A biography for Samuel Ervin Beamhasn’t been written yet.
“At the end of the day, I can't sit down and write a song to sell.”
“I don't really listen to a lot of stuff that sounds real similar to me because I work on that kind of music all day. I end up listening to more jazz, stuff that I can't really play.”
“I find making records by myself incredibly boring.”
“You cannot predict public taste. That's why I always just trusted mine.”
“I try to use a poetic language more than talk about my feelings, but it is married to the music.”
“People always say, 'Why don't you play more sets in Texas?' and I say, 'Dude, why don't you come babysit?'”
“Religion is a huge part of our consciousness. I grew up in the Bible Belt, so it's our mythology. Those are the stories we learn as little kids at Sunday school. I'm not afraid to use the metaphors, because I think the stories are beautiful.”
“I went to an art school and you learn very quickly there that you're only as good as your next idea, not so much what you've got going on at the moment. And so I embraced that. It sunk in at an early point.”
“Yeah, I've always liked Barbara Crane's stuff.”
“I was born in 1974, so I grew up listening to what was on the radio - my mom's car sounded like Fleetwood Mac, because that was what was on the radio.”
“I always liked American Analog Set.”
“I don't necessarily enjoy playing concerts, although that has gotten more fun with a band. But the one thing I always have enjoyed is making records and being in that creative environment. And that has become a lot more enjoyable having other people involved.”
“The things that have been most popular with people have always been a total surprise, and so I've never felt like I could really truthfully predict public taste, so why bother?”
“I don't like to be doing the same thing over and over again, so I keep trying other things.”
“I certainly don't want to make the same record twice. That's no fun.”
“I like to make fun records. Contrary to popular belief.”
“I like short records in general that you can swallow in one sitting.”
“I am not interested in political writing, because it's limited in its scope. I try to write general, human kinds of songs, which suggest more than they explain. You can take a lot of different meanings, but hopefully everyone feels some kind of recognition.”
“I feel like anytime you write about people in an honest way, you can find connections to any issue you would like.”
“My wife is a midwife, and there's only so many states where you can do that. Texas is a place where she can work.”