It's funny, when bands or younger musicians ask me: 'So, what does it take to make it?' Well, first explain to me what you mean by 'making it': Do you want to be a rock star or do you want music to be your livelihood?
Eddie Van HalenRead
Some kids went to the movies for escape. We found it with jazz. This is where we got religion. It was a kind of raw spiritual anarchy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights how jazz provided a profound sense of escape and spiritual fulfillment for some individuals, akin to a religious experience.
In this quote, John Densmore reflects on the power of jazz music as a means of emotional and spiritual liberation. Unlike those who sought escape in the movies, Densmore and his peers discovered a deep connection and sense of freedom through jazz, which they perceived as an almost religious experience. This 'raw spiritual anarchy' suggests a rejection of traditional norms in favor of a more visceral and instinctive expression of creativity and emotion.
Themes
JazzSpiritualityEscapeMusicFreedomAnarchy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the ways music can influence emotions, this quote can illustrate jazz as a form of escape.
Similar quotes
It's not exclusive, but inclusive, which is the whole spirit of jazz.
Herbie HancockRead
Basically, I started singing when I started talking. Music has just been my saving grace my whole life.
Mariah CareyRead
The music field was the first to break down racial barriers, because in order to play together, you have to love the people you are playing with, and if you have any racial inhibitions, you wouldn't be able to do that.
Oscar PetersonRead
There were musicians that influenced me, but they weren't all women. Teena Marie was a big influence because she wrote and produced her own music, which let me know that women could write and produce their own music, which was an empowering moment for me.
Queen LatifahRead
I am playing the violin, that's all I know, nothing else, no education, no nothing. You just practice every day.
Itzhak PerlmanRead