I think my biggest musical hero growing up was probably Ian MacKaye. He set a great example for all of us local musicians. Still, to this day, I see him as the best example of a right-on musician.
Interpretation
Ian MacKaye exemplifies the ideal qualities of a musician and inspires local musicians.
In this quote, Dave Grohl expresses his admiration for Ian MacKaye, highlighting how MacKaye's dedication and authenticity as a musician have set a standard for others in the local music scene. Grohl perceives MacKaye as a role model whose approach to music and integrity continues to inspire musicians even today.
In practice
This quote can inspire young musicians at a local music festival.
There's a reason why the Foo Fighters don't blast out Nirvana songs every night: because we have a lot of respect for them. You know, that's hallowed ground. We have to be careful. We have to tread lightly. We have talked about it before, but the opportunity hasn't really come up, or it just hasn't felt right.
Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do.
That’s one of the great things about music. You can sing a song to 85,000 people and they’ll sing it back for 85,000 different reasons.
As I get older... I start to realize that life ain't half bad. Each year, I'm amazed that I'm still alive. I don't take any of this for granted, I'm a lucky dude.
When I listen to music these days, and I hear Pro Tools and drums that sound like a machine - it kinda sucks the life out of music.
In this day and age, when you can use a machine or computer to simulate or emulate what people can do together, it still can't replace the magic of four people in a room playing.
It pulled me like a magnet, jazz did, because it was a way that I could express myself.
The great moments of rock 'n' roll were never off in some corner of the music world, in a self-constructed ghetto.
With pop music and pop musicians, you know everything about everyone all the time, particularly their physical appearance. With female musicians, that's made a big thing of, and I think people, certainly with me, have appreciated a bit of mystery.
Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.
Jazz took too much discipline. You have to come in at the right place, which is different than me singing the blues, where I can sing, 'Oh, baby,' if there's a pause in the melody. With jazz, you better leave that space open, or put in something real cool.
Learn to play the piano, man, and then you can figure out crazy solos of your own.
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