--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We started out as a bar band. We were…" description: "\"We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.\" — Jay DeMarcus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/jay-demarcus-6808_band_we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-som_36127.jpg" --- # We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in… ![“We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.” quote by Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/jay-demarcus-6808_band_we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-som_36127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/jay-demarcus-6808_band_we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-som_36127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/jay-demarcus-6808_band_we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-som_36127.jpg) > “We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.” [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) ## 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 reflects on humble beginnings, noting that the group began as a small bar band performing for very modest audiences. **In simple terms:** From modest origins to larger stages Key Takeaway Small starts can lead to big growth Themes humility growth music industry career evolution Mood nostalgic determined Type personal anecdote career reflection When to use this quote - early gigs - local venues - initial fanbase Key Concepts origin story audience size Practical Applications - motivation for aspiring musicians - marketing narrative Questions to Reflect On - What factors helped the transition from small venues to larger ones? - How does remembering humble origins influence current decisions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I started off as a bar band. We played ZZ Top, Bob Seger, Waylon Jennings, the Rolling Stones - everything and anything people wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-ballard/i-started-off-as-a-bar-band-we-played-zz-top-bob-seger-waylon/) [Frankie Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-ballard/) > [You get very comfortable doing the open mic circuit, turning up to the same places and playing to 20 people. In that situation, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-evans/you-get-very-comfortable-doing-the-open-mic-circuit-turning-up-to-the/) [Pippa Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pippa-evans/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [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 came up through Second City, so I'm used to playing 20 characters every night who are very different from each other. I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/i-came-up-through-second-city-so-i-m-used-to-playing-20-characters/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [We're a bar band, so we know all the bar songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bryan/we-re-a-bar-band-so-we-know-all-the-bar-songs/) [David Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bryan/) > [I've been watching the growth of Auston Matthews, for instance. If he were playing 20 years ago, we'd be saying he's Mario Lemieux-like. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-trotz/i-ve-been-watching-the-growth-of-auston-matthews-for-instance-if-he/) [Barry Trotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-trotz/) > [I know that bands that haven't put out a record for 10 years are playing to 20,000 people a night. But that's not the achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-know-that-bands-that-haven-t-put-out-a-record-for-10-years-are/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [I was in one bar band from 1965 to '69, then I was in another one from 1970 to '79 - a 9-year bar band!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carr/i-was-in-one-bar-band-from-1965-to-69-then-i-was-in-another-one-from/) [Eric Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carr/) > [At 10 years old, I was in my church band, playing in front of a couple thousand people every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bazzi/at-10-years-old-i-was-in-my-church-band-playing-in-front-of-a-couple/) [Bazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bazzi/) > [Years ago when I was in a cover band and we were playing dances, that was quite a different thing. You were there as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-wilkinson/years-ago-when-i-was-in-a-cover-band-and-we-were-playing-dances-that/) [Andy Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-wilkinson/) > [Me and the Dap-Kings, the whole band is playing a wedding band in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/me-and-the-dap-kings-the-whole-band-is-playing-a-wedding-band-in-the/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [The music as a whole is selfish, but the musicians aren't," "The song may go on forever but it's not about competition within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-homme/the-music-as-a-whole-is-selfish-but-the-musicians-aren-t-the-song-may/) [Joshua Homme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-homme/) > [To me, when a great band is playing together, it's amazing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/to-me-when-a-great-band-is-playing-together-it-s-amazing-for-me/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [“The band is playing Auld Lang Syne But the heart will not retreat There's no forsaking what you love No existential leap As witnessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-band-is-playing-auld-lang-syne-but-the-heart-will-not-retreat/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More by Jay DeMarcus > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Some of my biggest commercial musical influences would be people like Merle Haggard, George Jones, of course, Johnny Cash. People that wrote and sang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/some-of-my-biggest-commercial-musical-influences-would-be-people-like/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [My beliefs and my faith are part of who I am, and I'm so grateful that I had the foundation laid early on. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/my-beliefs-and-my-faith-are-part-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-so-grateful-that/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [It was such a whirlwind for us for about three to four years there that, every time we turned around, we were pulled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/it-was-such-a-whirlwind-for-us-for-about-three-to-four-years-there/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I've been really, really fortunate to have a mother that has spent many, many long hours on her knees praying for me. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-ve-been-really-really-fortunate-to-have-a-mother-that-has-spent/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [We've always prided ourselves on putting together a great live show. That's something that means a lot to us because our bread and butter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-ve-always-prided-ourselves-on-putting-together-a-great-live-show/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I remember as a little kid watching the Opry from the nosebleeds, so to stand onstage and be invited to be a member was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-remember-as-a-little-kid-watching-the-opry-from-the-nosebleeds-so/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Constantly writing with new people is important. Also, listening to new music that's popular and that's making a splash - that's how I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/constantly-writing-with-new-people-is-important-also-listening-to-new/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I was raised in church, and we let our kids know who Jesus is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-was-raised-in-church-and-we-let-our-kids-know-who-jesus-is/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I remember when 'I'm Moving On' came out, and we got the response we did, I thought, 'Man, this could be for real.' That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-remember-when-i-m-moving-on-came-out-and-we-got-the-response-we-did/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I was an '80s child, so I grew up loving all kinds of '80s rock. I like R&B, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-was-an-80s-child-so-i-grew-up-loving-all-kinds-of-80s-rock-i-like-r/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [It would be nice sometimes to take a longer break in between projects, but unfortunately, the way that the business is, there's such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/it-would-be-nice-sometimes-to-take-a-longer-break-in-between-projects/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the opportunity came up to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three-of-us-growing-up-i-admire/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [That's what we all hope and dream to do, when we stand in front of the mirror with our Goody comb and sing into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-we-all-hope-and-dream-to-do-when-we-stand-in-front-of-the/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [People are always surprised to find this out, but the songs that we write, such as 'Winner of a Losing Game' and things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/people-are-always-surprised-to-find-this-out-but-the-songs-that-we/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) [Explore all 97 Jay DeMarcus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) ## 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": "We started out as a bar band. 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