Rick Nielsen Quotes

You don't really know a song until you play it live.

I love playing live, I don't like studios all that much. I need the reaction of the audience.

It used to be enough for me to get on stage and sing. I kind of crave the performance part now. I write knowing it's going to happen, which I didn't do before.

I think I'm better at live shows than I used to be because I'm way more comfortable with the uncomfortable pauses between songs. Now, rather than trying to talk or do a costume change, I'll use those moments for myself. I listen to what other people are playing, or just rest, or dance, even though I don't know how to.

I just want to play music with a band, live.

I feel my live shows are my music; everything blossoms from the live shows.

I remember seeing McCoy Tyner in concert, and thinking that the music was incredible, but wanting to be invited in. I figured that humor was the way of letting the audience in. I've gotten a hard time about it, but I love to be funny onstage.

When I sit down to write a song, it's a kind of improvisation, but I formalize it a bit to get it into the studio, and when I step up to a microphone, I have a vague idea of what I'm about to do.

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

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.

If I do a bit on stage, I prepare too much. Those bits are all really, really carefully written, and overwritten, and researched. I really don't feel like I can wing it. So I write it out word for word, and when I'm onstage I'll improvise around it.

The thing that fuels me the most is the desire to be on stage. And singing is the ultimate way of expressing all the emotions that I have inside.

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

I had so much fun playing songs from 'Based On A True Story...' and getting to see the crowd's reaction to those songs was unforgettable.

I have no reason to sit home and write songs all day without going out and playing for the folks. And I have no reason to go play for the folks unless I'm writing new songs so they can sort of feed off one another. And I just try to do the best I can.

Sometimes I do 'So Desperate' solo in the middle of the set. I really love to sing that song.

I play the piano a lot at home. I write songs on the piano and guitar. I would like to actually play piano on stage. I don't think I'll get the chance for a while.

I'm a live performer and I love playing live.

Honestly, live is my favorite way of performing. Every show is a completely different energy.

I have a lyric journal that I write in a lot. When I'm going to play, I just sit down and have my books with me and my notes and tapes and whatever I need to refer to. I just play and try different things. It's a kind of discipline.

It's a constant challenge to get your arrangement and musical expression across to a new audience, especially when you're playing live every night like we are.

Well, for the My Generation album, there was nothing to be nervous about in them days. We used to take every day as it came. Every day was just a gig and I think we did the recording between gigs literally.

'm not saying I would never do acting again, because I love it, but there really is nothing compared to getting up in front of people and singing your music.

I can't act without music very well.

I have no experience performing that music live in front of an audience. So that remains to be seen. I'm very excited to see what that's going to be like.