disappointing Journalists Because Misunderstand Narrow Up Very Ended Us Fundamentally

You want the personality of each performer - whether it's singing or bass or drums or piano - to be intact. In some ways it's much more challenging to preserve that and to also make music that sounds modern. Rostam Batmanglij

It's easier for me to remember things based on the releases of albums. The year is such an arbitrary thing. Rostam Batmanglij

Me Remember Year Release Easier Arbitrary Based Thing Things Albums

Even though I've been making electronic music since I was 14, it's hard for people to see you as a producer with a musical identity when you're contextualized in a band that performs on a stage. Rostam Batmanglij

Music You People Band Stage Musical Though See Since Performs Identity Making Been Producer Hard Electronic Electronic Music Even

I've always been very good at helping other people finish their songs. Rostam Batmanglij

Good People Other Finish Songs Always Been Very Helping

I love being able to record in a room that's surrounded by trees. Rostam Batmanglij

Love Trees I Love Able Record Surrounded Being Room

I would hope to make a record that interacts with culture in a macro sense. That is something to aspire to. Rostam Batmanglij

Hope Culture Sense Would Record Something Make Aspire

Whatever you are making, whether it's a song, an album, a painting, a film, you're connecting with a tradition, and I do feel connected to New York music. Rostam Batmanglij

Music You Song Whatever Painting Feel New Making Tradition York New York Whether Connected Connecting Film Album

I was fascinated by the word ‘Rudy,' which is connected to the Jamaican term 'rude boy,' which migrated from Jamaica to London. I was also fascinated by that name, because it exists in Persian culture and Iranian culture. There is actually a place called Rudy in Iran, and there's Iranians that I know with the name Rudy. Rostam Batmanglij

I always felt more connected with people who are proud of who they are. Rostam Batmanglij

People More Felt Always Proud Who Connected

I'm not interested in anyone who would want me for the wrong reasons. Rostam Batmanglij

Me Would Wrong Wrong Reasons Want Anyone Not Interested Interested Who Reasons

The first Vampire Weekend record was the first full-length album that I produced. Rostam Batmanglij

First Vampire Record Weekend Produced Album

I like there to be some secrets. Rostam Batmanglij

Secrets Some Like