I listened to a piano player being interviewed on NPR a few years back. He was not well known. He said that while he was in the early stages of learning his instrument that his teacher had really pushed him to memorize as many standards as possible. He had learned hundreds of tunes. Years later, when he began to explore composition, he found every idea he came up with was usually one of those memorized songs.
Jimmy Webb recounted two separate occasions where he was with well known composers and invited them to his house. They were very reluctant to go. He wondered why. The truth was that they had both been afraid that Webb would being playing music while they were there. Composers actively working on projects don't want any outside musical influence.
I have gone through periods of constant listening. I felt like that was a good thing. I have listened to music while I was sleeping. Sometimes the same song all night. Lately, I am listening mostly to sirens outside my window. That and silence. It has left my mind open to new ideas. I hope those are original.
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