--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time I ever recorded, which was…" description: "\"The first time I ever recorded, which was into my boom-box, I was like, 'Wow, check that out.' It sounded great. The narcotic of it was so intense - it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/ian-mackaye-3369_band_the-first-time-i-ever-recorded-which-was_2642976.png" --- # The first time I ever recorded, which was into my… ![“The first time I ever recorded, which was into my boom-box, I was like, 'Wow, check that out.' It sounded great. The narcotic of it was so intense - it was pleasurable. I was like, 'You sound like a band.' Then I ended up spending the rest of my life trying to chase that initial high again.” quote by Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/ian-mackaye-3369_band_the-first-time-i-ever-recorded-which-was_2642976.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/ian-mackaye-3369_band_the-first-time-i-ever-recorded-which-was_2642976.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/ian-mackaye-3369_band_the-first-time-i-ever-recorded-which-was_2642976.png) > “The first time I ever recorded, which was into my boom-box, I was like, 'Wow, check that out.' It sounded great. The narcotic of it was so intense - it was pleasurable. I was like, 'You sound like a band.' Then I ended up spending the rest of my life trying to chase that initial high again.” [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## 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 describes an early recording experience that felt intoxicating, leading to a lifelong pursuit of that creative high. **In simple terms:** First recording felt like a drug, prompting endless chase for that thrill. Key Takeaway Seek sustainable creative fulfillment beyond initial euphoria. Themes creativity addiction artistic drive Mood reflective introspective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - personal growth - mental health Key Concepts dopamine response musical inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic passion with well‑being? - What healthier outlets can replace that high? A Different Perspective The chase can become obsessive and harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxes/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Like Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-sound/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Recorded Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recorded-boom-2284734/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Sound Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound-like/) [Sounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounded/) [Sounded Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounded-great-1586066/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wow/) ## Related quotes > [Joining another big time rock band was the last thing I was looking for, but as the tour went on, I really dug playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/joining-another-big-time-rock-band-was-the-last-thing-i-was-looking/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [I sound like my mum and I like that. I like that I sound like where I'm from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-sound-like-my-mum-and-i-like-that-i-like-that-i-sound-like-where-i/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [I don't throw shade at anybody like, 'You sound like me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-durk/i-don-t-throw-shade-at-anybody-like-you-sound-like-me/) [Lil Durk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-durk/) > [People like me sound like a lot of big cannons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/people-like-me-sound-like-a-lot-of-big-cannons/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [I can't help what I sound like. What I sound like is what i am. You know? I cannot be anything other that what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-can-t-help-what-i-sound-like-what-i-sound-like-is-what-i-am-you/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I never felt like I had to sound like my dad. 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I don't sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/i-have-a-lot-of-my-mother-in-me-but-i-was-just-born-with-the-same/) [Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/) > [“He had a last name for a first name, and a last name for a last name, but only because it came after his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-had-a-last-name-for-a-first-name-and-a-last-name-for-a-last-name/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I sounded like myself. People be saying I sound like Miles or Clifford Brown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-sounded-like-myself-people-be-saying-i-sound-like-miles-or-clifford/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [The only new technology that interests me is when it sort of throws me back soundwise. And I can think, "Wow, that means I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/the-only-new-technology-that-interests-me-is-when-it-sort-of-throws/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [“I like the sound of rain more than my voice. - Windows ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naz-m-hikmet/i-like-the-sound-of-rain-more-than-my-voice-windows/) [Nâzım Hikmet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naz-m-hikmet/) > [“I like your voice. That sounds ridiculously lame, I know. But when you cannot see, Miss Fry, sound and the other senses become far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/i-like-your-voice-that-sounds-ridiculously-lame-i-know-but-when-you/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I'm not really a person who layers so much; I like each sound to have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peaches/i-m-not-really-a-person-who-layers-so-much-i-like-each-sound-to-have/) [Peaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peaches/) > [I don't like the sound of my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-like-the-sound-of-my-voice/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) ## More by Ian MacKaye > [Truth is, right now two bombs could drop out of the sky and blow up this house and whatever building you're in and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/truth-is-right-now-two-bombs-could-drop-out-of-the-sky-and-blow-up/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think it's my nature to engage in things that are more difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-it-s-my-nature-to-engage-in-things-that-are-more-difficult/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The thing is, people can't complain about profit-oriented moves if they're only interested in profit themselves. You can't have it both ways. If they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-thing-is-people-can-t-complain-about-profit-oriented-moves-if/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think that people are constantly thinking about capturing things that they're not actually present for the moment they're trying to capture. I'm quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-people-are-constantly-thinking-about-capturing-things/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [ I'd much rather talk to a 30-year old that survived rough times in their lives \[practicing Straight Edge\] rather than someone that was harmed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-d-much-rather-talk-to-a-30-year-old-that-survived-rough-times-in/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [ For most people who have or who do identify as or with \[song\] Straight Edge, I feel like for most people, they're just trying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/for-most-people-who-have-or-who-do-identify-as-or-with-song-straight/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The Corcoran show was actually almost a reportage. The exhibit was, in many ways, pretty unique. It was one of the first pieces about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-corcoran-show-was-actually-almost-a-reportage-the-exhibit-was-in/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The Fugazi Live Series site, when we realized the Internet, the way it works - the speeds and its development - made it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-fugazi-live-series-site-when-we-realized-the-internet-the-way-it/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I'm always happy when I hear about people selling records or selling books or selling movies. It makes me proud of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-always-happy-when-i-hear-about-people-selling-records-or-selling/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [An unlocked door means that, occasionally, you might get a devil come in, but a locked door means you have thousands of angels just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/an-unlocked-door-means-that-occasionally-you-might-get-a-devil-come/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I consider the piano my 'main' instrument and have been playing for as long as I can remember. It seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-consider-the-piano-my-main-instrument-and-have-been-playing-for-as/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I work so I don't need to make rent through my songs, and I think if more people engaged with music without needing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-work-so-i-don-t-need-to-make-rent-through-my-songs-and-i-think-if/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [Guy Picciotto had a really sound point: Live albums basically have bands playing songs that are available on studio records, and what example can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/guy-picciotto-had-a-really-sound-point-live-albums-basically-have/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think that the idea of straight edge, the song that I wrote, and the way people have related it it, there's some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-the-idea-of-straight-edge-the-song-that-i-wrote-and-the/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) [Explore all 132 Ian MacKaye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## 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. 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