--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I told people I was a drummer before I…" description: "\"I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I was a mental drummer.\" — Keith Moon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png" --- # I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I… ![“I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I was a mental drummer.” quote by Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png) > “I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I was a mental drummer.” [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑identification can precede actual skill, highlighting confidence or bravado. **In simple terms:** Believe before you achieve. Key Takeaway Own your vision early. Themes confidence identity ambition Mood energetic playful Type motivational humorous When to use this quote - starting a band - learning an instrument - public speaking Key Concepts self‑concept psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you claim titles before mastering them? - How does confidence affect performance? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may cause unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer/) [Drummer Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer-set-2005066/) [Mental Drummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-drummer-2471998/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Drummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-drummer-2471999/) [Rock n roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-n-roll/) [Told People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-people/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want no drummer. I set the tempo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessie-smith/i-don-t-want-no-drummer-i-set-the-tempo/) [Bessie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessie-smith/) > [I think it's very cool for the drummer to be set free from having to worry about holding down the beat every once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hetfield/i-think-it-s-very-cool-for-the-drummer-to-be-set-free-from-having-to/) [James Hetfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hetfield/) > [At heart I cannot accept that I am a well-known rock 'n' roll star and one of the greatest drummers in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/at-heart-i-cannot-accept-that-i-am-a-well-known-rock-n-roll-star-and/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I've often thought that my background in rock 'n' roll has gone to waste in film work. My background was that I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-martinez/i-ve-often-thought-that-my-background-in-rock-n-roll-has-gone-to/) [Cliff Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-martinez/) > [I'm still the best Keith Moon-style drummer in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-m-still-the-best-keith-moon-style-drummer-in-the-world/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [If I told people that I knew what I was doing, nobody would believe me, so why even try and fake it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mason/if-i-told-people-that-i-knew-what-i-was-doing-nobody-would-believe-me/) [Andrew Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mason/) > [“Was James bipolar?” The tears returned, and I watched her battle them. “We don’t use that word in our family.” I stared at her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-butler/was-james-bipolar-the-tears-returned-and-i-watched-her-battle-them-we/) [Hazel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-butler/) > [Lies were something you told other people to make things easier, somehow - hopefully, for them, but often more selfishly for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lies-were-something-you-told-other-people-to-make-things-easier/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm told some people no longer bother to have friends at all - can't fit them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frank/i-m-told-some-people-no-longer-bother-to-have-friends-at-all-can-t/) [Joan Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frank/) > [“I can’t even handle love, there’s no way I can handle it being taken away. I won’t survive it. Please. Please. Please!” I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-novak/i-can-t-even-handle-love-there-s-no-way-i-can-handle-it-being-taken/) [B.J. Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-novak/) > [I wouldn't want to lose out on my macho action movie just because I told people I was queer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-miller/i-wouldn-t-want-to-lose-out-on-my-macho-action-movie-just-because-i/) [Ezra Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-miller/) > [“Jared. I have a past" I almost whispered "Who doesn-" I interrupted him "Please just let me speak and then you can tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-cortez-liveforeveranon/jared-i-have-a-past-i-almost-whispered-who-doesn-i-interrupted-him/) [Mercy Cortez (LiveForeverAnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-cortez-liveforeveranon/) > [I had been told by so many people that I was going to be nominated, that I should be nominated, that there wasn't any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-stuart/i-had-been-told-by-so-many-people-that-i-was-going-to-be-nominated/) [Gloria Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-stuart/) > [Don't let it worry you, not being able to speak,'Dustfinger had often told her. 'People tend not to listen anyway, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/don-t-let-it-worry-you-not-being-able-to-speak-dustfinger-had-often/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [Daniel Radcliffe told me once that you should always keep the people around you that you know are going to tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-blue-richards/daniel-radcliffe-told-me-once-that-you-should-always-keep-the-people/) [Dakota Blue Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-blue-richards/) ## More by Keith Moon > [At heart I cannot accept that I am a well-known rock 'n' roll star and one of the greatest drummers in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/at-heart-i-cannot-accept-that-i-am-a-well-known-rock-n-roll-star-and/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I'm still the best Keith Moon-style drummer in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-m-still-the-best-keith-moon-style-drummer-in-the-world/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [To get your playing more forceful, hit the drums harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/to-get-your-playing-more-forceful-hit-the-drums-harder/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [My friends call me Keith, but you can call me John.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/my-friends-call-me-keith-but-you-can-call-me-john/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I don’t think the drums are a solo instrument. Drums are there to set the beat for the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-don-t-think-the-drums-are-a-solo-instrument-drums-are-there-to-set/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I can't believe that person on the television is really me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-can-t-believe-that-person-on-the-television-is-really-me/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [Give me a mandolin and I'll play you rock 'n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/give-me-a-mandolin-and-i-ll-play-you-rock-n-roll/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I love to see people laugh and I love it more if I can make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-love-to-see-people-laugh-and-i-love-it-more-if-i-can-make-them-laugh/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I was a rust repairer. I was a rust repairer and full-time survivor. I survived all the major earthquakes, and the Titanic, and several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-was-a-rust-repairer-i-was-a-rust-repairer-and-full-time-survivor-i/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [They're always saying I'm a capitalistic pig. I suppose I am. But... it's good for my drumming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/they-re-always-saying-i-m-a-capitalistic-pig-i-suppose-i-am-but-it-s/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I've always enjoyed myself. Unhappy periods for me last about twenty minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-ve-always-enjoyed-myself-unhappy-periods-for-me-last-about-twenty/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [“I mean, you want the truth as you wanna hear it? I can't do that. You couldn't afford me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-mean-you-want-the-truth-as-you-wanna-hear-it-i-can-t-do-that-you/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I tried several things and this was the only one I enjoyed doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-tried-several-things-and-this-was-the-only-one-i-enjoyed-doing/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) [Explore all 14 Keith Moon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) ## More Drummer quotes > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [My motivation for being a good drummer was born out of fear, which, in a way, seems so antithetical to what art should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/my-motivation-for-being-a-good-drummer-was-born-out-of-fear-which-in/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [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/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I used to be a drummer in a band, and I really loved playing the drums, so I look forward to the right opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zedd/i-used-to-be-a-drummer-in-a-band-and-i-really-loved-playing-the-drums/) [Zedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zedd/) > [Hendrix rehearsed different drummers, before we met Mitch Mitchell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-redding/hendrix-rehearsed-different-drummers-before-we-met-mitch-mitchell/) [Noel Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-redding/) > [The drums have hogged a lot of the credit. We're as much -- or more -- \*cymbal\* players, as we are drummers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-erskine/the-drums-have-hogged-a-lot-of-the-credit-we-re-as-much-or-more/) [Peter Erskine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-erskine/) > [Hip Nip just sounds groovy. A drummer laid it on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-morita/hip-nip-just-sounds-groovy-a-drummer-laid-it-on-me/) [Pat Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-morita/) > [He's (Ringo Starr) not even the best drummer in the Beatles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/he-s-ringo-starr-not-even-the-best-drummer-in-the-beatles/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [That's the thing that we said about the horn before: it's a focus issue. It's like a singer versus a drummer. If a drummer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunter/that-s-the-thing-that-we-said-about-the-horn-before-it-s-a-focus/) [Charlie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunter/) > [There is no roles. No one is keeping any roles. The drummer is also answering everybody and everything. So it is a constant conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-vitous/there-is-no-roles-no-one-is-keeping-any-roles-the-drummer-is-also/) [Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-vitous/) > [I'm a pretty good drummer. I'm pretty good at guitar, bass and piano. I can play accordion; I'm not virtuoso. I've played cello before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-m-a-pretty-good-drummer-i-m-pretty-good-at-guitar-bass-and-piano-i/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [When I listened to Elvin Jones, man, for the first time I heard a drummer that had all the technique plus emotion, passion, feel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/when-i-listened-to-elvin-jones-man-for-the-first-time-i-heard-a/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [I play bass. I play a bit of guitar. I've never been to a lesson, so my theory of music is non-existent in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sangster/i-play-bass-i-play-a-bit-of-guitar-i-ve-never-been-to-a-lesson-so-my/) [Thomas Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sangster/) > [I'd just play 'til my hands fell off. My parents would yell at me to stop because they couldn't stand the noise any more!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-castillo/i-d-just-play-til-my-hands-fell-off-my-parents-would-yell-at-me-to/) [Randy Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-castillo/) [Browse all 532 Drummer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drummer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I was a mental drummer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Moon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-even-had-a-set-i-was-a-mental/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drummer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-even-had-a-set-i-was-a-mental/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/keith-moon-33850_drummer_i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-e_1856680.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I told people I was a drummer before I even had a set, I was a mental drummer.” — Keith Moon", "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": "Keith Moon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I told people I was a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-even-had-a-set-i-was-a-mental/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-told-people-i-was-a-drummer-before-i-even-had-a-set-i-was-a-mental/#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 } } ] } ```