--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a band becomes as truly iconic as…" description: "\"When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet Underground, there will often be a box set released, overburdened with mediocre material that dilutes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png" --- # When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet… ![“When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet Underground, there will often be a box set released, overburdened with mediocre material that dilutes what was fine left on its own.” quote by Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png) > “When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet Underground, there will often be a box set released, overburdened with mediocre material that dilutes what was fine left on its own.” [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Iconic bands often get box sets that overload fans with subpar tracks, weakening their legacy. **In simple terms:** Box sets can dilute a band's legacy. Key Takeaway Avoid overloading releases with weak material. Themes music industry legacy quality control Mood critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - record label decisions - collector markets - archival releases Key Concepts cultural impact fan expectations commercialization Questions to Reflect On - Should a band limit posthumous releases? - How to balance fan demand with artistic integrity? A Different Perspective Fans may feel the core artistry is compromised. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Becomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becomes/) [Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/box/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Iconic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iconic/) [Iconic Velvet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iconic-velvet-5423503/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Mediocre Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-material-3251221/) [Often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often/) [Overburdened Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overburdened-mediocre-5423504/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Released](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/released/) [Released Overburdened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/released-overburdened-5423502/) [Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly/) [Underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground/) [Velvet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velvet/) [Velvet underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/velvet-underground/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [I was successful with mediocre material because of a good recording voice that people really liked at that time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-sinatra/i-was-successful-with-mediocre-material-because-of-a-good-recording/) [Nancy Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-sinatra/) > [As a teen, I heard the second Velvet Underground album, 'White Light/White Heat,' and it was too much for my limited scope of appreciation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/as-a-teen-i-heard-the-second-velvet-underground-album-white-light/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“I want to be able to listen to recording of piano sonatas and know who's playing. I want to go to classical concerts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-want-to-be-able-to-listen-to-recording-of-piano-sonatas-and-know/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“I began to recall my own experience when I was Mercutio’s age (late teens I decided, a year or two older than Romeo) as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/i-began-to-recall-my-own-experience-when-i-was-mercutio-s-age-late/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [Everybody gets a tag. If you listen to a Velvet Underground record, you don't think, 'Godfathers of Punk.' You just think, 'This sounds great.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/everybody-gets-a-tag-if-you-listen-to-a-velvet-underground-record-you/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [What made Andy famous was the years I managed him. I created the Velvet Underground and told him not to worry about them because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morrissey/what-made-andy-famous-was-the-years-i-managed-him-i-created-the/) [Paul Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morrissey/) > [When we learned to play in bands, what we were covering was equal part the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead. That would defy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/when-we-learned-to-play-in-bands-what-we-were-covering-was-equal-part/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I heard the Velvet Underground and that changed things when I was like, 15.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-heard-the-velvet-underground-and-that-changed-things-when-i-was/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [As a New Yorker you can't help but be proud of the fact that so much music and culture started here. Punk rock, jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-a-new-yorker-you-can-t-help-but-be-proud-of-the-fact-that-so-much/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“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/) > [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-2/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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/) > [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 Henry Rollins > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [In the summer of '84, you just couldn't escape the Born in the USA record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/in-the-summer-of-84-you-just-couldn-t-escape-the-born-in-the-usa/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [We spend millions of dollars to remove pain from our lives. It's why so many people get hooked on painkillers. The body becomes addicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/we-spend-millions-of-dollars-to-remove-pain-from-our-lives-it-s-why/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Sleep is for squares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/sleep-is-for-squares/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [There's a lot of mountain climbers trapped inside of bodies of people behind the counter at Kinko's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-s-a-lot-of-mountain-climbers-trapped-inside-of-bodies-of-people/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light. If I lose paper and ink, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-i-lose-the-light-of-the-sun-i-will-write-by-candlelight-moonlight/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I was raised in Washington, DC, very violent place. I grew up with violence. My introduction to music was violent. The years I've spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-was-raised-in-washington-dc-very-violent-place-i-grew-up-with/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I feel pain everyday of my life. When you see me perform, it's that pain you're seeing coming out. I put all my emotions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-feel-pain-everyday-of-my-life-when-you-see-me-perform-it-s-that/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I feel close to people like Jimi Hendrix because I connect with his music. Not the man but what he did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-feel-close-to-people-like-jimi-hendrix-because-i-connect-with-his/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I don't believe in fate or destiny. I believe in various degrees of hatred, paranoia, and abandonment. However much of that gets heaped upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-or-destiny-i-believe-in-various-degrees-of/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Young, gay and stuck in Arkansas? Sounds like a horror flick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/young-gay-and-stuck-in-arkansas-sounds-like-a-horror-flick/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I was never told to "Get up, get out there, get a job." It was never a thing either parent ever said I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-was-never-told-to-get-up-get-out-there-get-a-job-it-was-never-a/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [There's no retirement, there's just a few years of non-work by the fire with someone bringing you some tea and relative peace and playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-s-no-retirement-there-s-just-a-few-years-of-non-work-by-the/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I love being a storyteller. I love telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-love-being-a-storyteller-i-love-telling-stories/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) [Explore all 1,006 Henry Rollins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet Underground, there will often be a box set released, overburdened with mediocre material that dilutes what was fine left on its own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Rollins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-the-velvet-underground-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Band" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-the-velvet-underground-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/henry-rollins-170_band_when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-t_2297758.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a band becomes as truly iconic as the Velvet Underground, there will often be a box set released…” — Henry Rollins", "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": "Henry Rollins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a band becomes as truly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-the-velvet-underground-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/when-a-band-becomes-as-truly-iconic-as-the-velvet-underground-there/#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 } } ] } ```