--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not sure I ever try to make a case…" description: "\"I'm not sure I ever try to make a case for the music. I mean, sometimes the music isn't even that good. I just tell the band's stories; if I describe t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/michael-azerrad-18236_band_i-m-not-sure-i-ever-try-to-make-a-case-f_276708.jpg" --- # I'm not sure I ever try to make a case for the music. I… ![“I'm not sure I ever try to make a case for the music. I mean, sometimes the music isn't even that good. I just tell the band's stories; if I describe the music, it's to explain how it moved the overall story along.” quote by Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/michael-azerrad-18236_band_i-m-not-sure-i-ever-try-to-make-a-case-f_276708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/michael-azerrad-18236_band_i-m-not-sure-i-ever-try-to-make-a-case-f_276708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/michael-azerrad-18236_band_i-m-not-sure-i-ever-try-to-make-a-case-f_276708.jpg) > “I'm not sure I ever try to make a case for the music. I mean, sometimes the music isn't even that good. I just tell the band's stories; if I describe the music, it's to explain how it moved the overall story along.” [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prioritizes narrative over technical critique, using music description only to show its impact on storytelling. **In simple terms:** Focus on story, not music quality. Key Takeaway Explain music’s role in narrative. Themes storytelling music criticism context artistic intent Mood analytical reflective Type critical explanatory When to use this quote - writing reviews - documentary filmmaking - podcast hosting - creative workshops Key Concepts narrative function aesthetic judgment Questions to Reflect On - How does music shape a story’s emotional arc? - When should technical detail outweigh narrative? A Different Perspective Music quality may be subjective, limiting objective analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [The shows are so different from each other, depending on whether I play with my band, Nine Stories, other musicians, an orchestra, only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/the-shows-are-so-different-from-each-other-depending-on-whether-i/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [I've made music for grownups most of my life as a singer/songwriter - often with my band, Nine Stories - recorded many albums, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-ve-made-music-for-grownups-most-of-my-life-as-a-singer-songwriter/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [It's entertaining to watch somebody break my music down or explain what he thinks I was thinking during the process of making these records.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/it-s-entertaining-to-watch-somebody-break-my-music-down-or-explain/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [The thing about physicists is that they tend to think that everything is physics. I don't. That's not what music is to me. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-iyer/the-thing-about-physicists-is-that-they-tend-to-think-that-everything/) [Vijay Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-iyer/) > [For starters, I should just tell you that The Band was always my favorite band from the first moment that I heard the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-linden/for-starters-i-should-just-tell-you-that-the-band-was-always-my/) Colin Linden > [Youths write me and tell me that their band will go nowhere because of all the bad bands in the world. I tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/youths-write-me-and-tell-me-that-their-band-will-go-nowhere-because/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [To me, the producer is there to make sure the album gets done and gets done as good as possible. So if that means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-congleton/to-me-the-producer-is-there-to-make-sure-the-album-gets-done-and-gets/) [John Congleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-congleton/) > [When I was very little my mother would read to me in bed. She gave me a fascination for stories, and for the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/when-i-was-very-little-my-mother-would-read-to-me-in-bed-she-gave-me/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [I tell stories to music and, thank God, in tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/i-tell-stories-to-music-and-thank-god-in-tune/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Both are about telling stories and bringing truth to those stories. In most of my music it's firsthand experience, and some of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kano/both-are-about-telling-stories-and-bringing-truth-to-those-stories-in/) [Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kano/) > [I like back-stories to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldlink/i-like-back-stories-to-music/) [Goldlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldlink/) > [What I'm trying to do is tell good stories through music. I think some of the best songs, the best country songs, are stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-palladio/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-tell-good-stories-through-music-i-think-some/) [Sam Palladio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-palladio/) > [Remy Ma is from the Bronx and I'm from the Bronx. The stories in her music are similar to what I've experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-mena/remy-ma-is-from-the-bronx-and-i-m-from-the-bronx-the-stories-in-her/) [Erica Mena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-mena/) > [My favorite thing in the world is telling stories, and most of what I do is telling stories through music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/my-favorite-thing-in-the-world-is-telling-stories-and-most-of-what-i/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I love playing live and meeting a lot of the people and hearing their stories and how the music touches their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-love-playing-live-and-meeting-a-lot-of-the-people-and-hearing-their/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) ## More by Michael Azerrad > [People didn't get to see how other towns interpreted the underground ethos, and so they developed their own unique versions of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/people-didn-t-get-to-see-how-other-towns-interpreted-the-underground/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [I would roll out of bed and immediately start working, and keep working until it was so late at night that I couldn't stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-would-roll-out-of-bed-and-immediately-start-working-and-keep/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [Back in the day, in '91 or so, I tried to interview Fugazi for Rolling Stone, which the band felt stood for everything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/back-in-the-day-in-91-or-so-i-tried-to-interview-fugazi-for-rolling/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [A lot of music fans are still interested in insightful perspectives on music - maybe even more interested than ever, since everyone needs help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/a-lot-of-music-fans-are-still-interested-in-insightful-perspectives/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [Just as not all popular albums are wonderful, not all wonderful albums are popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/just-as-not-all-popular-albums-are-wonderful-not-all-wonderful-albums/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [You didn't have to be a huge rock star; you just had to do well enough to continue doing what you wanted to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/you-didn-t-have-to-be-a-huge-rock-star-you-just-had-to-do-well-enough/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [Now that the generation that grew up on '80s indie-rock has attained influential positions in the culture, that music is the new yardstick. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/now-that-the-generation-that-grew-up-on-80s-indie-rock-has-attained/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [People shared everything: information, equipment, their floors, whatever. There was strength in unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/people-shared-everything-information-equipment-their-floors-whatever/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [The American indie underground made music for like-minded people who thought for themselves. Thinking for yourself is intrinsically subversive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/the-american-indie-underground-made-music-for-like-minded-people-who/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [I'm always very careful to make the distinction between music criticism and music journalism. A lot of people don't. But criticism doesn't require reporting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-m-always-very-careful-to-make-the-distinction-between-music/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [When you're writing, you're only a brain and some fingers, but drumming, you're involving all four limbs, and you're hearing stuff and you're converting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain-and-some-fingers-but-drumming/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [Ten percent of the American population thinks that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Those are the people that have not learned the skill of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/ten-percent-of-the-american-population-thinks-that-barack-obama-is-a/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [Nine Inch Nails' sound is dominated by clanging synths and sardonic, shrieking vocals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/nine-inch-nails-sound-is-dominated-by-clanging-synths-and-sardonic/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [I'll leave it to other people to evaluate the legacy of my book, but I'm very moved when musicians tell me that they've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-ll-leave-it-to-other-people-to-evaluate-the-legacy-of-my-book-but-i/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [For Nirvana, putting out their first major-label record was like getting into a new car. But the runaway success was like suddenly discovering that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/for-nirvana-putting-out-their-first-major-label-record-was-like/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) [Explore all 35 Michael Azerrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) ## 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. 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