Fred Armisen

I spent most of my 20s playing music. I was in a band, and we worked really hard and did not get very far.

I was really close to being this guy who used to be in this band who is still playing and trying to get some recordings together, but I got really lucky.

There's no judgment on bands that continue on who aren't popular; some people get enjoyment out of it. I'm just not one of those people.

I would see people on TV, or I'd see bands I really liked, and I thought, 'I want that.'

I love driving. Listen to some music.

I find it weird to use my own voice on TV.

I think Ian MacKaye is everything that I always wanted to be.

I will always, no matter what, be a punk more than anything.

Over the years, El Perro del Mar became this artist that, every record that came out, I just loved it.

El Perro del Mar sort of accompanied my time at 'SNL.' To concentrate and focus, I would play the bass to one of her songs from her third album.

When 'Pale Fire' came out, that album was a big friend of mine. I've just always purely been a fan of El Perro del Mar.

I'd want to direct a video for Yoko Ono. As long as I got to work with Yoko Ono someday, I'd be really happy. I just think she's such a great artist - it would just be so nice.

As far as value goes, obviously it's nicer to be in an environment where you feel comfortable. But it's also clear that it's probably not the most realistic thing.

I would never play a character that wasn't true. It's not a moral thing; it's just that it's more convincing if it's a little bit like me.

I'm not by nature a cynical person. But sometimes your expectations are different from reality.

I was actually late to the punk movement because I was too young.

The bands that were big in '77, like the Clash and the Sex Pistols and Talking Heads, I got into them in the early '80s. And it changed my life. It got into my DNA.

I will always consider myself a punk because of those experiences in high school. It will always be a part of me.

Missing something doesn't help anything. You can only look at the future, what you can keep doing.

The way James Franco goes to new projects, he does it the way an artist should, which is with a question mark. Like, will this work?

Wayne Coyne has put out Flaming Lips records in gummy bear skulls and all these different kinds of packaging that's really, really inventive. And that's what you should always do.

You should approach everything in life like, 'What is this?'

There's almost no such thing as a hipster.

I was impersonating people way, way, way early, as far back as I can remember. And I would do people on my street for my parents, I remember. And in school, I did the same thing with all the teachers. It was just like, I mean, it was something I loved to do. I don't think there was a time when I wasn't doing it. I was always doing it.

When I used to see Rick Moranis do something, to me that was immediately funny. Or George Carlin or Martin Lawrence.

I really loved touring with my band, but it felt like we would spend a lot of time playing in empty rooms - empty clubs. We had some good successes, but it's so physically hard to load up a van and drive all day.

I really like watching TV at home.

If something seems like a little venue, don't treat it like that. Do it all. If you're sort of wondering why you're doing something at some location, just do it - any size theater, production, or whatever. It's all helpful.

I believe in limitations. I think the worst art ever made - in my opinion, because it's all so subjective - is where the artist had complete freedom.

I'll just say that there are times when TV shows, like 'The Honeymooners' or 'I Love Lucy' or something, where they're totally in their stride, and this thing happens, where you can tell they got everything they wanted. And it starts to look a little relaxed. No criticism to the shows whatsoever; these people are geniuses.

I take any project on a month or two at a time. Meaning, I don't think too far ahead.

I think a comedian has a more specific job. Whereas a musician can fall into different categories, you know, of making background music or doing a soundtrack or wanting to be in a band or writing the song, or writing your own songs. And then comedy is a very black and white thing. You want to make people happy.

People on the street comment on how handsome I am. You know, people stop and say how angular my face is.

No yoga. I can barely sit down.

We almost called the 'Portlandia' show 'Stumptown.' That was the original name.

Everywhere I go, somebody says something to me. It's really nice.

Art should not be an easy thing.

The worst art is when it's really convenient and comfy.

Discomfort is the way to go if you want to make something you feel is worthwhile.

My showbiz career started with 'SNL,' and to write an 'SNL' book... well, there are already enough of those.

I get very, very little sleep.

I feel really lucky to get to do comedy, and music, at all. I want to do as much as I can.

My problem is with intimacy. That's where I have my biggest problems.

I have the capability to have a close relationship with someone.

Something about Portland just really resonated with me.

For some reason, juggling things makes everything work better. That's just how we operate. It just makes the other project more of something to look forward to. I think the more you keep things going, the more it helps the other project.

I love my bandmates, and they're my friends, and even though we had fun and got to tour and I got to play the drums a lot, which I'll always appreciate, we had a really rough time. We toured and tried to get people to come to our shows and put out records, and we really struggled.

For me, I would get so frustrated because I would see these other bands just whip by us.

Sometimes in Portland I'm like, 'Who is funding this city?' It's doing great - there's all these new shops; there's a synthesizer store. Where is this coming from?

I like that 'Broad City' exists, and I love being around at the same time as 'Key & Peele.' I love those guys - I just, I love their faces.