David Berman
David Berman

I read Henry Miller's 'Nexus,' 'Sexus' and 'Plexus' the summer after I graduated from college. It cemented my decision to spurn any and all careers.

David Berman
David Berman

Allen Ginsburg was wrong about a lot of things, but especially when he said, 'First thought, best thought.'

David Berman
David Berman

Everything I write goes through a lot of drafts. A hundred rewrites is not unusual for me to go through - the last fifty maybe just going back and forth on a single line or word selection.

David Berman
David Berman

Like they used to say about Joe Montana, he threw soft because he couldn't throw hard. He was successful because he didn't try to do what he couldn't. I couldn't rock out harder than everybody, or overpower people with mastery like Jack White of the White Stripes, so why try? That's why I've always worked harder on words.

David Berman
David Berman

I am not only neither Christian nor Jewish, but said to be in between, and I feel the same way about being from the South and being from the North. I write with my left hand but I throw a ball with my right hand.

David Berman
David Berman

I made records for 20 years, I lived off it. But people would say I made so many mistakes, I did so many things you're not supposed to do. I had a band name nobody could say. I didn't play live. I never practiced, I never got better at my instrument.

David Berman
David Berman

I've had to stop going to the nearest grocery store that seems to play Shania Twain's 'Forever and For Always' whenever I'm there. It's hard to shop for frozen entrees through cold-air blasted tears. Feels good on a flushed face though.

David Berman
David Berman

I used to consider myself weak.

David Berman
David Berman

I've never been from a certain group. I've always reserved a space for myself where I'm unattached to any group, but the part of Judaism that I really take away, that means something to me, is the part about community.

David Berman
David Berman

People younger than me trust me. People my age do not. They think I'm up to something. And I've often felt this.

David Berman
David Berman

I mean, I wasn't fortunate enough to have ever experienced starting out with a band and sticking with them, so that would be interesting to me. People whose bands start out like that, when they break up it's always terrible.

David Berman
David Berman

Mostly i write on an unplugged Mustang or a Baby Taylor.

David Berman
David Berman

My great grandfather was the last practicing Jew in my family. He died in 1982.

David Berman
David Berman

I try every day and every night to find a movie or a TV show that I can watch, but I just can't make it past ten minutes of anything.

David Berman
David Berman

I have this Martin electric/acoustic that's made of black formica. Really cool.

David Berman
David Berman

In 2004, I don't think any Silver Jews fan was probably expecting another record.

David Berman
David Berman

For the first 12 years of recording I would finish the album, then on the day it came out I'd never hear the songs again.

David Berman
David Berman

Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot and struggle with the mic stand in a ridiculous way.

David Berman
David Berman

I have always had a blank spot where my regret is supposed to be.

David Berman
David Berman

I'm not convinced I have fans.