---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me…"
description: "\"Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in and make the best album we can make and no..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg"
---

#  Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything…

![“Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in and make the best album we can make and not care about where the music comes from or who wrote the lyrics or what this person did in the past.' I'm willing to put all that aside. I'm not in…” quote by John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg)

> “Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in and make the best album we can make and not care about where the music comes from or who wrote the lyrics or what this person did in the past.' I'm willing to put all that aside. I'm not in a band that'll do that, unfortunately.”

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He values creative freedom, willing to ignore past baggage for pure artistic collaboration, but feels such bands are rare.

**In simple terms:** He wants to focus on making music without past concerns.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize creative collaboration over history.

Themes

creativity collaboration artistic freedom music industry

Mood

determined frustrated

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- band formation
- studio recording
- creative workshops

Key Concepts

artistic integrity team dynamics creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- What compromises are acceptable for artistic purity?
- How can you foster a band culture that ignores past judgments?

A Different Perspective

Finding like‑minded collaborators can be difficult.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I had success. I had a number one record. I had a number one album. I have to make this kind of record again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-had-success-i-had-a-number-one-record-i-had-a-number-one-album-i/)

[Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/)

> [I just like to do things that people can remember, but I wanna always do my own album and make statements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/i-just-like-to-do-things-that-people-can-remember-but-i-wanna-always/)

[Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/)

> [Before MTV, if you put out an album that sold 50,000 copies, your band could afford not to have day jobs for a while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mothersbaugh/before-mtv-if-you-put-out-an-album-that-sold-50-000-copies-your-band/)

[Mark Mothersbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mothersbaugh/)

> [The next album I make might be the most messed up thing ever. It's all momentary for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-segall/the-next-album-i-make-might-be-the-most-messed-up-thing-ever-it-s-all/)

[Ty Segall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-segall/)

> [Every album, I make big records. I'm going to always make an anthem. That's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/every-album-i-make-big-records-i-m-going-to-always-make-an-anthem/)

[DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/)

> [A good album can make your day. A great album can change your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/a-good-album-can-make-your-day-a-great-album-can-change-your-life/)

[Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/)

> [Each album you make, each body of music, you just never know how the world's going to relate to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trujillo/each-album-you-make-each-body-of-music-you-just-never-know-how-the/)

[Robert Trujillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trujillo/)

> [I feel like every album we make, that's our debut album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gourley/i-feel-like-every-album-we-make-that-s-our-debut-album/)

[John Gourley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gourley/)

> [There's four individuals in the band. I don't speak for any of the individuals except for myself, and neither does Serj. But because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/there-s-four-individuals-in-the-band-i-don-t-speak-for-any-of-the/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [To do a musical takes a tremendous amount of energy because you have to act and sing at the same time. And everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/to-do-a-musical-takes-a-tremendous-amount-of-energy-because-you-have/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [First we start with the lyrics. Most of the lyrics are done by Stefan Kaufmann and me. When we have enough lyrics and enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-dirkschneider/first-we-start-with-the-lyrics-most-of-the-lyrics-are-done-by-stefan/)

Udo Dirkschneider

> [My band is stupid, and we're gonna continue to be stupid, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/my-band-is-stupid-and-we-re-gonna-continue-to-be-stupid-i-guess/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [I've always been known for writing lyrics or being in a band but not necessarily for 'Oh, I love that guy's voice!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-koma/i-ve-always-been-known-for-writing-lyrics-or-being-in-a-band-but-not/)

[Matthew Koma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-koma/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/)

[Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/)

## More by John Dolmayan

> [I never wanted System to take a hiatus. I think it was a disastrous move for us, because we never reached our peak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-never-wanted-system-to-take-a-hiatus-i-think-it-was-a-disastrous/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [You've gotta let things go in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/you-ve-gotta-let-things-go-in-life/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [My band is stupid, and we're gonna continue to be stupid, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/my-band-is-stupid-and-we-re-gonna-continue-to-be-stupid-i-guess/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [If you're in love with a girl, you go out with a girl and you break up with her it doesn't mean you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/if-you-re-in-love-with-a-girl-you-go-out-with-a-girl-and-you-break-up/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [When you're passionate about music, you don't give up on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/when-you-re-passionate-about-music-you-don-t-give-up-on-it/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [The fact is I don't write songs, per se; I've written a couple here and there, but that's not my forte.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/the-fact-is-i-don-t-write-songs-per-se-i-ve-written-a-couple-here-and/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [There's four individuals in the band. I don't speak for any of the individuals except for myself, and neither does Serj. But because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/there-s-four-individuals-in-the-band-i-don-t-speak-for-any-of-the/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [The definition of a band is the selflessness. That's what a society is, isn't it? We're all thinking, like, together we make something great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/the-definition-of-a-band-is-the-selflessness-that-s-what-a-society-is/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [Don't believe everything the famous people tell you - they don't know anything for the most part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/don-t-believe-everything-the-famous-people-tell-you-they-don-t-know/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [I started selling in the early '90s, because at 18 years old, it's tough to go to your parents and say, 'Can I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-started-selling-in-the-early-90s-because-at-18-years-old-it-s-tough/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [It's hard to take a stand. Most people are just trying to earn a living, take care of their families, give their kids a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/it-s-hard-to-take-a-stand-most-people-are-just-trying-to-earn-a/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [No matter what, Daron is one of the best songwriters I've ever seen in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/no-matter-what-daron-is-one-of-the-best-songwriters-i-ve-ever-seen-in/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [I find it really difficult to keep my mouth shut when I see injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-find-it-really-difficult-to-keep-my-mouth-shut-when-i-see-injustice/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [We tried to get together multiple times to make an album, but there were certain rules set in place that made it difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/we-tried-to-get-together-multiple-times-to-make-an-album-but-there/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [While I was driving, I'd put on satellite radio and listen to whatever came on. Oftentimes, I'd hear something and ask myself how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/while-i-was-driving-i-d-put-on-satellite-radio-and-listen-to-whatever/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

[Explore all 100 John Dolmayan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

## 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": "Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in and make the best album we can make and not care about where the music comes from or who wrote the lyrics or what this person did in the past.' I'm willing to put all that aside. I'm not in a band that'll do that, unfortunately.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Dolmayan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-and-put-everything-to-the-side/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Band"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-and-put-everything-to-the-side/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-dolmayan-5969_band_yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-an_1540513.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in…” — John Dolmayan",
                "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": "John Dolmayan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-and-put-everything-to-the-side/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/yeah-if-my-bandmembers-listened-to-me-and-put-everything-to-the-side/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
