--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started playing around with local rock…" description: "\"I started playing around with local rock band swith the alto. And then, in a nutshell, somebody fell ill one night, the lead singer of one of the bands..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/david-bowie-508_band_i-started-playing-around-with-local-rock_993661.jpg" --- # I started playing around with local rock band swith the… ![“I started playing around with local rock band swith the alto. And then, in a nutshell, somebody fell ill one night, the lead singer of one of the bands, and they knew I could sing, so they asked me if I would stand in. And I quite enjoyed it, actually, I must say, at 14. It was a real trip to have…” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/david-bowie-508_band_i-started-playing-around-with-local-rock_993661.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/david-bowie-508_band_i-started-playing-around-with-local-rock_993661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/david-bowie-508_band_i-started-playing-around-with-local-rock_993661.jpg) > “I started playing around with local rock band swith the alto. And then, in a nutshell, somebody fell ill one night, the lead singer of one of the bands, and they knew I could sing, so they asked me if I would stand in. And I quite enjoyed it, actually, I must say, at 14. It was a real trip to have girls wave at you and smile and everything just because you opened your mouth and sang.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A teenage musician unexpectedly became a lead singer, experiencing sudden fame and admiration. **In simple terms:** A teen got to sing and got attention. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected opportunities. Themes growth confidence performance adolescence Mood excited reflective Type personal anecdotal When to use this quote - school events - local gigs - first performances - public speaking - team collaboration Key Concepts identity public perception celebrity Questions to Reflect On - How would you handle sudden attention? - What does performance mean to you? A Different Perspective Fame can be fleeting and pressure intense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Lead singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-singer/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Rock band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-band/) [Rock bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-bands/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) ## Related quotes > [“The wind blew the dust along the ground into his mouth as he sang.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/the-wind-blew-the-dust-along-the-ground-into-his-mouth-as-he-sang/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [My older brother and myself always played together in bands, but we never knew we would be professional musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/my-older-brother-and-myself-always-played-together-in-bands-but-we/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [This is a fault common to all singers, that among their friends they will never sing when they are asked; unasked, they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/this-is-a-fault-common-to-all-singers-that-among-their-friends-they/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Without the gods, how would I sing?' I asked. With your own voice,' he said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/without-the-gods-how-would-i-sing-i-asked-with-your-own-voice-he-said/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [There's very little I can sing now. When I asked my first voice teacher, who was the best one, "When will I know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/there-s-very-little-i-can-sing-now-when-i-asked-my-first-voice/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [When I was growing up everybody I knew could sing. I had no choice. I had to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-murray/when-i-was-growing-up-everybody-i-knew-could-sing-i-had-no-choice-i/) [Anne Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-murray/) > [We thought being in a boy band was like the coolest thing ever. And this is before I even knew I could sing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/we-thought-being-in-a-boy-band-was-like-the-coolest-thing-ever-and/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [I always knew I would sing. I just didn't know if I would be successful or not. But I sang at school, I sang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-always-knew-i-would-sing-i-just-didn-t-know-if-i-would-be/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [When I was on the X-Factor, I found that I grew a lot as a performer. I knew I could sing but I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-ferguson/when-i-was-on-the-x-factor-i-found-that-i-grew-a-lot-as-a-performer-i/) [Rebecca Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-ferguson/) > [And I used to think that proof that I had religion was whether I knew how to sing all of the songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-johnson-reagon/and-i-used-to-think-that-proof-that-i-had-religion-was-whether-i-knew/) [Bernice Johnson Reagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-johnson-reagon/) > [I knew I could sing. That one thing I did believe in was that I could sing, but then constantly getting rejected, it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-ferguson/i-knew-i-could-sing-that-one-thing-i-did-believe-in-was-that-i-could/) [Rebecca Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-ferguson/) > [Paul knew I could sing, write and play, and so he rang me. It knocked me sideways a little because I wasn't used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/paul-knew-i-could-sing-write-and-play-and-so-he-rang-me-it-knocked-me/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [I started taking singing classes just two years ago. It was great. I never knew I could sing but I kind of found my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/i-started-taking-singing-classes-just-two-years-ago-it-was-great-i/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [I feel like I was writing as I was learning to talk. Writing was always a go-to form of communication. And I knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/i-feel-like-i-was-writing-as-i-was-learning-to-talk-writing-was/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [One day, when I was about eight years old, some kids pushed me on stage at school during a talent show because they knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mavis-staples/one-day-when-i-was-about-eight-years-old-some-kids-pushed-me-on-stage/) [Mavis Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mavis-staples/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." 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Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## 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. 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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. 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