“It's got to be hard to be a band that's trading on your 40-year-old hits, where there's a certain thing that's expected of you. But that's why I admire Bob Dylan's live performances - he's steadfast about mixing up the songs, not just sticking to his greatest hits, and reinterpreting them to the extent that you really can't recognize them until halfway through. It's like, I DARE you to sing along.” YearsHardCertainSongBandPerformancesDareExpectedAdmireBobTradingDylanHalfwayMixingSteadfastLive Performance Author:Amy Argetsinger
“I'm just as comfortable performing solo with just my acoustic guitar and vocal as I am with a band. The main thing for me is that the performance remain rooted in the words and voice, that there be no place to hide.” VoiceBandComfortablePerformancesGuitarPerformingRootedSoloVocalAcousticsAcoustic Guitar Author:Michael Gira
“I was very impressed with Hanson's performance. I thought that little drummer was a kick-ass drummer, and uh, that they sang great, I mean I didn't know either, y'know, that these little boys, y'know, I was very impressed. I think they'll probably be around in 20 years writing good songs, and being a great band.” ThinkingKnowsWritingYearsMeanLittlesSongBoysBandPerformancesAssKicksImpressedDrummerLittle BoysKick Ass Author:Stevie Nicks
“After watching a couple of live performances of bands like Nirvana, I was really excited and inspired by how raw and powerful it was. I wanted to at least aim in that direction with the guitar and do my own version of it. I know it doesn't really sound like that on the other end, but I wanted guitar, heavy rhythms, and singing to be the stamp of the whole thing.” KnowsEndsWholeWantedSoundMy OwnPowerfulCoupleBandSingingPerformancesAimInspiredGuitarExcitedHeavyVersionsRhythmStampsLive Performance Author:Panda Bear
“Of the One O'Clock Lab Band after hearing their performance, and sitting in with them at the White House: "I wish it were mine".” HouseWishWhiteMinesBandSittingPerformancesHearingClockWhite HouseLabs Author:Duke Ellington
“I was brought up on choirs and brass bands. They formed the music of my childhood. When I heard the Treorchy Male Choir at the Royal Variety Performance it brought back such happy memories. You have your own eminent place in the history of British music. You stand for excellence in a great tradition and your work for charity is both an example and an inspiration.” InspirationMemoriesHeardChildhoodExampleBandTraditionPerformancesExcellenceCharityMalesBritishVarietyRoyalChoirBrassHappy MemoriesBrass BandsBritish Music Author:Michael Parkinson
“Nothing surpasses my performances with small bands, especially with Charlie Parker. A small band doesn't forestall creativity.” CreativityBandPerformancesCharlie Book:To Be, Or Not-- to Bop Source: To Be, Or Not-- to Bop
“When I did "Top of the Pops" for the first time, Ace of Base was one of the other bands, and I have a memory of them on a small stage next to me in the TV studio. A memory of their performance is burned into my mind. Seared.” MindFirstsNextMemoriesStageTvsBandFirst TimePerformancesStudiosPopsBurnedAces Author:Beck
“I held four clean aces. I had youth, almost a decade of hard-core bar band experience, a good group of homegrown musicians who were attuned to my performance style and a story to tell.” HardStoriesFourGroupsStyleYouthBandMusicianPerformancesCleanDecadesCoreBarsAcesHard CoreHomegrown Author:Bruce Springsteen
“I was a guitar player on the streets of Asbury Park and already a member in good standing amongst those who lie in service of the truth - artists with a small A. But I held four clean aces. I had youth, almost a decade of hardcore bar band experience, a good group of homegrown musicians who were attuned to my performance style, and a story to tell.” StoriesLyingArtistFourPlayerGroupsStreetsStyleYouthBandMembersMusicianStandingPerformancesCleanGuitarDecadesBarsParksGuitar PlayerHardcoreAcesHomegrownThose Who Lie Author:Bruce Springsteen
“I've never really been interested in replicating the record in live performance, because I'd just get bored. When I was young I used to go and see bands and, even if it was my favorite band, I'd get bored after twenty minutes.” IfsYoungUsedRecordsMinutesBandPerformancesTwentiesMy FavoriteBoredLive PerformanceFavorite Bands Author:James Dean Bradfield
“Walk down Forest Ave to Joey's Pizza like we used to do after performances, which doesn't exist anymore. We had a sense of community [in the school band].” SchoolUsedCommunityWalksBandPerformancesForestsPizzaJoeySchool Band Author:Jon Gordon