I don't generally find myself listening to the music of a film unless there's something awfully wrong with it.
Big Sur is at the end of the continent. It attracts really crazy people.
Conducting, I tried it once off the cuff, and quickly realized there were subtle aspects that I was missing. There is a lot more to it that I was able to grasp simply by watching conductors.
Performing written music, even when I've written it, is not very interesting to me.
Learning how to improvise really awakened my interest in music.
I had piano lessons when I was a kid, like most people. And hated them, like most people. And quit, like most people.
John Barry was my hero when I was about 13. His scores to the James Bond movies were the scores of my life back then.
If someone suddenly lost their director the day before shooting and wanted me to step in, I'd be willing to. But I'd do brain surgery the same way. I'm always up for something new.
Most films I work on, the people making the film are constantly second-guessing the executives of the studio, the producer, and the audience. It is very hard to accomplish anything in that situation.
Even if I went off to some other career, I hope I would still be doing Coen films.
A carefree quality is a whole aspect of life that I will never understand. I don't think I have ever been carefree and can't see the pleasure of it.
There is not much irony when people are being happy on screen.
In mainstream romantic comedies, I'm usually tearing my hair out. It's just a devastatingly difficult genre for me.
I think I've only done one horror movie, Psycho III. That was a walk in the park compared to a romantic comedy.
I think being a little nuts is helpful.
The jarring change going from an urban environment to an extremely remote natural environment is extremely inspiring. It's constantly stimulating, it's like a slap in the face.
I almost never try to make the audience comfortable. I wouldn't want that if I were in the audience.
All my music is very simple in that melody is usually clearly stated.
How does my music connect to an audience? That is just a complete mystery to me.
I write music to please myself. Hopefully the director's enjoying it too.
