taste

Writer George Saunders calls this “achieving the iconic space,” and it’s what he’s after when he meets his creative writing students. “They arrive already wonderful. What we try to do over the next three years is help them achieve what I call their “iconic space” — the place from which they will write the stories only they could write, using what... See more

Patti Smith I was completely green. I had never worked with a producer. If John couldn’t win, he would step back and challenge me. “OK, you want to improvise ‘Birdland’? You want to wing it? Then really do it.” I was not easy to challenge because I was very self-assured. I had more self-assurance than talent, perhaps. When I achieved something, I... See more

Sometimes you don’t even realize those things when you’re making it. You’re unconscious of the forces of nature pushing you forward. It’s quite a remarkable document of a band still very young. We’re little ponies in there trying to harness this energy. On the other hand, we are embarked on our future. That’s all you can hope for from a debut... See more

There were other things in the notebook, some conversation bits and things. “Don’t talk to me that way. I’m not listening.” Only Tom would put that in a song. I wrote it, but I would have never put it in a song. He said to me, “Don’t be afraid to steal from yourself.”

So, in shameless imitation of a master and tastemaker, here are my notes on “taste.”

1. To start very generally, taste is a mode. It’s a manner of interpretation, expression, or action. Things don’t feel tasteful, they demonstrate taste. Someone’s home can be decorated tastefully. Someone can dress tastefully. The vibe cannot be tasteful. The

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