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169 David Byrne Quotes That Will Make You Think

Famous As: American-Scottish musician
Born On: May 14, 1952
Born In: Dumbarton, Scotland
Age: 71 Years

David Byrne is a Scotland-born American musician. He was the founding member, main songwriter, and lead singer and guitarist of the American new wave band ‘Talking Heads’. He has a distinctive voice and multi-instrumentalist. He has received various accolades such as Oscars, Golden Globe and Grammy awards for his versatile work in photography, fiction, opera and featured films. An inductee of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Byrne has also produced soundtracks for various movies such as Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. With his own record label Luaka Bop, he collaborated and gave opportunity to various artists from Cuba, Latin America and Africa. In 2005, he launched his own radio station Radio David Byrne, which played classics from various genres such as country, jazz and Afro music. Byrne is also renowned for his enthusiasm about cycling. After publishing his own novel, The Bicycle Diaries, he designed bicycle parking racks along with the help of a manufacturer and sold them eventually as art. Here is a collection of famous quotes from this icon in music industry.

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Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence.

Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence.

David Byrne
The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror - not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray.

The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror - not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray.

David Byrne
Cycling can be lonely, but in a good way. It gives you a moment to breathe and think, and get away from what you're working on.

Cycling can be lonely, but in a good way. It gives you a moment to breathe and think, and get away from what you're working on.

David Byrne
Cycling is a joy and faster than many other modes of transport, depending on the time of day. It clears the head.

Cycling is a joy and faster than many other modes of transport, depending on the time of day. It clears the head.

David Byrne
People in Latin America... love America from afar and emulate America in some ways but also hate a lot of things that America does to them.

People in Latin America... love America from afar and emulate America in some ways but also hate a lot of things that America does to them.

David Byrne
On a bike, being just slightly above pedestrian and car eye level, one gets a perfect view of the goings-on in one's own town.

On a bike, being just slightly above pedestrian and car eye level, one gets a perfect view of the goings-on in one's own town.

David Byrne
Deep down, I know I have this intuition or instinct that a lot of creative people have, that their demons are also what make them create.

Deep down, I know I have this intuition or instinct that a lot of creative people have, that their demons are also what make them create.

David Byrne
I've been in beautiful landscapes where one is tempted to whip out a camera and take a picture. I've learned to resist that.

I've been in beautiful landscapes where one is tempted to whip out a camera and take a picture. I've learned to resist that.

David Byrne
I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly alert when riding on the streets as opposed to riding on the Hudson River bike path or similar protected lanes.

I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly alert when riding on the streets as opposed to riding on the Hudson River bike path or similar protected lanes.

David Byrne
It's not always been a happy marriage. I guess I wanted a quick fix.

It's not always been a happy marriage. I guess I wanted a quick fix.

David Byrne
People use irony as a defense mechanism.

People use irony as a defense mechanism.

David Byrne
You can know or not know how a car runs and still enjoy riding in a car.

You can know or not know how a car runs and still enjoy riding in a car.

David Byrne
To shake your rump is to be environmentally aware.

To shake your rump is to be environmentally aware.

David Byrne
I'd like to be known for more than being the guy in the big suit.

I'd like to be known for more than being the guy in the big suit.

David Byrne
I don't like begging money from producers.

I don't like begging money from producers.

David Byrne
I resent the implication that I'm less of a musician and a worse person for not appreciating certain works.

I resent the implication that I'm less of a musician and a worse person for not appreciating certain works.

David Byrne
My favorite time of day is to get up and eat leftovers from dinner, especially spicy food.

My favorite time of day is to get up and eat leftovers from dinner, especially spicy food.

David Byrne
I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I do use a bike to get from place to place in Manhattan, a little bit of Brooklyn.

I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I do use a bike to get from place to place in Manhattan, a little bit of Brooklyn.

David Byrne
If anything, a lot of electronic music is music that no one listens to at home, hardly. It's really only to be heard when everyone's out enjoying it.

If anything, a lot of electronic music is music that no one listens to at home, hardly. It's really only to be heard when everyone's out enjoying it.

David Byrne
Everything's intentional. It's just filling in the dots.

Everything's intentional. It's just filling in the dots.

David Byrne

Do I wear a helmet? Ugh. I do when I'm riding through a precarious part of town, meaning Midtown traffic. But when I'm riding on secure protected lanes or on the paths that run along the Hudson or through Central Park - no, I don't wear the dreaded helmet then.

David Byrne
PowerPoint may not be of any use for you in a presentation, but it may liberate you in another way, an artistic way. Who knows.

PowerPoint may not be of any use for you in a presentation, but it may liberate you in another way, an artistic way. Who knows.

David Byrne
You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends.

You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends.

David Byrne
That's the thing about pictures: they seduce you.

That's the thing about pictures: they seduce you.

David Byrne
Real beauty knocks you a little bit off kilter.

Real beauty knocks you a little bit off kilter.

David Byrne
I knew I wanted to have a doll of myself on the cover. I thought, I wanna see myself as a Ken doll.

I knew I wanted to have a doll of myself on the cover. I thought, I wanna see myself as a Ken doll.

David Byrne
Analysis is like a lobotomy. Who wants to have all their edges shaved off?

Analysis is like a lobotomy. Who wants to have all their edges shaved off?

David Byrne
I certainly agree that putting everything into little genres is counterproductive. You're not going to get too many surprises if you only focus on the stuff that fits inside the box that you know.

I certainly agree that putting everything into little genres is counterproductive. You're not going to get too many surprises if you only focus on the stuff that fits inside the box that you know.

David Byrne

There's a certain amount of freedom involved in cycling: you're self-propelled and decide exactly where to go. If you see something that catches your eye to the left, you can veer off there, which isn't so easy in a car, and you can't cover as much ground walking.

David Byrne
I wanted to be a secret agent and an astronaut, preferably at the same time.

I wanted to be a secret agent and an astronaut, preferably at the same time.

David Byrne