--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's hard to imagine the whole punk…" description: "\"It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no one sounds lik..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/dean-wareham-15852_drummer_it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-move_208385.png" --- # It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The… ![“It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no one sounds like that; they are a very unique-sounding band. They have a lot of noise, they have a viola, they have a drummer that's standing up, certainly they…” quote by Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/dean-wareham-15852_drummer_it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-move_208385.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/dean-wareham-15852_drummer_it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-move_208385.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/dean-wareham-15852_drummer_it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-move_208385.png) > “It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no one sounds like that; they are a very unique-sounding band. They have a lot of noise, they have a viola, they have a drummer that's standing up, certainly they have influenced my guitar playing, but hopefully after 12 records you start to sound like yourself.” [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Velvet Underground’s unique sound shaped his playing, but he warns that after many records artists risk losing their own voice. **In simple terms:** Unique influences can dominate, but originality must be preserved. Key Takeaway Stay true to your own sound despite influences. Themes influence originality identity Mood reflective analytical Type advice creative development When to use this quote - album production - songwriting - live performance - creative direction Key Concepts musical evolution artistic integrity genre blending Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain originality? - When does influence become imitation? A Different Perspective Imitating others can still dilute personal style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer/) [Guitar playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-playing/) [Hopefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopefully/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Movement Velvet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement-velvet-2156470/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Punk Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-movement-1363327/) [Reunion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reunion/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sounding Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounding-band-2156469/) [Unique Sounding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique-sounding-1363329/) [Velvet underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velvet-underground/) [Viola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viola/) ## Related quotes > [It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-movement-without-the-velvet/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I guess, for me, what started me getting real excited about music was the New York punk and new-wave scene. All those bands looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-guess-for-me-what-started-me-getting-real-excited-about-music-was/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I wanted to sound new and exciting - the punk movement was over with for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwyn-collins/i-wanted-to-sound-new-and-exciting-the-punk-movement-was-over-with/) [Edwyn Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwyn-collins/) > [I went to UC Berkeley for college, and it was during the period when the whole punk movement was happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-hoffs/i-went-to-uc-berkeley-for-college-and-it-was-during-the-period-when/) [Susanna Hoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-hoffs/) > [I was never really that interested in the punk movement. I was a blues guy: I liked Motown, James Brown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/i-was-never-really-that-interested-in-the-punk-movement-i-was-a-blues/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [I didn't really see the British punk movement, if that's what it was, as wildly original, because I had been listening so intently to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-didn-t-really-see-the-british-punk-movement-if-that-s-what-it-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The reason why I am proud of my part in the punk movement is that I think it really did implant a message that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/the-reason-why-i-am-proud-of-my-part-in-the-punk-movement-is-that-i/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [I was actually late to the punk movement because I was too young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/i-was-actually-late-to-the-punk-movement-because-i-was-too-young/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [1977 was also, of course, the year that Derek Jarman made his iconoclastic film Jubilee, which was so much part of the punk movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/1977-was-also-of-course-the-year-that-derek-jarman-made-his/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [“We agreed that at least to some extent the whole punk movement is based on the Buddha's 1st noble truth of suffering & the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/we-agreed-that-at-least-to-some-extent-the-whole-punk-movement-is/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [As a late teenager, the punk movement pushed me further. In particular, the Clash, which happened to leak through the time of disco, showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/as-a-late-teenager-the-punk-movement-pushed-me-further-in-particular/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“For careers you say you went to be remembered for your art Your obsessions get you known throughout the school for being strange Making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-sebastian/for-careers-you-say-you-went-to-be-remembered-for-your-art-your/) [Belle & Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belle-sebastian/) > [If you asked me to sing a modern song, I wouldn't be able to - I can't easily slip into that groove. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/if-you-asked-me-to-sing-a-modern-song-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-i-can-t/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [When I was very little, I was into Michael Jackson. At six or seven, it was Madonna, but she's not what she used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/when-i-was-very-little-i-was-into-michael-jackson-at-six-or-seven-it/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [I grew up in the '90s. I listened to a lot of The Clash, Velvet Underground and Roxy Music. I wasn't into Boyzone, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-taylor-johnson/i-grew-up-in-the-90s-i-listened-to-a-lot-of-the-clash-velvet/) [Aaron Taylor-Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-taylor-johnson/) ## More by Dean Wareham > [It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-whole-punk-movement-without-the-velvet/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [Don't be a rock star. I've seen people around me have their lives destroyed by drugs. It just depends on what kind of person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/don-t-be-a-rock-star-i-ve-seen-people-around-me-have-their-lives/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [It's not often I get to do a film that turns out good. Plus, there just aren't that many great directors out there. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-not-often-i-get-to-do-a-film-that-turns-out-good-plus-there-just/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [My standards are higher than they used to be, I think. They don't necessarily have to make sense, but I certainly work on them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/my-standards-are-higher-than-they-used-to-be-i-think-they-don-t/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I know I get a real kick, an emotional charge, out of playing a song I haven't played for 10 years. It just takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-know-i-get-a-real-kick-an-emotional-charge-out-of-playing-a-song-i/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I guess I could be singing about Superman, or about Zarathustra coming down from the mountain, but in my mind I was singing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-guess-i-could-be-singing-about-superman-or-about-zarathustra-coming/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I don't really listen to the radio anymore, but some of the more contemporary people I like are Stereolab, Spiritualize, Yo La Tengo and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-don-t-really-listen-to-the-radio-anymore-but-some-of-the-more/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [It's easy enough to foist your music collection on your kids. Lectures are not required; you just play the stuff while they are prisoner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/it-s-easy-enough-to-foist-your-music-collection-on-your-kids-lectures/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I have a slightly bourgeois upbringing, I guess. My parents paid for me to go to school, which is nice, but I haven't gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-have-a-slightly-bourgeois-upbringing-i-guess-my-parents-paid-for-me/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I don't pretend to understand him, but I can enjoy him as a poet and comedian. I liked the idea of the eternal return.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-don-t-pretend-to-understand-him-but-i-can-enjoy-him-as-a-poet-and/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [The road, lyric-wise, is a trap, and a bore. Maybe it's interesting to me, but I don't think it's a connecting thing with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/the-road-lyric-wise-is-a-trap-and-a-bore-maybe-it-s-interesting-to-me/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [The first thing you learn about the music business is that it changes very quickly. You come into it at a certain point and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/the-first-thing-you-learn-about-the-music-business-is-that-it-changes/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [Once you hit 40, being in a band - a committee voting constantly on what you're going to be doing next month - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/once-you-hit-40-being-in-a-band-a-committee-voting-constantly-on-what/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I've never played in Vegas. I've only been to the airport, but even the airport was exciting. Just flying in, looking out the window,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-ve-never-played-in-vegas-i-ve-only-been-to-the-airport-but-even-the/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I've come to see that these politicians that release books - no way are they actually writing those books. Not when they are working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-ve-come-to-see-that-these-politicians-that-release-books-no-way-are/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) [Explore all 41 Dean Wareham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) ## More Drummer quotes > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [My motivation for being a good drummer was born out of fear, which, in a way, seems so antithetical to what art should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/my-motivation-for-being-a-good-drummer-was-born-out-of-fear-which-in/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [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/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I used to be a drummer in a band, and I really loved playing the drums, so I look forward to the right opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zedd/i-used-to-be-a-drummer-in-a-band-and-i-really-loved-playing-the-drums/) [Zedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zedd/) > [Hendrix rehearsed different drummers, before we met Mitch Mitchell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-redding/hendrix-rehearsed-different-drummers-before-we-met-mitch-mitchell/) [Noel Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-redding/) > [The drums have hogged a lot of the credit. We're as much -- or more -- \*cymbal\* players, as we are drummers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-erskine/the-drums-have-hogged-a-lot-of-the-credit-we-re-as-much-or-more/) [Peter Erskine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-erskine/) > [Hip Nip just sounds groovy. A drummer laid it on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-morita/hip-nip-just-sounds-groovy-a-drummer-laid-it-on-me/) [Pat Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-morita/) > [He's (Ringo Starr) not even the best drummer in the Beatles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/he-s-ringo-starr-not-even-the-best-drummer-in-the-beatles/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [That's the thing that we said about the horn before: it's a focus issue. It's like a singer versus a drummer. If a drummer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunter/that-s-the-thing-that-we-said-about-the-horn-before-it-s-a-focus/) [Charlie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunter/) > [There is no roles. No one is keeping any roles. The drummer is also answering everybody and everything. So it is a constant conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-vitous/there-is-no-roles-no-one-is-keeping-any-roles-the-drummer-is-also/) [Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-vitous/) > [I'm a pretty good drummer. I'm pretty good at guitar, bass and piano. I can play accordion; I'm not virtuoso. I've played cello before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-m-a-pretty-good-drummer-i-m-pretty-good-at-guitar-bass-and-piano-i/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [When I listened to Elvin Jones, man, for the first time I heard a drummer that had all the technique plus emotion, passion, feel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/when-i-listened-to-elvin-jones-man-for-the-first-time-i-heard-a/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [I play bass. I play a bit of guitar. I've never been to a lesson, so my theory of music is non-existent in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sangster/i-play-bass-i-play-a-bit-of-guitar-i-ve-never-been-to-a-lesson-so-my/) [Thomas Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sangster/) > [I'd just play 'til my hands fell off. My parents would yell at me to stop because they couldn't stand the noise any more!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-castillo/i-d-just-play-til-my-hands-fell-off-my-parents-would-yell-at-me-to/) [Randy Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-castillo/) [Browse all 532 Drummer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's hard to imagine the whole punk movement without The Velvet Underground. I toured with them when they did their reunion tour, and no one sounds like that; they are a very unique-sounding band. 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