--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never been one to just play safe…" description: "\"I've never been one to just play safe music and think that's all there is to it.\" — Duff McKagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg" --- # I've never been one to just play safe music and think… ![“I've never been one to just play safe music and think that's all there is to it.” quote by Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg) > “I've never been one to just play safe music and think that's all there is to it.” [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects playing only safe music, seeking artistic risk and depth beyond conventional expectations. **In simple terms:** Avoid safe music; pursue creative risk. Key Takeaway Embrace artistic experimentation. Themes creativity risk-taking authenticity musical evolution personal growth Mood defiant energetic Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - Songwriting - live performance - collaborations - record production Key Concepts Artistic integrity genre exploration innovation Questions to Reflect On - What risks have you taken in your music? - How does risk shape your identity? A Different Perspective May alienate mainstream audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Just Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-play/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-think/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-safe/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Safe Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-music-4099152/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [I've never played it safe on my own music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/i-ve-never-played-it-safe-on-my-own-music/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [I know what my causes are. And I care about them, so I'd rather get out there and talk about them than just play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adwoa-aboah/i-know-what-my-causes-are-and-i-care-about-them-so-i-d-rather-get-out/) [Adwoa Aboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adwoa-aboah/) > [But if we play it safe, the problem is that we may be losing out, and I believe we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-chaitin/but-if-we-play-it-safe-the-problem-is-that-we-may-be-losing-out-and-i/) [Gregory Chaitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-chaitin/) > [You can't play it safe if you want to get ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/you-can-t-play-it-safe-if-you-want-to-get-ahead/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [The producer beating a new path for himself through the wilderness is going to do the thing 'differently,' of course. But after a while,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-thalberg/the-producer-beating-a-new-path-for-himself-through-the-wilderness-is/) [Irving Thalberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-thalberg/) > [I'd rather go down with an almighty bang than play it safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-peake/i-d-rather-go-down-with-an-almighty-bang-than-play-it-safe/) [Maxine Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-peake/) > [“You play it safe and all you end up with is a lifetime of should-have-beens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivi-andrews/you-play-it-safe-and-all-you-end-up-with-is-a-lifetime-of-should-have/) [Vivi Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivi-andrews/) > [If you want to play it safe, mix a lot of colors in the same tone and that is such an easy way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/if-you-want-to-play-it-safe-mix-a-lot-of-colors-in-the-same-tone-and/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [You can do a good job when you play it safe, but you can't do a spectacular job. You have to risk it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/you-can-do-a-good-job-when-you-play-it-safe-but-you-can-t-do-a/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) > [Life is a game, you can play it safe and be good, or you can take a chance and be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-game-you-can-play-it-safe-and-be-good-or-you-can-take-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I admire anyone who takes risks, especially in a creative sense, and who doesn't play it safe. Those are the people who keep things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-fox/i-admire-anyone-who-takes-risks-especially-in-a-creative-sense-and/) [Phoebe Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-fox/) > [“Life's too short to play it safe sometimes. (If he feels something special about Emma, he should go for it.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/life-s-too-short-to-play-it-safe-sometimes-if-he-feels-something/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [“Entrepreneurs don´t play safe, they play good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/entrepreneurs-don-t-play-safe-they-play-good/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [There has been an obvious effort to play it safe, to make 'Bonanza' a good family show that would offend no one and hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/there-has-been-an-obvious-effort-to-play-it-safe-to-make-bonanza-a/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [To have all of these jumps in my arsenal is very beneficial. I can always alter my program so I can either play it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/to-have-all-of-these-jumps-in-my-arsenal-is-very-beneficial-i-can/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) ## More by Duff McKagan > [“On March 31, 1994, I went to LAX to catch a flight from L.A. to Seattle. Kurt Cobain was waiting to take the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/on-march-31-1994-i-went-to-lax-to-catch-a-flight-from-l-a-to-seattle/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I think after 9/11, here in America, I saw something extraordinary. I saw neighbors looking after neighbors. I don't think anybody asked who anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-think-after-9-11-here-in-america-i-saw-something-extraordinary-i/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > ['Chip Away' is somewhat of a rail against cable news and divisive agendas... all for the almighty dollar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/chip-away-is-somewhat-of-a-rail-against-cable-news-and-divisive/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“Eventually we found ourselves in the middle of an onion field. When you’re hungry and don’t know where and when your next meal is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/eventually-we-found-ourselves-in-the-middle-of-an-onion-field-when/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“I guess we can all look back and see things in our lives that we could or should have done differently—and better—and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-guess-we-can-all-look-back-and-see-things-in-our-lives-that-we/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [Words and titles can be used as dictums and guides for all of us. A certain word can suddenly snap us back to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/words-and-titles-can-be-used-as-dictums-and-guides-for-all-of-us-a/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“We called the result “Welcome to the Jungle.” We played the song live for the first time when we opened a show at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/we-called-the-result-welcome-to-the-jungle-we-played-the-song-live/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“a couple years prior we were hitchhiking to a gig with no gear. Now we were on a fucking tour bus. We could eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/a-couple-years-prior-we-were-hitchhiking-to-a-gig-with-no-gear-now-we/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“Far fewer people know that Slash is also a world-class Russian crouch-down-and-kick-your-legs-out dancer. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/far-fewer-people-know-that-slash-is-also-a-world-class-russian-crouch/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I think you can tell stories and give perspectives and yet still keep stuff for yourself, too. I keep a lot of my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-think-you-can-tell-stories-and-give-perspectives-and-yet-still-keep/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“At the end of the European leg, our lead guitar player pulled a knife on our bus driver in England. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/at-the-end-of-the-european-leg-our-lead-guitar-player-pulled-a-knife/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [If you don't have a good rhythm section, your band is toast; you're a bar band. Good rhythm section, you've got a chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/if-you-don-t-have-a-good-rhythm-section-your-band-is-toast-you-re-a/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I had a column for the 'Seattle Weekly' for five years, and there was one column that was called 'How To Be A Man,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-had-a-column-for-the-seattle-weekly-for-five-years-and-there-was/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“we did an acoustic set at CBGB on October 30, 1987, where we debuted “Patience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/we-did-an-acoustic-set-at-cbgb-on-october-30-1987-where-we-debuted/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [One of my first memories is marching with my mom. I was in kindergarten with with the Catholic ladies when Martin Luther King Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/one-of-my-first-memories-is-marching-with-my-mom-i-was-in/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) [Explore all 152 Duff McKagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never been one to just play safe music and think that's all there is to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Duff McKagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-music-and-think-that-s-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-music-and-think-that-s-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/duff-mckagan-2740_music_i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-mu_2086039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never been one to just play safe music and think that's all there is to it.” — Duff McKagan", "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": "Duff McKagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never been one to just...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-music-and-think-that-s-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-ve-never-been-one-to-just-play-safe-music-and-think-that-s-all/#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 } } ] } ```