Favourite 'inspirational' musician quotes

[Bass Culture]

If you are anything like me - or like I was over 40 years ago, when I first started playing - you avidly read everything you come across about players and playing for some insight or gobbet of wisdom that will set you on the path to virtuosity.  Most of these pearls of wisdom I've long since forgotten but some may have, for a time, informed my playing and development to a greater or lesser extent.  My own favourite which, if memory serves (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) was from Billy Sheehan who, when asked what his advice to young bass players was, said of music theory "Learn everything - then forget it".  Took me a few years to understand what he meant but was hugely liberating when I did.

So, let's hear the quotable quotes that made an impression on you and helped you with your playing. 

[Dan Dare]

Frank Zappa - "All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff"

[NickD]

For both music and life in general...

"It's all much too serious to be serious about" - Daevid Allen.

[MacDaddy]

@Steve Lawson

"There are no secrets, here's how it's done".

Also, when holding aloft a bass "this does not come with an instruction manual".

[Lozz196]

“They wouldn’t know a string quartet from a string vest”

Sid Vicious

[nekomatic]

Steve Swallow, asked if he had words of advice for aspiring young bass players:

”Travel widely; seek romance; sit up straight, clean your room, and chew your food.”

[Ricky 4000]

"ain't no writ without no hit"

Not sure who said it first, could have been anybody...

[chris_b]

Just look like your enjoying yourself.

[paul_5]

“Talking about music is like dancing about architecture”

”Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible”

both from the late, great Frank Zappa

[MacDaddy]

57 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

“They wouldn’t know a string quartet from a string vest”

Sid Vicious

Asked if he played for the man in the street, the late, former Sex Pistol said: “Nah, I’ve met the man in the street - and he’s a ****.”

[Nail Soup]

[Cosmo Valdemar]

"Have, a good, time, ALL the time."

- Viv Savage

[lowdown]

"Don't look at the trombones; it only encourages them."... Richard Strauss.

"Have you heard any Stockhausen?"  Sir Thomas Beecham was asked. "No, but I believe I have stepped in some."
 

 

[Jonesy]

"David and Nigel are like poets, you know, like Shelley or Byron, or people like that. The two totally distinct types of visionaries, it’s like fire and ice, and I feel my role in the band is to be kind of the middle of that, kind of like lukewarm water."

 

 

[MacDaddy]

13 minutes ago, lowdown said:

 

"Have you heard any Stockhausen?"  Sir Thomas Beecham was asked. "No, but I believe I have stepped in some."
 

 

Well if we are talking about Sir Tom 🤣

To a lady cellist:

"Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it." - Sir Thomas Beecham

[lowdown]

10 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Well if we are talking about Sir Tom 🤣

To a lady cellist:

"Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it." - Sir Thomas Beecham

 I was hoping someone else would post it...

Sir Thomas was responsible for some very funny moments. He had terrific wit.

Thomas Beecham Quotations (46 Quotations) | QuoteTab

[Waddo Soqable]

2 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

You got Sniffin Glue too then..

[PaulWarning]

Lemmy to the sound man "Can you hear that horrible noise from my monitor?" "No" said the sound man, Lemmy "Neither can I, turn the fcuker up"

[upside downer]

"You just pick a chord, go twang, and you've got music"

Sid Vicious, again. What he lacked in musical ability he sure made up for in quotability.

[SumOne]

I'm not really an Oasis fan, less so a Liam Gallagher fan....apart from his quotes:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.shortlist.com/news/best-liam-gallagher-quotes-funny/amp

[PaulWarning]

Jazz double bass player (forgotten his name) when asked what scale he used replied "I just play the root note first then any old bollocks after that"

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

I just play the root note first then any old bollocks after that"

That sounds like just about everything I play 😁

[Hellzero]

Miles Davis was very good at it. This has always inspired me : “Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”

[Bassman68]

Probably quoted before but…

”All the money’s in the first 5 frets”…

[Hellzero]

“Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery.” – Miles Davis

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