--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The REM and Nirvana successes don't mean…" description: "\"The REM and Nirvana successes don't mean much to me except as a potential distraction for bands who want to cash in on the trend. Don't try to sound li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/greg-ginn-18222_cash_the-rem-and-nirvana-successes-don-t-mean_1715045.jpg" --- # The REM and Nirvana successes don't mean much to me except… ![“The REM and Nirvana successes don't mean much to me except as a potential distraction for bands who want to cash in on the trend. Don't try to sound like someone else. REM and Nirvana don't sound like anyone else.” quote by Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/greg-ginn-18222_cash_the-rem-and-nirvana-successes-don-t-mean_1715045.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/greg-ginn-18222_cash_the-rem-and-nirvana-successes-don-t-mean_1715045.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/greg-ginn-18222_cash_the-rem-and-nirvana-successes-don-t-mean_1715045.jpg) > “The REM and Nirvana successes don't mean much to me except as a potential distraction for bands who want to cash in on the trend. Don't try to sound like someone else. REM and Nirvana don't sound like anyone else.” [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) ## 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 dismisses mainstream success as irrelevant and warns against imitation, urging authenticity. **In simple terms:** Success isn’t valuable if it leads to copying others. Key Takeaway Stay true, avoid copying trends. Themes authenticity music industry individuality Mood critical defiant Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - band branding - songwriting - marketing strategies - career decisions Key Concepts punk ethos artistic integrity cultural trends Questions to Reflect On - How do you define genuine artistic success? - What risks arise from copying trends? A Different Perspective Imitation can still be profitable, even if unoriginal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Like Rem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-rem-1284180/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nirvana/) [Nirvana Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nirvana-don-1284181/) [Nirvana Successes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nirvana-successes-1284178/) [Rem Nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rem-nirvana-1284179/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The R.E.M and Nirvana successes don't mean much to me except as a potential distraction for bands who want to cash in on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/the-r-e-m-and-nirvana-successes-don-t-mean-much-to-me-except-as-a/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [Go directly to Nirvana. Don't pass go - or you'll have kids, you'll grow old together, you'll be born into another realm where you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/go-directly-to-nirvana-don-t-pass-go-or-you-ll-have-kids-you-ll-grow/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Buddhist philosophy points out that the true nature of all forms is essentially formless. Forms do not have an existence of their own, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/buddhist-philosophy-points-out-that-the-true-nature-of-all-forms-is/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [Buy our album, were Nirvana, a garage band from Seattle. Well, it sure beats raising cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buy-our-album-were-nirvana-a-garage-band-from-seattle-well-it-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“According to Zen Buddhists, all things have their existence in The Void. The Void is that which is no-thing, but contains all things within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/according-to-zen-buddhists-all-things-have-their-existence-in-the/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [Finding Nirvana is like locating silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/finding-nirvana-is-like-locating-silence/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was big into grunge, like Nirvana and Hole, when I was younger, which has been a really huge inspiration because of its rawness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-lo/i-was-big-into-grunge-like-nirvana-and-hole-when-i-was-younger-which/) [Tove Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-lo/) > [I can bat in the morning, afternoon, evening, night, on ice, desert, wherever and whenever. It is almost nirvana for me. It takes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-can-bat-in-the-morning-afternoon-evening-night-on-ice-desert/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) > [That is Buddha's meaning of nirvana: to be free from life and death, to be free from desire. The moment you are free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-is-buddha-s-meaning-of-nirvana-to-be-free-from-life-and-death-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Inflowing thoughts come to an end in those who are ever alert of mind, training themselves night and day, and ever intent on nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/inflowing-thoughts-come-to-an-end-in-those-who-are-ever-alert-of-mind/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I grew up listening to Nirvana and then went through some bad '90s pop stuff - a lot of Australian one-hit wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-barnett/i-grew-up-listening-to-nirvana-and-then-went-through-some-bad-90s-pop/) [Courtney Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-barnett/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [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/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Greg Ginn > [There's not much music I'll listen to if it doesn't have pretty heavy swing. Rhythm is so important. Punk rock would have more power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/there-s-not-much-music-i-ll-listen-to-if-it-doesn-t-have-pretty-heavy/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [It is a fact that each song an artist creates is unique and although fans tend to be loyal, ultimately the quality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/it-is-a-fact-that-each-song-an-artist-creates-is-unique-and-although/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [There are several books out on punk history, but I haven't read any of them. I was there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/there-are-several-books-out-on-punk-history-but-i-haven-t-read-any-of/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [People from major labels were afraid to go to Black Flag gigs throughout most of the bands existence. They treated our gigs as something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/people-from-major-labels-were-afraid-to-go-to-black-flag-gigs/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [The public is usually slow to catch on to new things, and it's important that musicians stick to their guns and not look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/the-public-is-usually-slow-to-catch-on-to-new-things-and-it-s/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [Black Flag was formed in 1977. We first recorded in 1978.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/black-flag-was-formed-in-1977-we-first-recorded-in-1978/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [I didn't have a lot of overtly political songs. I think it was more the actions of the group that were threatening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/i-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-overtly-political-songs-i-think-it-was-more/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [I didn't want to wait around for some business entity to come around and give me money and tell me what to do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/i-didn-t-want-to-wait-around-for-some-business-entity-to-come-around/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [The small companies who feel that the majors are a threat, or are predators, will use that as an excuse for their eventual downfall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/the-small-companies-who-feel-that-the-majors-are-a-threat-or-are/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [I had business experience. I had made my living designing and building electronic equipment. Basic business was not new to me, but the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/i-had-business-experience-i-had-made-my-living-designing-and-building/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [I listen to everything that comes in. I'm not real worried about demo sound quality. I can hear through that sort of thing. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/i-listen-to-everything-that-comes-in-i-m-not-real-worried-about-demo/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [As a label, you have to treat every group and every record as a unique entity. I think that that has been our success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/as-a-label-you-have-to-treat-every-group-and-every-record-as-a-unique/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [Stores can be indifferent to something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/stores-can-be-indifferent-to-something-new/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [It took us two years to get our first real gig. That was a big dream. We ended up booking a lot of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/it-took-us-two-years-to-get-our-first-real-gig-that-was-a-big-dream/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [We've gotten involved in cat rescue we take them in and find homes for them. I've always loved cats. I saw how homeless cats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/we-ve-gotten-involved-in-cat-rescue-we-take-them-in-and-find-homes/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) [Explore all 35 Greg Ginn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) ## More Cash quotes > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [Nothing knits man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-sickert/nothing-knits-man-to-man-like-the-frequent-passage-from-hand-to-hand/) [Walter Sickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-sickert/) > [“It’s me,” he says softly. “Stop listening to everything else. Remember the way you feel when I’m kissing you and touching you. Don’t think with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/it-s-me-he-says-softly-stop-listening-to-everything-else-remember-the/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [After I graduated, I carried on with my academic work, via grants but I often had a market stall on Camden Market selling hand-painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/after-i-graduated-i-carried-on-with-my-academic-work-via-grants-but-i/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [You might be a redneck if you have a picture of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or Elvis over your fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-have-a-picture-of-johnny-cash-willie/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [American forces in Iraq found $650 million in American cash sealed in a hidden cottage. See, this is why President Bush wants to invade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/american-forces-in-iraq-found-650-million-in-american-cash-sealed-in/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I feel a lot better when I've got a bit of cash on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-feel-a-lot-better-when-i-ve-got-a-bit-of-cash-on-me/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [If our financial industry regarded security the way the health-care sector does, I would stuff my cash in a mattress under my bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-rubin/if-our-financial-industry-regarded-security-the-way-the-health-care/) [Avi Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-rubin/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The only issue cash presents you is the independence of not stressing about funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-only-issue-cash-presents-you-is-the-independence-of-not-stressing/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [It's funny about men and women. Men pay in cash to get them and pay in cash to get rid of them. 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