--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On one level, we're on Matador, but our…" description: "\"On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might explode on stage, or they'll be an echo in the mic. It's like climbing a ladder. I like to cli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/kurt-vile-4131_climb_on-one-level-we-re-on-matador-but-our-am_3150261.jpg" --- # On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might… ![“On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might explode on stage, or they'll be an echo in the mic. It's like climbing a ladder. I like to climb it really slowly. I could probably get really professional right away, but I like to take baby steps and find my own way.” quote by Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/kurt-vile-4131_climb_on-one-level-we-re-on-matador-but-our-am_3150261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/kurt-vile-4131_climb_on-one-level-we-re-on-matador-but-our-am_3150261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/kurt-vile-4131_climb_on-one-level-we-re-on-matador-but-our-am_3150261.jpg) > “On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might explode on stage, or they'll be an echo in the mic. It's like climbing a ladder. I like to climb it really slowly. I could probably get really professional right away, but I like to take baby steps and find my own way.” [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers gradual, personal growth over rapid mastery, using music as a metaphor for careful progression. **In simple terms:** Take small, personal steps toward mastery. Key Takeaway Embrace gradual learning. Themes growth music personal development Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - learning a new instrument - starting a band - building confidence - overcoming stage fright Key Concepts incremental mastery creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can slow progress deepen authenticity? - What small step can you take today? A Different Perspective Rapid skill acquisition may overlook deep personal style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amps Explode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amps-explode-2569020/) [Climb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climb/) [Explode Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explode-stage-5652556/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Ladder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder/) [Level Matador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-matador-2569018/) [Matador Amps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matador-amps-2569017/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Not that Matador is a major label, but its major enough for me. On one level we're on Matador, but our amps still might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/not-that-matador-is-a-major-label-but-its-major-enough-for-me-on-one/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [A man must make of his life a ladder that he never ceases to climb -- if you're not rising, you are slipping down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shirley/a-man-must-make-of-his-life-a-ladder-that-he-never-ceases-to-climb-if/) [John Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shirley/) > [It is not difficult to climb the ladder of success if your father made it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-not-difficult-to-climb-the-ladder-of-success-if-your-father/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [You cannot push any one up a ladder unless he be willing to climb a little himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/you-cannot-push-any-one-up-a-ladder-unless-he-be-willing-to-climb-a/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [You can't climb up to the second floor without a ladder. When you set your aim too high and don't fulfill it, then your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-zatopek/you-can-t-climb-up-to-the-second-floor-without-a-ladder-when-you-set/) [Emil Zatopek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-zatopek/) > [“Sometimes, he gets on my nerves; At other times, I burn the ladder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/sometimes-he-gets-on-my-nerves-at-other-times-i-burn-the-ladder/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [So many people are focused on reaching the top of an imaginary ladder that they don't enjoy the climb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/so-many-people-are-focused-on-reaching-the-top-of-an-imaginary-ladder/) [Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/) > [“Go higher and higher, until it becomes impossible to bring you down, I wanna use a microscope to locate you, don't even dream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/go-higher-and-higher-until-it-becomes-impossible-to-bring-you-down-i/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“I'm in a hole because at some point I found a shovel and started digging. Maybe I should trade my shovels for ladders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-m-in-a-hole-because-at-some-point-i-found-a-shovel-and-started/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Those who are able to climb up the ladder will find ways to pull it up after them, or selectively lower it down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/those-who-are-able-to-climb-up-the-ladder-will-find-ways-to-pull-it/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [Started at the bottom, ain't afraid to climb it. Took something rough and turn it to a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/started-at-the-bottom-ain-t-afraid-to-climb-it-took-something-rough/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Hispanics' welfare consumption - and their affinity for the Democratic message - will decline over time as they climb the economic ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/hispanics-welfare-consumption-and-their-affinity-for-the-democratic/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/you-cannot-push-anyone-up-the-ladder-unless-he-is-willing-to-climb/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“Don't be afraid to start at the bottom of the ladder. And have the courage to climb to the top.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-hr-rosenthal/don-t-be-afraid-to-start-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-and-have-the/) [Levi HR Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levi-hr-rosenthal/) > [Normally, it's more efficient to climb fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/normally-it-s-more-efficient-to-climb-fast/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) ## More by Kurt Vile > [My family was always playing music; I always enjoyed it. My cousin, who is a little older than me, he started playing music, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/my-family-was-always-playing-music-i-always-enjoyed-it-my-cousin-who/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I think 'She Drives Me Crazy' is hilarious and good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-think-she-drives-me-crazy-is-hilarious-and-good/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I really love that 'I Can Feel the Heart Beating as One' Yo La Tengo record a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-really-love-that-i-can-feel-the-heart-beating-as-one-yo-la-tengo/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [John Prine in particular... just the chord changes combined with the words. He definitely can make you cry a little bit. Just a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/john-prine-in-particular-just-the-chord-changes-combined-with-the/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > ['Street Legal' is like a cult classic. It's pretty cheesy at times, but you learn to embrace it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/street-legal-is-like-a-cult-classic-it-s-pretty-cheesy-at-times-but/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [Philly's busy enough. There are tons of record stores and record-head friends and plenty of D.I.Y. shows. It's a place where people pass through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/philly-s-busy-enough-there-are-tons-of-record-stores-and-record-head/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I do a lot of things, and I'll get excited about them - maybe it'll be a song in a movie - and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-do-a-lot-of-things-and-i-ll-get-excited-about-them-maybe-it-ll-be-a/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [Maybe I'm biased because I'm from there. It's close enough to New York but it's not swallowed up by New York's hustle and bustle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/maybe-i-m-biased-because-i-m-from-there-it-s-close-enough-to-new-york/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I've never gotten in too much trouble with alcohol. I've never had a drinking problem, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-ve-never-gotten-in-too-much-trouble-with-alcohol-i-ve-never-had-a/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I get to come home to my family. It's awesome, just constant adventure, never a dull moment. So much life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-get-to-come-home-to-my-family-it-s-awesome-just-constant-adventure/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [My cousin used to make fun of me for liking stuff like C+C Music Factory. I didn't have any tapes; I just liked their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/my-cousin-used-to-make-fun-of-me-for-liking-stuff-like-c-c-music/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [That Yo La Tengo record, 'Painful,' has got some real awesome, noisy, mellow heartbreakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/that-yo-la-tengo-record-painful-has-got-some-real-awesome-noisy/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I really like Cold Cave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-really-like-cold-cave/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I always sort of liked Mesa/Boogies, but I wasn't sure if they were cool or not cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-always-sort-of-liked-mesa-boogies-but-i-wasn-t-sure-if-they-were/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [I love polished pop music, but stuff like Neil Young's Crazy Horse vibe or Waylon Jennings, that stuff is raw and real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-love-polished-pop-music-but-stuff-like-neil-young-s-crazy-horse/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) [Explore all 115 Kurt Vile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) ## More Climb quotes > [Normally, it's more efficient to climb fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/normally-it-s-more-efficient-to-climb-fast/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [Our ape legs make us great generalists - we can walk, run and climb. But when you try to do too many things at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/our-ape-legs-make-us-great-generalists-we-can-walk-run-and-climb-but/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Sometimes you climb the mountain, and you fall and fail. Maybe there is a different path that will take you up. Sometimes a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-fake/sometimes-you-climb-the-mountain-and-you-fall-and-fail-maybe-there-is/) [Caterina Fake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-fake/) > [The bumps are what you climb on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/the-bumps-are-what-you-climb-on/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Some day I'm going to climb Everest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/some-day-i-m-going-to-climb-everest/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [A part of me will always be unflyable, stuck in the climb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/a-part-of-me-will-always-be-unflyable-stuck-in-the-climb/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [Face your fears or they will climb over your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/face-your-fears-or-they-will-climb-over-your-back/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake never even to make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-never-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to climb a mountain before you can enjoy the view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/you-have-to-climb-a-mountain-before-you-can-enjoy-the-view/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Where I'm is one of those stair climbing machines the agent has installed. You climb and climb forever and never get off the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/where-i-m-is-one-of-those-stair-climbing-machines-the-agent-has/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“There are points in your life where you find yourself going nowhere reaching nowhere, standing nowhere. You feel yourself a mess occupied in nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquib-ali/there-are-points-in-your-life-where-you-find-yourself-going-nowhere/) [Aquib Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquib-ali/) > [“Don't be afraid to start at the bottom of the ladder. And have the courage to climb to the top.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-hr-rosenthal/don-t-be-afraid-to-start-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-and-have-the/) [Levi HR Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levi-hr-rosenthal/) > [Dude, I just watched you climb up a f\*cking building!-Lace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/dude-i-just-watched-you-climb-up-a-f-cking-building-lace/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) [Browse all 797 Climb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climb/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might explode on stage, or they'll be an echo in the mic. It's like climbing a ladder. I like to climb it really slowly. 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