--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want to be original. To express our…" description: "\"We want to be original. To express our most interesting stuff. But you don't see the word \"original\" come up very often to describe big bands. Our job ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/john-flansburgh-14315_big-band_we-want-to-be-original-to-express-our-mo_2686620.jpg" --- # We want to be original. To express our most interesting… ![“We want to be original. To express our most interesting stuff. But you don't see the word "original" come up very often to describe big bands. Our job isn't to pigeonhole ourselves or describe where we fit in. Our goal isn't to fit in. Our goal is to be free of all that stuff.” quote by John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/john-flansburgh-14315_big-band_we-want-to-be-original-to-express-our-mo_2686620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/john-flansburgh-14315_big-band_we-want-to-be-original-to-express-our-mo_2686620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/john-flansburgh-14315_big-band_we-want-to-be-original-to-express-our-mo_2686620.jpg) > “We want to be original. To express our most interesting stuff. But you don't see the word "original" come up very often to describe big bands. Our job isn't to pigeonhole ourselves or describe where we fit in. Our goal isn't to fit in. Our goal is to be free of all that stuff.” [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects labeling and aims for artistic freedom, valuing originality over fitting into market categories. **In simple terms:** He wants to be free from genre constraints. Key Takeaway Create without worrying about labels. Themes creativity authenticity freedom Mood defiant determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Album production - live performance - collaborative projects - branding strategy Key Concepts Artistic autonomy genre fluidity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic freedom with audience expectations? - Can originality be marketed effectively? A Different Perspective Originality may limit commercial appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bands Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bands-job-2624907/) [Big band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-band/) [Big Bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bands-471694/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Most interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most-interesting/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Want Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-original-1311187/) [Word Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-original-2624906/) ## Related quotes > [I've worked with a number of big bands, but there's nothing in life like the Basie band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-ve-worked-with-a-number-of-big-bands-but-there-s-nothing-in-life/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I started out playing big bands shows and different things. I was with several different small bands and groups, doing comedy and singing, emceeing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-blaine/i-started-out-playing-big-bands-shows-and-different-things-i-was-with/) [Hal Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-blaine/) > [Rock 'n' roll accepted me and paid me, even though I loved the big bands... I went that way because I wanted a home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/rock-n-roll-accepted-me-and-paid-me-even-though-i-loved-the-big-bands/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [As far as drummers are concerned, when I was a child growing up I was really attracted to artists like Gene Kupra and Louis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ward/as-far-as-drummers-are-concerned-when-i-was-a-child-growing-up-i-was/) [Bill Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ward/) > [If you started in New York you were dealing with the biggest guys in the world. You're dealing with Charlie Parker and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/if-you-started-in-new-york-you-were-dealing-with-the-biggest-guys-in/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [It's certainly no coincidence that big bands became the entertainment of the army in WWI and WWII, and that jazz drumming style is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-certainly-no-coincidence-that-big-bands-became-the-entertainment/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [It is really refreshing to hear a big band that has the ability to execute ensemble passages with swing and precision while retaining a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patitucci/it-is-really-refreshing-to-hear-a-big-band-that-has-the-ability-to/) [John Patitucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patitucci/) > [“Music on the radio. When I went in, the big bands were just getting up a good head of steam. Now every song sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/music-on-the-radio-when-i-went-in-the-big-bands-were-just-getting-up/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It really does help everyone when there are some big bands leading the charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-shadows/it-really-does-help-everyone-when-there-are-some-big-bands-leading/) [M. Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-shadows/) > [Now I'm having the time of my life being on the road with one of the world's all-time great big bands, and performing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-severinsen/now-i-m-having-the-time-of-my-life-being-on-the-road-with-one-of-the/) [Doc Severinsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-severinsen/) > [I always loved all kinds of music. I would watch musicals a lot as a kid, on TV, watch the Fred Astaire movies. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/i-always-loved-all-kinds-of-music-i-would-watch-musicals-a-lot-as-a/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [We used to play the Savoy Ballroom, and we always had a boogie tune in the set. Bands like Tommy Dorsey used to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcshann/we-used-to-play-the-savoy-ballroom-and-we-always-had-a-boogie-tune-in/) [Jay McShann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcshann/) > [Rock and roll and swing never quite mixed. Rock and roll came in and just blew everything out of the water. Big bands were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-and-roll-and-swing-never-quite-mixed-rock-and-roll-came-in-and/) [Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/) > [In the mid-1930s, a lot of the Big Bands sounded the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/in-the-mid-1930s-a-lot-of-the-big-bands-sounded-the-same/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [ \[To Oleg Cassini:\] Just make sure no one has exactly the same dress I do ... I want all of mine to be original… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/to-oleg-cassini-just-make-sure-no-one-has-exactly-the-same-dress-i-do/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) ## More by John Flansburgh > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [It's hard to tell a shallow person that they should care more about the feelings of the awkward and the alienated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/it-s-hard-to-tell-a-shallow-person-that-they-should-care-more-about/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Every declarative statement that comes out of an interview with somebody is actually in response to a question. It's like this very real interpersonal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/every-declarative-statement-that-comes-out-of-an-interview-with/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [There have been times I wanted to cry on interview, but it hasn't been because that's what they're trying to conjure. No. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-have-been-times-i-wanted-to-cry-on-interview-but-it-hasn-t-been/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I feel like musicians have such a precarious place in the political discourse, because musicians are, sort of just by nature, people-pleasers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-musicians-have-such-a-precarious-place-in-the-political/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I think the biggest wrestling match-up I have is how to respond to the word "quirky." Or the alternate, "nerdy." Both are essentially benign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-think-the-biggest-wrestling-match-up-i-have-is-how-to-respond-to/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The simplest app on your smartphone requires 40 peoples' purest imagination. The challenges with people on environment, we just have to open some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/the-simplest-app-on-your-smartphone-requires-40-peoples-purest/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes you have to wonder if there isn't an ejector seat built into having a popular-music career. We were lucky when we started. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-you-have-to-wonder-if-there-isn-t-an-ejector-seat-built/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes people will ask a real "Why are you beating your wife?" question where there's some assumption built into it, and all you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-people-will-ask-a-real-why-are-you-beating-your-wife/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Bill O'Reilly knew he could just filibuster and enjoy all the airtime that a full interview would give him, and then also grab the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/bill-o-reilly-knew-he-could-just-filibuster-and-enjoy-all-the-airtime/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I don't think bands should feel compelled to speak out unless they actually have something to say. I think that's a big mistake, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-don-t-think-bands-should-feel-compelled-to-speak-out-unless-they/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Look, up in the sky! It's the sky!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/look-up-in-the-sky-it-s-the-sky/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [A lot of times I'll post things on Facebook, and the immediate response will be like, "Stick to the music!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-post-things-on-facebook-and-the-immediate/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [ In an interview John \[Linnell\] said, 'At a certain point you just get tired of the way the other person breathes,' and I took… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/in-an-interview-john-linnell-said-at-a-certain-point-you-just-get/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [There is a fact-based belief system available to you if you want to believe in facts. But this is the weirdest time. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-available-to-you-if-you-want-to/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) [Explore all 47 John Flansburgh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## More Big band quotes > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) > [My brother was always in bands and on the road when I was a kid and he was my inspiration. He never made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-chamberlin/my-brother-was-always-in-bands-and-on-the-road-when-i-was-a-kid-and/) [Jimmy Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-chamberlin/) > [My brother had a big band in high school; after that we continued to play together, eventually forming a group called the Jazz Brothers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-mangione/my-brother-had-a-big-band-in-high-school-after-that-we-continued-to/) [Chuck Mangione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-mangione/) > [“GOD. Sometimes I think there might be a god out there, and that every once in a while he tunes in to see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-morrison/god-sometimes-i-think-there-might-be-a-god-out-there-and-that-every/) [Suzanne Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-morrison/) > [I grew up in a very musical family, my father was a musician and a big band leader and made records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sherwood/i-grew-up-in-a-very-musical-family-my-father-was-a-musician-and-a-big/) [Billy Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sherwood/) > [ \[Thelonious\] Monk is a subject in itself. I mean, most piano players in most big bands sit down and they play with the band,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-brown/thelonious-monk-is-a-subject-in-itself-i-mean-most-piano-players-in/) [Ray Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-brown/) > [I've worked with a number of big bands, but there's nothing in life like the Basie band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-ve-worked-with-a-number-of-big-bands-but-there-s-nothing-in-life/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [Then I left that school and I went to Cerritos College, which was in southern California; they had one of the best big band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/then-i-left-that-school-and-i-went-to-cerritos-college-which-was-in/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Rock and roll and swing never quite mixed. Rock and roll came in and just blew everything out of the water. Big bands were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-setzer/rock-and-roll-and-swing-never-quite-mixed-rock-and-roll-came-in-and/) [Brian Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-setzer/) > [When I write a tune - and it's been like this for many years - I always hear in the back of my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scofield/when-i-write-a-tune-and-it-s-been-like-this-for-many-years-i-always/) [John Scofield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scofield/) > [“Invited to think of the futuristic, we will still come up with something like the music of Kraftwerk, even though this is now as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/invited-to-think-of-the-futuristic-we-will-still-come-up-with/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) > [Traveling with a big band is like being an inmate in a traveling zoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoagy-carmichael/traveling-with-a-big-band-is-like-being-an-inmate-in-a-traveling-zoo/) [Hoagy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoagy-carmichael/) > [I like pop, rock n' roll, big band, Broadway - I like all those elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/i-like-pop-rock-n-roll-big-band-broadway-i-like-all-those-elements/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [I really love Dinah Washington and anything live from her - she had some of the greatest jazz musicians in the whole world, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-hart/i-really-love-dinah-washington-and-anything-live-from-her-she-had/) [Beth Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-hart/) > [My mother did play classical piano, not that well. And actually, my father sang with the big bands - he sang with Bob Crosby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-tennille/my-mother-did-play-classical-piano-not-that-well-and-actually-my/) [Toni Tennille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-tennille/) [Browse all 128 Big band quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We want to be original. To express our most interesting stuff. But you don't see the word \"original\" come up very often to describe big bands. Our job isn't to pigeonhole ourselves or describe where we fit in. Our goal isn't to fit in. 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