--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the beginning, we were a real good…" description: "\"In the beginning, we were a real good, straight rock 'n' roll band. We were writing quality tunes.\" — Eric Carmen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/eric-carmen-12821_band_in-the-beginning-we-were-a-real-good-str_2430034.jpg" --- # In the beginning, we were a real good, straight rock 'n'… ![“In the beginning, we were a real good, straight rock 'n' roll band. We were writing quality tunes.” quote by Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/eric-carmen-12821_band_in-the-beginning-we-were-a-real-good-str_2430034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/eric-carmen-12821_band_in-the-beginning-we-were-a-real-good-str_2430034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/eric-carmen-12821_band_in-the-beginning-we-were-a-real-good-str_2430034.jpg) > “In the beginning, we were a real good, straight rock 'n' roll band. We were writing quality tunes.” [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early band success stemmed from genuine chemistry and quality songwriting. **In simple terms:** Good chemistry fuels great music. Key Takeaway Foster authentic collaboration. Themes creativity collaboration authenticity Mood reflective optimistic Type artistic historical When to use this quote - songwriting sessions - band formation - recording studios Key Concepts music industry artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity? - What sustains creative chemistry? A Different Perspective Commercial success isn’t guaranteed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I was always apologizing for yesterday's behavior and I got tired of it. I feel it's good being straight. As I did when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-was-always-apologizing-for-yesterday-s-behavior-and-i-got-tired-of/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“Five, six, seven eight-," Cecil grinned. "-Gay is just as good as straight," Dave said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hansen/five-six-seven-eight-cecil-grinned-gay-is-just-as-good-as-straight/) [Joseph Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hansen/) > [Had I joined a straight rock band, I'm sure my drumming would be a little bit different right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-chamberlin/had-i-joined-a-straight-rock-band-i-m-sure-my-drumming-would-be-a/) [Jimmy Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-chamberlin/) > [I hope to incorporate more variety of beats, more syncopation. It becomes very easy to play straight beats; straight rock is alluring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-chippendale/i-hope-to-incorporate-more-variety-of-beats-more-syncopation-it/) [Brian Chippendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-chippendale/) > [I think there's nothing better than seeing a three-chord straight up rock 'n' roll band in your face with sweaty music and three minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-think-there-s-nothing-better-than-seeing-a-three-chord-straight-up/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I like garage band for writing because you only have crayons and there are only five crayons in the box. Your choices are limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-like-garage-band-for-writing-because-you-only-have-crayons-and/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [It was always very important for us that we presented ourselves as a band, because it's a three-part writing process and it's a three-part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mayberry/it-was-always-very-important-for-us-that-we-presented-ourselves-as-a/) [Lauren Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mayberry/) > [We know what we are doing by now.We seem to make an album every 18 months or so and I think every band should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/we-know-what-we-are-doing-by-now-we-seem-to-make-an-album-every-18/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [People wanted to know where I was and what I was doing. Was I still recording? Was I touring? Was I putting a band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waite/people-wanted-to-know-where-i-was-and-what-i-was-doing-was-i-still/) [John Waite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waite/) > [I don't know that I make a big distinction between the big pieces and the little pieces, because I don't experience them in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-know-that-i-make-a-big-distinction-between-the-big-pieces-and/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [It's hard to get a start as an instrumental guitar player. It's a much quicker route to be in a band, so I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-strauss/it-s-hard-to-get-a-start-as-an-instrumental-guitar-player-it-s-a-much/) [Nita Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-strauss/) > [All I can say, being young people being in a band, writing songs that we felt were great... we never felt that years later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-caffey/all-i-can-say-being-young-people-being-in-a-band-writing-songs-that/) [Charlotte Caffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-caffey/) > [By the time I was 17, I was in a band, writing songs and playing solo piano at weekends, in pubs or at weddings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesney-hawkes/by-the-time-i-was-17-i-was-in-a-band-writing-songs-and-playing-solo/) [Chesney Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chesney-hawkes/) > [LCD is a band about a band writing music about writing music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/lcd-is-a-band-about-a-band-writing-music-about-writing-music/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) ## More by Eric Carmen > [I noticed that on the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds' record they could get away with racy lyrics like that because of how they looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/i-noticed-that-on-the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-record-they-could-get/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [I can make a record when I think I have a good one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/i-can-make-a-record-when-i-think-i-have-a-good-one/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [Soundtracks are made all the time that die horrible deaths - even soundtracks for popular movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/soundtracks-are-made-all-the-time-that-die-horrible-deaths-even/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [Half the people tell me, 'I love 'Go All the Way,' but why do you have to write all those schlocky ballads.' And half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/half-the-people-tell-me-i-love-go-all-the-way-but-why-do-you-have-to/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [There was nothing wrong with having teen-age fans, but we were hoping to appeal to a much broader audience than the 13-to 17-year-olds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/there-was-nothing-wrong-with-having-teen-age-fans-but-we-were-hoping/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [I wanted to have a band that could rock as hard as the Who and sing like the Beatles and the Beach Boys; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/i-wanted-to-have-a-band-that-could-rock-as-hard-as-the-who-and-sing/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [It gets very lonely out on the road some times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/it-gets-very-lonely-out-on-the-road-some-times/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [Over thirty-plus years, a certain myth has grown up around the band. And the last thing I ever wanted to do was put us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/over-thirty-plus-years-a-certain-myth-has-grown-up-around-the-band/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [I've had a great luxury in my career in that I became a very successful songwriter, which made it unnecessary for me to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/i-ve-had-a-great-luxury-in-my-career-in-that-i-became-a-very/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [When the second album came out, everybody gravitated immediately to the three and a half minute rock tunes and ignored the ballads. They thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/when-the-second-album-came-out-everybody-gravitated-immediately-to/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [Well, when the Raspberries ended in early 1975 suddenly I didn't have to write to anybody's strengths or weaknesses. I was completely wide open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/well-when-the-raspberries-ended-in-early-1975-suddenly-i-didn-t-have/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [I hated prog rock; to me, it was the ultimate expression of a bloated sense of self-importance and mindless self-indulgence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/i-hated-prog-rock-to-me-it-was-the-ultimate-expression-of-a-bloated/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [The Raspberries had recorded some ballads on every one of our albums, but after 'Go All The Way' was successful Capital pretty much wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/the-raspberries-had-recorded-some-ballads-on-every-one-of-our-albums/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [When I was in the studio doing 'Hungry Eyes,' we had to make it an '80s record, but we wanted it to feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/when-i-was-in-the-studio-doing-hungry-eyes-we-had-to-make-it-an-80s/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) > [There are things that you write when you're 20 and there are things that you write when you're 40 and then there are things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carmen/there-are-things-that-you-write-when-you-re-20-and-there-are-things/) [Eric Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) [Explore all 53 Eric Carmen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carmen/) ## 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": "In the beginning, we were a real good, straight rock 'n' roll band. 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