“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.”
Plato
Archive for category Music Quotes
Favorite Music Quote #9
Dec 30
One day St. Peter was standing at the pearly gates checking people into heaven. The first man comes up and St. Peter “What did you do on earth?” The man says “I was a doctor.” St. Peter says “That’s wonderful…go right in.” The next man comes up and St. Peter says “What did you do on earth?” The man tells St. Peter that he was a research scientist and St. Peter says “that’s wonderful. Go right in.” As the third man comes up St. Peter says to him “And what did you do on earth?” The third man says “I was a musician.” St. Peter says “That’s great. Follow the fence around to the right, use the staff entrance and take the freight elevator up to the third floor….”
The kicker about this joke is how true it is–musicians know this well. In the ’80s I was playing tons of private parties and had gone through this routine 100’s of times.
Years back, I took a friend out for a birthday dinner at a fancy hotel in Santa Monica. I was driving into the hotel area so we could check in, when she said to me, “Where are we going?” I found this to be an odd question, when I looked around and saw that I was at the loading dock! Habits, habits, habits!
- The booking is definite
- Your check’s in the mail
- We can fix it in the mix
- This is the best dope you’ve ever had
- The show starts at 8
- My agent will take care of it
- I’m sure it will work
- Your tickets are at the door
- It sounds in tune to me
- Sure, it sounds fine at the back of the hall
- I know your mic is on
- I checked it myself
- The roadie took care of it
- She’ll be backstage after the show
- Yes, the spotlight was on you during your solo
- The stage mix sounds just like the program mix
- It’s the hottest pickup I could get
- The club will provide the PA and lights
- I really love the band
- We’ll have it ready by tonight
- We’ll have lunch sometime
- If it breaks, we’ll fix it for free
- We’ll let you know
- I had nothing to do with your marriage breaking up. It was on the rocks long before I ever met you
- The place was packed
- We’ll have you back next week
- Don’t worry, you’ll be the headliner
- It’s on the truck
- My last band had a record deal, but we broke up before recording the album
- Someone will be there early to let you in
- I’ve only been playing for a year
- I’ve been playing for 20 years
- We’ll have fliers printed tomorrow
- I’m with the band
- The band drinks free
- You’ll get your cut tonight
- We’ll supply someone for the door
- You’ll have no problem fitting that bass cabinet in the trunk of your car
- They’ll be lots of roadies when you get there
- It’s totally compatible with your current program
- You’ll have plenty of time for a soundcheck
- This is one of Jimi’s old Strats
- We’ll definitely come to the gig
- You can depend on me
Favorite Music Quote #9
Aug 26
“It’s taken me all my life to learn what not to play.”
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie [/gɪˈlɛspi/] (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, and composer.
Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He taught and influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, and John Faddis.
In addition to featuring in the epochal moments in bebop, he was instrumental in founding Afro-Cuban jazz, the modern jazz version of what early-jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton referred to as the “Spanish Tinge”. Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and gifted improviser, building on the virtuoso style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic complexity previously unknown in jazz. Dizzy’s beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing, his bent horn, pouched cheeks and his light-hearted personality were essential in popularizing bebop.
Favorite Music Quote #8
Aug 25
“Music is the soundtrack of your life.”
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff “Dick” Clark (born November 30, 1929) is an American television, radio personality, game show host and businessman; he served as chairman and CEO of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years. He is best known for hosting long-running television shows such as American Bandstand, five versions of the Pyramid game show, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Clark has long been known for his departing catchphrase, “For now, Dick Clark…so long,” delivered with a military salute, and for his youthful appearance, earning the moniker “America’s Oldest Teenager”, until he suffered a stroke late in 2004. With some speech ability still impaired, Clark returned to his New Year’s Rockin’ Eve show on December 31, 2005 and January 1, 2006. Subsequently, he has appeared at the Emmy Awards on August 27, 2006 and the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve show on December 31, 2006 and January 1, 2007, as well as in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009.
Favorite Music Quote #7
Aug 24
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”
Billy Joel
William Martin “Billy” Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. He released his first hit song, “Piano Man”, in 1973. According to the RIAA, Billy Joel is the sixth best-selling recording artist in the United States.
Joel had Top 10 hits in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s and has 33 Top 40 hits in the United States, all of which he wrote single handedly. He is also a five-time Grammy Award winner, a 23-time Grammy nominee and has sold over 100 million records worldwide.
He was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame (1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999), and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2006). Joel “retired” from recording pop music in 1993 but continued to tour (sometimes with Elton John). In 2001, he released Fantasies & Delusions, a CD of classical compositions for piano. In 2007, he briefly returned to pop songwriting and recording with a single entitled “All My Life”—written for his third wife Katie Lee Joel. Joel returned to touring in 2006 after a three-year hiatus from the road and has toured extensively ever since, covering many major world cities. In March 2009, Joel resumed his popular Face to Face tour with fellow piano man Elton John. Concerts are scheduled to be held sporadically over two years and travel around the world. The two artists first paired up in 1994, but had not toured together since May 2003.
Favorite Music Quote #6
Aug 17
“To play without passion is inexcusable!”
Beethoven
The next time you see a live performance, see which performer moves you the most. After you notice this, try and analyze WHY. Was it the notes? The expression? The looks of a singer?
When listening to instrumental music, notice which player gets the biggest applause. This is an interesting exercise in perception. Sometimes a really flashy solo with lot’s of notes will grab you: technical expertise. More often than not, an emotion-packed solo will grab you because it’s filled with passion.
Gotta love music!
Marty B.
(818) 242-7551
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Favorite Music Quote #5
Aug 17
“Music creates order out of chaos; for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongruous.”
Sir Yehudi Menuhin
