--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage…" description: "\"I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band, playing.\" — D'Angelo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg" --- # I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band… ![“I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band, playing.” quote by D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg) > “I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band, playing.” [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live performance aligns artist and music, creating authentic expression. **In simple terms:** Music feels most real on stage. Key Takeaway Engage fully when creating. Themes creativity performance authenticity connection Mood inspired reflective Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - concerts - rehearsals - studio sessions - teaching music Key Concepts presence improvisation energy Questions to Reflect On - What moments make you feel most connected to your music? - How does live energy differ from studio work? A Different Perspective Audience expectations can pressure authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) ## Related quotes > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-sometimes-playing-in-front-of-20/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [The music as a whole is selfish, but the musicians aren't," "The song may go on forever but it's not about competition within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-homme/the-music-as-a-whole-is-selfish-but-the-musicians-aren-t-the-song-may/) [Joshua Homme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-homme/) > [I really enjoy creating music onstage, to participate in making music live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-lee-jones/i-really-enjoy-creating-music-onstage-to-participate-in-making-music/) [Rickie Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-lee-jones/) > [It is important to have emotion, to live through the music onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirella-freni/it-is-important-to-have-emotion-to-live-through-the-music-onstage/) [Mirella Freni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirella-freni/) > [Me in my music and onstage - that's me without any fears of judgement; that's me when I'm shining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/me-in-my-music-and-onstage-that-s-me-without-any-fears-of-judgement/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [At 10 years old, I was in my church band, playing in front of a couple thousand people every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bazzi/at-10-years-old-i-was-in-my-church-band-playing-in-front-of-a-couple/) [Bazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bazzi/) > [We're real people and we're a band that's been playing on the scene for a long time. We've made a lot of friends, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hawkins/we-re-real-people-and-we-re-a-band-that-s-been-playing-on-the-scene/) [Dan Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hawkins/) > [There was a band playing in my head, And I felt like getting high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/there-was-a-band-playing-in-my-head-and-i-felt-like-getting-high/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [We're not here as a black band playing white string band music. You know, we play stuff in the Appalachians, we play stuff in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/we-re-not-here-as-a-black-band-playing-white-string-band-music-you/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I reckoned I could meet more girls being in a band than playing soccer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-taylor/i-reckoned-i-could-meet-more-girls-being-in-a-band-than-playing-soccer/) [Roger Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-taylor/) > [“The band is playing Auld Lang Syne But the heart will not retreat There's no forsaking what you love No existential leap As witnessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-band-is-playing-auld-lang-syne-but-the-heart-will-not-retreat/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Years ago when I was in a cover band and we were playing dances, that was quite a different thing. You were there as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-wilkinson/years-ago-when-i-was-in-a-cover-band-and-we-were-playing-dances-that/) [Andy Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-wilkinson/) > [To me, when a great band is playing together, it's amazing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/to-me-when-a-great-band-is-playing-together-it-s-amazing-for-me/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [Me and the Dap-Kings, the whole band is playing a wedding band in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/me-and-the-dap-kings-the-whole-band-is-playing-a-wedding-band-in-the/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) ## More by D'Angelo > [Since I started playing, really, since I was like three. I imagined myself famous but the vision was blurry, I guess. What you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/since-i-started-playing-really-since-i-was-like-three-i-imagined/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [I haven't had the time to do a lot of writing. But nothing's really changed about me. It's just my day-to-day activities have changed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-haven-t-had-the-time-to-do-a-lot-of-writing-but-nothing-s-really/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [The show is coming from the music. I get on the stage with the band, and I communicate with my musicians, and the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/the-show-is-coming-from-the-music-i-get-on-the-stage-with-the-band/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [Prince is extremely soulful, but he can get real rock-'n'-rollish. So can Lenny Kravitz. Lenny's real soulful but he's got that rock with him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/prince-is-extremely-soulful-but-he-can-get-real-rock-n-rollish-so-can/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [I don't know how I want to come across looking, really. I just look how I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-don-t-know-how-i-want-to-come-across-looking-really-i-just-look-how/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [It's not too hard to play Fender Rhodes keyboard if you get the right one, with some good action on the keys. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/it-s-not-too-hard-to-play-fender-rhodes-keyboard-if-you-get-the-right/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [In Europe they're more calm, more reserved. Here, in the States, people are more wild, a little more open. I guess it takes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/in-europe-they-re-more-calm-more-reserved-here-in-the-states-people/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [Definitely. The way I look is a reflection of who I am. That's how my music is too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/definitely-the-way-i-look-is-a-reflection-of-who-i-am-that-s-how-my/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [Watch us, all stand in line, for a slice of the devil's pie. Who am I to justify, all the evil in our eye.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/watch-us-all-stand-in-line-for-a-slice-of-the-devil-s-pie-who-am-i-to/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [Like I say, it depends on how you do rock-'n'-roll. If you do it right then I think people will appreciate it for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/like-i-say-it-depends-on-how-you-do-rock-n-roll-if-you-do-it-right/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [I don't know what scared me about Marvin Gaye. I just know that he was scary, and that all of his... his aura was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-don-t-know-what-scared-me-about-marvin-gaye-i-just-know-that-he-was/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [I'm making black music. That's the only outline for me, really. That's the only boundary to stay with. It's soul music. I'm going all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-m-making-black-music-that-s-the-only-outline-for-me-really-that-s/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [Especially when I first came up here to New York, everybody wanted to hook me up with this guy who's Prince's sound engineer. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/especially-when-i-first-came-up-here-to-new-york-everybody-wanted-to/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) > [I lived in the house with my mother so she had no choice but to hear what I was doing. I would ask her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-lived-in-the-house-with-my-mother-so-she-had-no-choice-but-to-hear/) [D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) [Explore all 15 D'Angelo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band, playing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D'Angelo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstage-with-the-band-playing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Band" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstage-with-the-band-playing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/d-angelo-32328_music_i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstag_1549462.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm closest to the music when I'm onstage with the band, playing.” — D'Angelo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "D'Angelo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm closest to the music when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstage-with-the-band-playing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo/i-m-closest-to-the-music-when-i-m-onstage-with-the-band-playing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```