--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in my former band Downhere, I…" description: "\"When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I could not to remind people of Freddie Mercury, but it became almost hilarious how many people..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg" --- # When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I… ![“When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I could not to remind people of Freddie Mercury, but it became almost hilarious how many people compared me to him to the point where it felt like it was working against the band when we tested singles at radio.” quote by Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg) > “When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I could not to remind people of Freddie Mercury, but it became almost hilarious how many people compared me to him to the point where it felt like it was working against the band when we tested singles at radio.” [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to avoid a famous comparison while it kept resurfacing, creating tension. **In simple terms:** Avoiding a famous comparison that kept returning. Key Takeaway Embrace uniqueness rather than denying it. Themes identity comparison music industry public perception Mood anxious hopeful Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - band rehearsals - radio testing - interviews Key Concepts branding self‑presentation media influence Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn an unwanted comparison into advantage? - What strategies help maintain artistic integrity? A Different Perspective Fans may resist rebranding efforts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Band Downhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-downhere-6145605/) [Band Tested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-tested-6145606/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freddie-mercury/) [Mercury Hilarious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercury-hilarious-6145607/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Freddie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-freddie-3927246/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Tested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tested/) ## Related quotes > [“He scares the shit out of me, and I used to work for people who made Freddie Krueger look like Mr. Rogers. (Carlos)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/he-scares-the-shit-out-of-me-and-i-used-to-work-for-people-who-made/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Freddie Mercury wrote songs that were real and true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/freddie-mercury-wrote-songs-that-were-real-and-true/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [It's not like I'm pretending to be Freddie Mercury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/it-s-not-like-i-m-pretending-to-be-freddie-mercury/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [People have been telling me for years that I sound like Freddie Mercury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/people-have-been-telling-me-for-years-that-i-sound-like-freddie/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Being compared to Freddie Mercury is something I've come to terms with. I don't know that I'll ever successfully avoid the comparisons, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/being-compared-to-freddie-mercury-is-something-i-ve-come-to-terms/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Given that I can't sing like Freddie Mercury, obviously I'm not going to pursue it as a career. What would be the point?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/given-that-i-can-t-sing-like-freddie-mercury-obviously-i-m-not-going/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [My goal in life has always been to be a lover of life, a singer of songs and a teller of stories. Freddie Mercury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-russell/my-goal-in-life-has-always-been-to-be-a-lover-of-life-a-singer-of/) [Alexandria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-russell/) > [True love is singing karaoke 'under pressure' and letting the other person sing the Freddie Mercury part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/true-love-is-singing-karaoke-under-pressure-and-letting-the-other/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I wish I was Freddie Mercury, straight up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-wish-i-was-freddie-mercury-straight-up/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [After we covered Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now,' Brian May and Roger Taylor sent us a bottle of champagne and asked us if we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/after-we-covered-queen-s-don-t-stop-me-now-brian-may-and-roger-taylor/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [Freddie Mercury said years later that he got the idea for 'We Will Rock You' from 'Bits and Pieces.' I never knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-clark/freddie-mercury-said-years-later-that-he-got-the-idea-for-we-will/) [Dave Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-clark/) > [Being part of the Queen story and knowing what Freddie Mercury went through before he died of AIDS has really shown me how far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-boynton/being-part-of-the-queen-story-and-knowing-what-freddie-mercury-went/) [Lucy Boynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-boynton/) > [Some of my earliest memories are singing along to Freddie Mercury in the back of my mum and dad's car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ryder/some-of-my-earliest-memories-are-singing-along-to-freddie-mercury-in/) [Sam Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ryder/) > [ “...Sabina \[was\] onto something about mehendi not being tantamount to temporary tattoo, and how it's been appropriated by Western capitalist culture. But the mehendi… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanuja-desai-hidier/sabina-was-onto-something-about-mehendi-not-being-tantamount-to/) [Tanuja Desai Hidier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanuja-desai-hidier/) > [Freddie Mercury and Elton John are, like, two of the biggest Influences in my whole life. And probably always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axl-rose/freddie-mercury-and-elton-john-are-like-two-of-the-biggest-influences/) [Axl Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axl-rose/) ## More by Marc Martel > [You're a musician and you live and die by people responding to your music. It's a business just like anything else and if people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/you-re-a-musician-and-you-live-and-die-by-people-responding-to-your/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [It sure is cool that I was mentioned in 'Rolling Stone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/it-sure-is-cool-that-i-was-mentioned-in-rolling-stone/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Being compared to Freddie Mercury is something I've come to terms with. I don't know that I'll ever successfully avoid the comparisons, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/being-compared-to-freddie-mercury-is-something-i-ve-come-to-terms/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [My favorite song to perform is 'Love of my Life.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/my-favorite-song-to-perform-is-love-of-my-life/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [I always loved music - it was always in the house - and my younger brother is musical, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/i-always-loved-music-it-was-always-in-the-house-and-my-younger/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [People would come up to me, saying, 'You sound a lot like the lead singer from Queen.' I started wondering, 'Who is this guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/people-would-come-up-to-me-saying-you-sound-a-lot-like-the-lead/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [If the Christian community responds to our music better because maybe we gained a little more credibility in the mainstream, then it's not ideal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/if-the-christian-community-responds-to-our-music-better-because-maybe/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [I'm a huge mimic. That's how I learned to sing. I listened to a lot of Freddy Mercury, obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/i-m-a-huge-mimic-that-s-how-i-learned-to-sing-i-listened-to-a-lot-of/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > ['Bohemian Rhapsody' is my all-time favorite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/bohemian-rhapsody-is-my-all-time-favorite/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [No band has two hours' worth of greatest hits, but Queen comes close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/no-band-has-two-hours-worth-of-greatest-hits-but-queen-comes-close/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Rock and roll reaches people because it's honest and doesn't shy away from the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/rock-and-roll-reaches-people-because-it-s-honest-and-doesn-t-shy-away/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [The name Downhere comes from a song I wrote after a friend of mine died in college, and it was kind of the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/the-name-downhere-comes-from-a-song-i-wrote-after-a-friend-of-mine/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [My biggest influences when I was a kid - I listened to a lot of top 40 radio, so whatever the big artists were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/my-biggest-influences-when-i-was-a-kid-i-listened-to-a-lot-of-top-40/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Honestly, 198,9 I was 12 or 13 years old and primed for the new boy band thing. This guy Jordan Knight sounded like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/honestly-198-9-i-was-12-or-13-years-old-and-primed-for-the-new-boy/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [Being a professional musician with Downhere for 11 years now, I feel completely at home on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/being-a-professional-musician-with-downhere-for-11-years-now-i-feel/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) [Explore all 43 Marc Martel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [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/) [Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I could not to remind people of Freddie Mercury, but it became almost hilarious how many people compared me to him to the point where it felt like it was working against the band when we tested singles at radio.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marc Martel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i-did-everything-i-could-not-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Band" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i-did-everything-i-could-not-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/marc-martel-15308_band_when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i_2424350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was in my former band Downhere, I did everything I could not to remind people of Freddie Mercury, but…” — Marc Martel", "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": "Marc Martel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was in my former...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i-did-everything-i-could-not-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/when-i-was-in-my-former-band-downhere-i-did-everything-i-could-not-to/#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 } } ] } ```