---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been back in New York a year and a…"
description: "\"I've been back in New York a year and a half now. Before that I was on the West Coast for five years. There's no comparison between the two. You hear t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f4/ben-webster-48480_coast_i-ve-been-back-in-new-york-a-year-and-a_1955257.jpg"
---

#  I've been back in New York a year and a half now. Before…

![“I've been back in New York a year and a half now. Before that I was on the West Coast for five years. There's no comparison between the two. You hear things in New York you don't hear anywhere else. Unless these guys go out. Quite a few make it out to the Coast. Of course, you can't stay in New…” quote by Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f4/ben-webster-48480_coast_i-ve-been-back-in-new-york-a-year-and-a_1955257.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f4/ben-webster-48480_coast_i-ve-been-back-in-new-york-a-year-and-a_1955257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f4/ben-webster-48480_coast_i-ve-been-back-in-new-york-a-year-and-a_1955257.jpg)

> “I've been back in New York a year and a half now. Before that I was on the West Coast for five years. There's no comparison between the two. You hear things in New York you don't hear anywhere else. Unless these guys go out. Quite a few make it out to the Coast. Of course, you can't stay in New York for ever. You have to move.”

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

New York offers a unique, relentless creative energy that differs from the West Coast, prompting artists to move for growth.

**In simple terms:** NYC fuels creativity differently.

Key Takeaway

Seek new creative environments.

Themes

music city life creativity

Mood

nostalgic inspired

Type

reflective personal

When to use this quote

- touring gigs
- recording sessions
- relocation decisions

Key Concepts

inspiration environmental influence career mobility

Questions to Reflect On

- What does NYC offer you?
- How does location shape your music?

A Different Perspective

Constant moving can be destabilizing.

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[Comparison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparison/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [West coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-coast/)

## Related quotes

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> [When I was a kid, they used to say, 'Oh man, you don't ever wanna leave New York.' I don't ever want to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/when-i-was-a-kid-they-used-to-say-oh-man-you-don-t-ever-wanna-leave/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

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[Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/)

> [I don't want my music to stay New York, I want it to be everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/araabmuzik/i-don-t-want-my-music-to-stay-new-york-i-want-it-to-be-everywhere/)

[AraabMuzik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/araabmuzik/)

> [I, like anybody whoever met Eric Wright, was mesmerized &amp; inspired. Eric was more like a big brother to me, to all of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kokane/i-like-anybody-whoever-met-eric-wright-was-mesmerized-inspired-eric/)

[Kokane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kokane/)

> [I was struck down by the west coast. It was quarter to three but it don't do sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-ready-set/i-was-struck-down-by-the-west-coast-it-was-quarter-to-three-but-it/)

[The Ready Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-ready-set/)

> [New York for me is about work. If L.A. were to become a West Coast version of that, I'd shoot myself. The climate, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-wang/new-york-for-me-is-about-work-if-l-a-were-to-become-a-west-coast/)

[Vera Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-wang/)

> [I sleep 75 percent of all plane trips I take. I love red-eyes from West to East. I take Ambien to make sure I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-dilfer/i-sleep-75-percent-of-all-plane-trips-i-take-i-love-red-eyes-from/)

[Trent Dilfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-dilfer/)

> [I feel like too many people on the West Coast, they're too needy. They feel they need Snoop or Game. I never did any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/i-feel-like-too-many-people-on-the-west-coast-they-re-too-needy-they/)

[Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/)

> [Since I was a kid, I've had an absolute obsession with particular kinds of American music. Mississippi Delta blues of the Thirties, Chicago blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-had-an-absolute-obsession-with-particular/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [I have a West Coast rhythm section and a New York rhythm section. I've got them spread out all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-mcpartland/i-have-a-west-coast-rhythm-section-and-a-new-york-rhythm-section-i-ve/)

[Marian McPartland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-mcpartland/)

> [You don't have to come from Trinidad to really love Harry Belafonte, you don't have to come from the West Coast to appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-avett/you-don-t-have-to-come-from-trinidad-to-really-love-harry-belafonte/)

Seth Avett

> [The United States is filled with power places. The majority of them, however, are to be found either along the West Coast and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-united-states-is-filled-with-power-places-the-majority-of-them/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

## More by Ben Webster

> [If you try all different styles that are in vogue, I think you con yourself. Me, I just stick by my guns; I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/if-you-try-all-different-styles-that-are-in-vogue-i-think-you-con/)

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

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[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

> [ I used to live at the Cecil Hotel, which was next door to Minton's \[Playhouse\]. We used to jam just about every night when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-used-to-live-at-the-cecil-hotel-which-was-next-door-to-minton-s/)

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

> [I don't listen to my own records a lot. Once in a while - to check out my mistakes. Because you can always see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-don-t-listen-to-my-own-records-a-lot-once-in-a-while-to-check-out/)

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

> [I had the chance to play with Benny 'The King' Carter here in Copenhagen for three days in the Montmartre, and two days in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-had-the-chance-to-play-with-benny-the-king-carter-here-in/)

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

> [I don't want to play out of another man's bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-don-t-want-to-play-out-of-another-man-s-bag/)

[Ben Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

> [I like to play things that people understand, or maybe tunes that they could recognize. And so — I play for the people, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-webster/i-like-to-play-things-that-people-understand-or-maybe-tunes-that-they/)

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[Explore all 8 Ben Webster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-webster/)

## More Coast quotes

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[Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/)

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Browse all 719 Coast quotes

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