John Rzeznik Quotes

The rule is to try and never play the same thing twice when you have the freedom to do that in the song.

I got my style. I got my own way of playing. I'm a musician. I'm self-taught.

I don't try to make the guitar sound like the harpsichord or lute. That makes you end up being like a bad copy.

I don't want to sound like Ross; I don't want to sound like Puff. I want to make my own music: French Montana.

Everything I record, I just try to sound like me and come up with songs that suit what I do, and then just go for it.

What I want to happen is to be really creative, and to play something new in the improvisations, every time.

In the past, I tried to be more of a typical session guitarist. I wasn't so concerned with impressing anybody.

I always recommend to any player to always compose their own music. It's one of the best things you can do to find a road to your own style.

I think the people who are saying jazz has to sound a particular way, or, 'What you're doing isn't jazz,' are just scared because they can't do it. A lot of them just aren't talented enough to do anything new, honestly.

I wasn't trying to sound like anybody else. Basically, I was just experimenting all over the place.

If you're always playing the correct notes, there's something wrong - you're not searching; you're not reaching for anything.

'Enlightened Rogues' we made like the earlier ones: whatever tune came up, whatever direction it went in, that's the way it went. That's what we'll always do. I think if we ever stop doin' that, we ought to quit.

A lot of people from my generation of music are so focused on playing things correctly or to perfection that they're stuck in that safe place.

The most important thing is that you honor that musical integrity, whether you make music that sounds like ABBA or you make music that sounds like Void.

What I always try to do is to respond to the song; I've always rebelled against theory.

I know what my sound is. I'm just trying to get it out there how I can explain it. I'm not trying to write or put out some music that doesn't represent me.

I learned that music should be fun and should be a way to express yourself - that there aren't really any rules.

There's art in rhythm playing. Just find it. Make your own art. Find your place, and when it's your time to solo, it's your time to shine.

One has to draw upon one's own musical thoughts and one's own musical acumen, and not to be afraid to let that come into one's work. Perhaps that comes with more experience, but perhaps it also comes with daring, and believing that you should.

Any talk of 'craft' makes me laugh. My music looks outward; it does not gaze upon itself in admiration. Artisanal is for cheesemakers. I don't know anything about music theory. Every time I approach my guitar, it's like the first time. There's no craft in that.

At some point I was hanging around with the Butchies - a band I ended up playing with a lot - and it just brought out this thing in me... and it felt very different from the Indigo Girls.

Don't try to follow any trends, just concentrate on writing great songs and knowing your instrument. All the other stuff will fall into place.

Once we're inside a tune, we can do anything with it.

I believe every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it.

Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.