Michael Franti Quotes

I just wanted to say one more thing: I also think that when you go to play music, you're there to play music.

I listen mostly to live music, and mostly my musical experience was playing music with other people.

The best shows I play, I almost don't even remember off the stage.

I'm very proud of my records, but my most natural creative tendencies have been in live performing. There's a beautiful element to recording and making records, but I've always felt a little shy with it.

That's what it is that you rehearse - the making of music, not the playing of notes as abstractions.

I started playing in the band and learned to play piano by ear.

Our idea is simply to play the songs and to emphasize our musicianship.

Playin' bass runs and singin' lead vox, is sometimes difficult, but I have three words for you: Practice, practice, practice!

Playing live is such a total visceral experience, and really, as a musician, you're trained from the beginning to be a live performer.

The Tinted Windows shows were very fun but it's very different for me as a performer. I'm not playing music - I'm just singing and I missed that. I miss rocking out on keys, drums, guitar... whatever it is.

As long as I can sing halfway decent, I'd rather sing than act. There's nothing like being in good voice, feeling good, having good numbers to do and having a fine orchestra.

I take my job as a rock and roll sax player very seriously. To do it the way that I must do it, I must be in good condition. The better shape you're in, the harder you can rock.

I was playing 'The Flight of the Bumblebee,' and I totally forgot the ending, so I performed the whole piece again, and I still couldn't remember it.

Playing in an orchestra is where I learned the most about music.

I was really conscious of that when I went in because I felt that I was pretty solid on the first one, but I didn't have the groove exactly where I wanted it.

We would play, then they would play a set, then we would jam on the last song.

I've never, ever in my life enjoyed playing live the way I am now.

I grew up doing sitcoms and theater and even playing with the Beach Boys, where you're programmed to perform, your body gets into a rhythm and you know it has to perform.

When we first started playing in the early days, none of us really had any idea about writing our own songs yet. We were struggling how to learn our instruments and play songs to be able to perform for people.

I can sit on a chair with a score and give myself a wonderful performance.

When you play a concerto with a small orchestra, you don't feel it is as important as Carnegie Hall. You try to work out all the little problems. Once that's all done, trust comes in.

That jam was so much fun that by the end of the tour, we just jammed on all of the songs.

There's something interesting about playing live; you're in the moment, and I think it would be beneficial.

I've figured out what to do with my hands... onstage. I'm a percussion player, so I grab a tambourine as much as I can.

If I'm focusing on playing and enjoying the song, then it always goes well. I get lost in the song, and the performance is so much better. If the focus becomes not making a mistake, then it just feels rigid to me.