--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to function and pay our bills…" description: "\"In order to function and pay our bills and our taxes and feed our families and stuff, musicians have to make a living. It's not about being a millionai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/matt-snell-39143_able_in-order-to-function-and-pay-our-bills-a_875728.jpg" --- # In order to function and pay our bills and our taxes and… ![“In order to function and pay our bills and our taxes and feed our families and stuff, musicians have to make a living. It's not about being a millionaire. It's about being able to survive. When there are people constantly stealing from you, it's quite frustrating. It's a matter of changing the…” quote by Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/matt-snell-39143_able_in-order-to-function-and-pay-our-bills-a_875728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/matt-snell-39143_able_in-order-to-function-and-pay-our-bills-a_875728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/matt-snell-39143_able_in-order-to-function-and-pay-our-bills-a_875728.jpg) > “In order to function and pay our bills and our taxes and feed our families and stuff, musicians have to make a living. It's not about being a millionaire. It's about being able to survive. When there are people constantly stealing from you, it's quite frustrating. It's a matter of changing the public's option about doing it.” [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Musicians need sustainable income to meet basic life expenses; the struggle is survival, not wealth, and public attitudes toward piracy hinder this. **In simple terms:** Artists must earn a living, not become rich; piracy hurts them. Key Takeaway Support fair compensation for creators. Themes livelihood fairness piracy economics artistry Mood frustrated determined hopeful Type social economic When to use this quote - touring - streaming revenue - merchandise sales - grant applications - community support Key Concepts Sustainability value of creative work public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can audiences be encouraged to pay for music? - What policies could protect artists without stifling access? A Different Perspective Changing public habits is slow and enforcement is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Millionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millionaire/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Our family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-family/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [I get the most starstruck around musicians. I get tongue-tied and don't know what to say. I'm so jealous of them. When you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-get-the-most-starstruck-around-musicians-i-get-tongue-tied-and-don/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Jazz music is the power of now. There is no script. It's conversation. The emotion is given to you by musicians as they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/jazz-music-is-the-power-of-now-there-is-no-script-it-s-conversation/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [The sacrifice musicians make, the results they achieve are fantastic. These are the big people as far as I am concerned. So if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-sammartino/the-sacrifice-musicians-make-the-results-they-achieve-are-fantastic/) [Bruno Sammartino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-sammartino/) > [Royalties are not how most writers or musicians make their living. Musicians by and large make a living with a relationship with an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/royalties-are-not-how-most-writers-or-musicians-make-their-living/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [There are reasons that bands and musicians make demos and outtakes - because they are not good enough to make the record. 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I just make and record music, and I don't feel a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/some-musicians-make-and-record-music-other-musicians-play-in-a-band-i/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [We're musicians. We make music for a living. It's that simple. Nothing else matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/we-re-musicians-we-make-music-for-a-living-it-s-that-simple-nothing/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [Most musicians make the same record every time, and that's fine. But the people I respected when I was growing up, like Jeff Beck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-moore/most-musicians-make-the-same-record-every-time-and-that-s-fine-but/) [Gary Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-moore/) > [Money comes and goes. I'm thankful I have money. I'm trying to save up more. I would like more money. But it's not happiness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dat-phan/money-comes-and-goes-i-m-thankful-i-have-money-i-m-trying-to-save-up/) [Dat Phan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dat-phan/) > [Some day I'll write a book and call it 'How I Got the Nickname Pumpsie' and sell it for one dollar, and if everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pumpsie-green/some-day-i-ll-write-a-book-and-call-it-how-i-got-the-nickname-pumpsie/) Pumpsie Green > [I am a millionaire today and my wife deserves all of the credit. Before I met her I was a multi-millionaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/i-am-a-millionaire-today-and-my-wife-deserves-all-of-the-credit/) [Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/) > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) ## More by Matt Snell > [The reality is people are going to steal the record instead of buying it. It's kind of a cancer in the industry where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/the-reality-is-people-are-going-to-steal-the-record-instead-of-buying/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [A lot of bands are going out and playing for nothing. A lot of bands will go out and get paid, but the gas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/a-lot-of-bands-are-going-out-and-playing-for-nothing-a-lot-of-bands/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [My mom was a sub teacher her whole life. My aunt was a teacher her whole life. So that wasn't hard to do. Performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/my-mom-was-a-sub-teacher-her-whole-life-my-aunt-was-a-teacher-her/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [It costs lots of money to make records. It costs lots of money to generate artwork and manufacture and then ship things to people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/it-costs-lots-of-money-to-make-records-it-costs-lots-of-money-to/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [Music is my juice. I like building gear and making records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/music-is-my-juice-i-like-building-gear-and-making-records/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [There's always going to be haters. And the more hate you get, the better you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/there-s-always-going-to-be-haters-and-the-more-hate-you-get-the/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [You won't walk into a store and steal food. But people think it's ok to steal music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/you-won-t-walk-into-a-store-and-steal-food-but-people-think-it-s-ok/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [I was raised on piano and saxophone and jazz music for ten or twelve years. Before I even picked up a bass. My whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/i-was-raised-on-piano-and-saxophone-and-jazz-music-for-ten-or-twelve/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [If you are making smart decisions and doing the right things in the correct order and dedicating yourself to something, the success is inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/if-you-are-making-smart-decisions-and-doing-the-right-things-in-the/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) > [I get a chance to see new bands and new music. I've seen a lot of amazing local bands, bands that I think 'have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-snell/i-get-a-chance-to-see-new-bands-and-new-music-i-ve-seen-a-lot-of/) [Matt Snell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) [Explore all 11 Matt Snell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-snell/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [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/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In order to function and pay our bills and our taxes and feed our families and stuff, musicians have to make a living. It's not about being a millionaire. It's about being able to survive. When there are people constantly stealing from you, it's quite frustrating. 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