--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a…" description: "\"I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a whole record like 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and we would have been this breezy, nostalgic West Coast Beach Boys recrea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/mark-foster-5994_band_i-could-have-pigeonholed-us-and-wrote-a_1874182.jpg" --- # I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a whole record like… ![“I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a whole record like 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and we would have been this breezy, nostalgic West Coast Beach Boys recreation band. That's not the type of writer I am. Once I try one style, I move on.” quote by Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/mark-foster-5994_band_i-could-have-pigeonholed-us-and-wrote-a_1874182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/mark-foster-5994_band_i-could-have-pigeonholed-us-and-wrote-a_1874182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/mark-foster-5994_band_i-could-have-pigeonholed-us-and-wrote-a_1874182.jpg) > “I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a whole record like 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and we would have been this breezy, nostalgic West Coast Beach Boys recreation band. That's not the type of writer I am. Once I try one style, I move on.” [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists should avoid repeating a single style; evolving keeps work fresh. **In simple terms:** Keep changing artistic style. Key Takeaway Embrace evolution, avoid pigeonholing. Themes creativity authenticity growth Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - album production - songwriting - genre experimentation - branding Key Concepts artistic identity innovation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance consistency with change? - What risks arise from constant reinvention? A Different Perspective Fans may resist sudden changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beach/) [Beach boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beach-boys/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [West coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-coast/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I was asked in an interview once: You're writing another book with a female lead? Aren't you afraid you're going to be pigeonholed? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-sue-deconnick/i-was-asked-in-an-interview-once-you-re-writing-another-book-with-a/) [Kelly Sue DeConnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-sue-deconnick/) > [I've written so many songs that are hopeful - songs that are, like, about an old man that gives all his possessions away because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-ve-written-so-many-songs-that-are-hopeful-songs-that-are-like-about/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I didn't record 'Pumped Up Kicks' out of a sense of moral obligation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-didn-t-record-pumped-up-kicks-out-of-a-sense-of-moral-obligation/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [The phrase 'pumped up kicks,' man, I was excited when I came up with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/the-phrase-pumped-up-kicks-man-i-was-excited-when-i-came-up-with-that/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks' when I began to read about the growing trend in teenage mental illness. I wanted to understand the psychology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-wrote-pumped-up-kicks-when-i-began-to-read-about-the-growing-trend/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > ['Pumped Up Kicks' is written from the perspective like Truman Capote wrote 'In Cold Blood' or Dostoevsky wrote 'Crime & Punishment.' It's psychologically breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/pumped-up-kicks-is-written-from-the-perspective-like-truman-capote/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [We liked the Beach Boys. There was kind of that friendly East Coast, West Coast thing between us. We were always fans. 'God Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gaudio/we-liked-the-beach-boys-there-was-kind-of-that-friendly-east-coast/) Bob Gaudio > [It is such a crazy idea that maybe something that I wrote or something that I put on a record would affect people at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/it-is-such-a-crazy-idea-that-maybe-something-that-i-wrote-or/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I didn't write to be famous; I wrote to keep a record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-emerson/i-didn-t-write-to-be-famous-i-wrote-to-keep-a-record/) Gloria Emerson > [My approach to recording and all that is pretty organic. It just has to do with all the songs I wrote; go in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/my-approach-to-recording-and-all-that-is-pretty-organic-it-just-has/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) > [That first record, I wrote before I had a record deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-pearce/that-first-record-i-wrote-before-i-had-a-record-deal/) [Carly Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-pearce/) > ['I Get Around' came on one day. I'd never heard the Beach Boys before. The sound was so fresh to me. That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-get-around-came-on-one-day-i-d-never-heard-the-beach-boys-before/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [All the other kids with the pumped up kicks You better run, better run, outrun my bazooka!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milana-may/all-the-other-kids-with-the-pumped-up-kicks-you-better-run-better-run/) [Milana May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milana-may/) > [I'm a real fan of that Foster the People song 'Pumped Up Kicks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-m-a-real-fan-of-that-foster-the-people-song-pumped-up-kicks/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [They had me doing Beach Boys remakes and all that. I was basically a marionette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leif-garrett/they-had-me-doing-beach-boys-remakes-and-all-that-i-was-basically-a/) [Leif Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leif-garrett/) ## More by Mark Foster > [I don't care if it's Dr. Dre or Dr. Luke or Brian Eno. When you're in a studio and making music together, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-dr-dre-or-dr-luke-or-brian-eno-when-you-re-in-a/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I've written so many songs that are hopeful - songs that are, like, about an old man that gives all his possessions away because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-ve-written-so-many-songs-that-are-hopeful-songs-that-are-like-about/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I realized probably when I was, like, 20 years old that the hardest thing to do is to write a pop song - not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-realized-probably-when-i-was-like-20-years-old-that-the-hardest/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I've written hundreds of songs, and I tend to think that my instincts are pretty good when it comes to what people are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-ve-written-hundreds-of-songs-and-i-tend-to-think-that-my-instincts/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [A timeless pop song is the hardest thing to do as a songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/a-timeless-pop-song-is-the-hardest-thing-to-do-as-a-songwriter/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I like to write about real-life topics, and I like to write about different walks of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-like-to-write-about-real-life-topics-and-i-like-to-write-about/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I love to honour people and to write positive songs about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-love-to-honour-people-and-to-write-positive-songs-about-them/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [We're not trying to be a mega-pop-band, but we also wouldn't be opposed to selling millions of records, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/we-re-not-trying-to-be-a-mega-pop-band-but-we-also-wouldn-t-be/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I truly believe that love is greater than politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-truly-believe-that-love-is-greater-than-politics/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I remember, when I heard Jeff Buckley's 'Grace,' on first listen I just thought it was such a great song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-remember-when-i-heard-jeff-buckley-s-grace-on-first-listen-i-just/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [In Morocco, a Muslim country, I got to hear the call to prayer five times a day. At first it felt kind of scary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/in-morocco-a-muslim-country-i-got-to-hear-the-call-to-prayer-five/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I'm really into the recycling of art. That one piece of art inspires another piece of art, which inspires another piece of art. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-m-really-into-the-recycling-of-art-that-one-piece-of-art-inspires/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I've played so many gigs in front of around seven people. It's difficult to keep motivated, but it's all about growth. The love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-ve-played-so-many-gigs-in-front-of-around-seven-people-it-s/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I love countermelodies, I love hooks and melodies that stick in your head. If I could put 20 melodies in a song and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-love-countermelodies-i-love-hooks-and-melodies-that-stick-in-your/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [I look at bands like the Beach Boys, Hall & Oates and Blur, and those are the bands I want to be in company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-look-at-bands-like-the-beach-boys-hall-oates-and-blur-and-those-are/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) [Explore all 100 Mark Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) ## 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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I could have pigeonholed us and wrote a whole record like 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and we would have been this breezy, nostalgic West Coast Beach Boys recreation band. That's not the type of writer I am. 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