Alex Ebert Quotes
When you're in pain, you're genuinely very, very alive, and that's beautiful. Especially emotional pain.
When you're comfortable, you're not necessarily inclined to care about things that are contributing to your comfort. It's difficult.
Sometimes, I have to really monitor myself, but the only monitoring job I really do on myself on stage is, Is this truthful? Is this truthful? Is this truthful? Ideally, I send it in a flow of truth.
For me, it's very childish to tour on a train. And I think that's a powerful quality, to inspire childishness.
It's so rare that I'll read or even watch an interview. I don't want to, either. I don't want to see other people's comments.
I don't want an angry song with no silver lining ending up on my album. Then I'd have to play, or feel obliged to play, that song every night in repetition as a mantra of anger.
Sometimes I'm really communicating with the audience and I'm hyper-engaged. Other times my eyes are closed and I just let it be what it is.
What makes me deeply vulnerable? Probably the thing I suffer most from and have the most uncontrollable reactions from is still social anxiety.
I think fun is one of the best gifts we can give to each other. If everyone was having fun we'd be in good shape.
Unless you are in the willingness and ease and ecstasy of some kind of moment, you may end up the editor of your thoughts and of your expressions. I find I'm that way on stage.
In a place like the Greek Theater in L.A., to try and create a close connection with the audience seems almost antithetical to the architecture of the building.