--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can pour myself into Bon Iver. It's a…" description: "\"I can pour myself into Bon Iver. It's a thing about self- and mental discovery, and those are all important things. But it's not 148-shows-over-a-year-..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/justin-vernon-4380_about_i-can-pour-myself-into-bon-iver-it-s-a-t_2675533.png" --- # I can pour myself into Bon Iver. It's a thing about self… ![“I can pour myself into Bon Iver. It's a thing about self- and mental discovery, and those are all important things. But it's not 148-shows-over-a-year-and-a-half important, though. It's a machine, and it's money, and you just get put on this indie rock cart, and it's embarrassing.” quote by Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/justin-vernon-4380_about_i-can-pour-myself-into-bon-iver-it-s-a-t_2675533.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/justin-vernon-4380_about_i-can-pour-myself-into-bon-iver-it-s-a-t_2675533.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/justin-vernon-4380_about_i-can-pour-myself-into-bon-iver-it-s-a-t_2675533.png) > “I can pour myself into Bon Iver. It's a thing about self- and mental discovery, and those are all important things. But it's not 148-shows-over-a-year-and-a-half important, though. It's a machine, and it's money, and you just get put on this indie rock cart, and it's embarrassing.” [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist feels trapped by commercial expectations and the pressure of indie authenticity, seeing music as both art and a business. **In simple terms:** Feeling conflicted about artistic integrity vs. commercial pressure. Key Takeaway Balance authenticity with practical needs. Themes artistry industry identity commercialism self‑discovery Mood frustrated reflective determined Type personal industry philosophical When to use this quote - record label negotiations - tour planning - creative writing - personal branding Key Concepts authenticity market pressure creative tension Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain artistic integrity under market pressure? - What compromises are acceptable for success? A Different Perspective Commercial demands can stifle genuine expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cart/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Indie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indie/) [Indie rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indie-rock/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [You don't always just have to do an indie movie to feel like you're controlling it with a few people that you really have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/you-don-t-always-just-have-to-do-an-indie-movie-to-feel-like-you-re/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [I'm really honored that Bon Iver gives me a platform to do whatever I want, but there's only so much time you can spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-m-really-honored-that-bon-iver-gives-me-a-platform-to-do-whatever-i/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I don't want the big flashing lights and red carpet, like, 'Here comes another Bon Iver album!' I just want it to be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-don-t-want-the-big-flashing-lights-and-red-carpet-like-here-comes/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Honestly, before I settled on a name for the Bon Iver project in general, Chigliak was in the running for what I was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/honestly-before-i-settled-on-a-name-for-the-bon-iver-project-in/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [There's a large opportunity for Bon Iver to be a special thing, even from a business standpoint - just trying to do cooler things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/there-s-a-large-opportunity-for-bon-iver-to-be-a-special-thing-even/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I really have to be in a specific headspace to even begin to illuminate an idea that would create another Bon Iver record, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-really-have-to-be-in-a-specific-headspace-to-even-begin-to/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I kind of miss writing songs the way that I used to write songs, in the sense that I would just sit down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-kind-of-miss-writing-songs-the-way-that-i-used-to-write-songs-in/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Indie rock is just as susceptible - if not more susceptible - to all the gross things about people becoming total ass clowns in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/indie-rock-is-just-as-susceptible-if-not-more-susceptible-to-all-the/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I didn't grow up with indie rock - I mean, I listened to bands that are considered indie rock, but I think that term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-didn-t-grow-up-with-indie-rock-i-mean-i-listened-to-bands-that-are/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Even the indie rock world - which is supposed to be about truth and independence from corporate mindfulness or something - is totally subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/even-the-indie-rock-world-which-is-supposed-to-be-about-truth-and/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Licensing is how indie rock people make a living these days, so whatever about that. But I want good films and good placement for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/licensing-is-how-indie-rock-people-make-a-living-these-days-so/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I love Bon Iver. I would never put a negative connotation on that man's name!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-centineo/i-love-bon-iver-i-would-never-put-a-negative-connotation-on-that-man/) [Noah Centineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-centineo/) > [I like the story about Bon Iver. They said he kept his GRAMMY in, like, the basement bathroom so he could just focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-like-the-story-about-bon-iver-they-said-he-kept-his-grammy-in-like/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [From a really young age, I was playing Cat Stevens and listening to Paul Simon. As I got a little older, I got really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/from-a-really-young-age-i-was-playing-cat-stevens-and-listening-to/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [I've heard that Bon Iver liked my cover of 'Skinny Love.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdy/i-ve-heard-that-bon-iver-liked-my-cover-of-skinny-love/) [Birdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdy/) ## More by Justin Vernon > [I don't really write songs anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-don-t-really-write-songs-anymore/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [The songs started as a soundscapes, and then came the words and music; each song took at least a year to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/the-songs-started-as-a-soundscapes-and-then-came-the-words-and-music/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Irony is based on insecurity; people like to not like things because they don't understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/irony-is-based-on-insecurity-people-like-to-not-like-things-because/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I'm barely at home enough to enjoy the simple lifestyle that I want to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-m-barely-at-home-enough-to-enjoy-the-simple-lifestyle-that-i-want/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [“Someday my pain will mark you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/someday-my-pain-will-mark-you/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [It's dangerous when music gets cornered by anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/it-s-dangerous-when-music-gets-cornered-by-anything/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I told myself I never wanted to rent again. Even though it's a battle, I'm lucky cause I'm living in a cheaper part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-told-myself-i-never-wanted-to-rent-again-even-though-it-s-a-battle/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [ I feel like this thing \[that\] we're rocking back and forth like we're stuck in a snow bank and we all sort of know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-feel-like-this-thing-that-we-re-rocking-back-and-forth-like-we-re/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I am generalizing, of course, but in hip-hop, it's like you get this shine for using the word "pussy" a billion times, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-am-generalizing-of-course-but-in-hip-hop-it-s-like-you-get-this/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I'm really honored that Bon Iver gives me a platform to do whatever I want, but there's only so much time you can spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-m-really-honored-that-bon-iver-gives-me-a-platform-to-do-whatever-i/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Apple is not thinking different anymore, they are getting worse by the day. They've become bottom-dollar and you can see that transition easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/apple-is-not-thinking-different-anymore-they-are-getting-worse-by-the/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [Licensing is how indie rock people make a living these days, so whatever about that. But I want good films and good placement for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/licensing-is-how-indie-rock-people-make-a-living-these-days-so/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [The whole point of being happy is not feeling like you have a job. I'm sure there are days where you're at your job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/the-whole-point-of-being-happy-is-not-feeling-like-you-have-a-job-i-m/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [I began realizing that it wasn't important for me to concern myself with the perception of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-began-realizing-that-it-wasn-t-important-for-me-to-concern-myself/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [The amount of people that I feel like... I'm not being self-demeaning, but I actually feel like I'm not as cool as them, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/the-amount-of-people-that-i-feel-like-i-m-not-being-self-demeaning/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) [Explore all 112 Justin Vernon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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