In the most recent episode of the animated PBS Series Blank on Blank, the legendary Joni Mitchell talks about her creative process, writing songs, and her fine artistic sensibilities existing in the commercial realm in a rare 1986 interview with record executive Joe Smith.
I have lost my credibility as a hit maker because of these side excursions into other branches of music by not being consistent. Consistency seems to be all important. …musically, I would never run dry. Any time I sit down to an instrument, I could write a song. I try not to steal from myself, but the modalities create similarities. Musically, I don’t think I’d ever dry up. I trust my musical invention. Lyrics are hard.
