Accepting Quote by Kevin Drew
“I suddenly thought about being backstage, and I think it shocks you to meet the people you shared your bedrooms with. And a lot of them either take themselves too seriously or don't know how to take themselves at all. But I wanted to be aware in a very sarcastic way that every song I've written has probably been written about 12-16 times before. And doing that makes it very hard for me to accept serious singer-songwriters in the world, the up-and-comers, the ones who are out there who let that define their every move, who live and die and breathe for it. It's a bit of a tragedy, I think.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The National, The National's Frontman Kevin Drew, 2015
He reflects on the repetitive nature of artistic creation and the difficulty of taking oneself too seriously in a crowded creative field.
In simple terms: Artists often repeat themes and struggle with seriousness.
Key Takeaway
Recognize patterns, stay authentic.
Themes
creativity
authenticity
repetition
artist identity
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
observational
personal
When to use this quote
- songwriting
- industry networking
- creative collaboration
- personal branding
Key Concepts
self‑awareness
sarcasm
artistic integrity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance originality with influence?
- When does sarcasm become self‑sabotage?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overgeneralize the uniqueness of artistic expression.
![“It's very hard for me to say "Do I have favorite?" because I find that each song represents a different sounds different emotions in Andy's [Kim] life. Particularly "Sister OK", 'cos that started everything.” quote by Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/755/kevin-drew-22547_different_it-s-very-hard-for-me-to-say-do-i-have-f_533177.jpg)
![“What would I say about "Heaven Without a Gun"? For me, to have this man, and our friendship [ with Andy Kim] grew really slowly and very consistently throughout the years before we decided to get into a studio together, I wasn't sure if he wanted to do songs that were pre-written or what. We…” quote by Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/688/kevin-drew-22547_consistently_what-would-i-say-about-heaven-without-a_594213.jpg)
![“It's hard: you get older, you have a career, the normal frustrations that come with what you do when you wear your heart on your sleeve and you try really heard. I was exhausted, and I couldn't quite see the magic of creating at that time. That's all. I couldn't get into it, and Andy [Kim] slowly…” quote by Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b77/kevin-drew-22547_careers_it-s-hard-you-get-older-you-have-a-caree_812818.jpg)
![“I had never really written songs for anyone before. With [Broken] Social Scene, you're writing songs for others and your passing them around and exchanging things, but for a man who has the history that Andy Kim had, and has lived the life that he's had, you see such a youthful aspect of how he…” quote by Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0a1/kevin-drew-22547_aspect_i-had-never-really-written-songs-for-any_864668.jpg)
![“The great thing about "Shoot 'Em Up, Baby" is that it's the first song that we went and recorded [with Andy Kim].” quote by Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8ef/kevin-drew-22547_baby_the-great-thing-about-shoot-em-up-baby-i_1193523.jpg)
