QuoteProject
I'm well past the age where I'm acceptable. You get to a certain age and you are forbidden access. You're not going to get the kind of coverage that you would like in music magazines, you're not going to get played on radio and you're not going to get played on television. I have to survive on word of mouth.
David Bowie
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

As one ages, societal acceptance in certain industries can diminish, pushing individuals to find alternative paths to success.

David Bowie's quote reflects the harsh reality that as artists grow older, they often face exclusion from mainstream media and celebration in their fields, such as music. He emphasizes how this phase of life necessitates resilience and adaptation, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional channels for success and validation.

Themes

AgeAcceptanceMusicMediaResilienceWord Of Mouth

In practice

Example use cases

A speaker at a panel discussion on age and creativity can use this quote to illustrate challenges faced by aging artists.

More from David Bowie

All art really does is keep you focused on questions of humanity, and it really is about how do we get on with our maker.
David BowieRead
I guess, taking away all the theatrics or the costuming and the outer layers of what I do, I'm a writer... I write.
David BowieRead
I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human.
David BowieRead
Nothing prepared me for your smile
David BowieRead
But I've got to think of myself as the luckiest guy. Robert Johnson only had one album's worth of work as his legacy. That's all that life allowed him.
David BowieRead
I'm an early riser. I get up between five and six, have coffee, and read for a couple of hours before everyone else gets up.
David BowieRead

Similar quotes

I'm from Kenner, Louisiana, where music is played for every occasion in life. There's music for being born, there's music for dying... It's just natural. Families get really good because they play a lot together.
Jon BatisteRead
God gives us the ability, but rock 'n' roll was created by men.
Little RichardRead
When I auditioned for my high school band the band director was excited because my father was known to be a great musician. When he heard me, he said 'Are you sure you're Ellis's son?'
Wynton MarsalisRead
Every time a new record started, people exhaled with pleasure, or their bodies moved automatically. I really started getting high off of the euphoric exclamations. Every record I put on was like a baptism.
QuestloveRead
If wed known we were going to be The Beatles wed have tried harder.
George HarrisonRead
Until it's on the radio or online, it's not real. With U2, our album isn't finished until it's in the stores.
BonoRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.