Punk was defined by an attitude rather than a musical style.

— David Byrne

Real beauty knocks you a little bit off kilter.

— David Byrne

Recordings aren't time-sensitive. You can hear the music you want whether it's morning, noon, or the middle of the night. You can "get into" clubs virtually, "sit" in concert halls you can't afford to visit, go to places that are too far away, or hear people sing about things you don't understand, about lives that are alien, sad, or wonderful. Recorded music can be ripped free from its context, for better and worse. It becomes its own context.

— David Byrne

Simplicity is a kind of transparency in which subtle nuances can have outsize effects.

— David Byrne

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 mixtapes we made for ourselves were musical mirrors. The sadness, anger, or frustration you might be feeling at a given time could be encapsulated in the song selection. You made mixtapes that corresponded to emotional states, and they'd be available to pop into the deck when each feeling needed reinforcing or soothing. The mixtape was your friend, your psychiatrist, and your solace.

— David Byrne

The online music magazine Pitchfork once wrote that I would collaborate with anyone for a bag of Doritos.

— David Byrne

The radio was shouting at you, pleading with you, and seducing you.

— David Byrne

There are two conversations going on at the same time: the story and a conversation about how the story is being told.

— 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