“The easier it is for people to understand, the better it is, I think. If you can capture something that you feel is real and express it in a way that a lot of people can understand, that’s rare and there’s something about that that makes a piece have a certain kind of life. And if it enters into popular culture and it’s not just about popular culture, then from a writer’s point of view, that’s a satisfying achievement. ” -Paul Simon

“I have to penetrate this chattering and this meaningless debate that is occupying most of my attention. I have to come up with some one thing that really speaks to my deepest interest. Otherwise I nod off in one way or another. So to find that urgent…(thing) takes a lot of version and a lot of work and a lot of sweat.” -Leonard Cohen