--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're writing, you're only a brain…" description: "\"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 convertin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png" --- # When you're writing, you're only a brain and some fingers… ![“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 your ideas into physical motions, getting physical feedback from things you are touching - it's pretty cool. It's a really a nice contrast to…” quote by Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png) > “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 your ideas into physical motions, getting physical feedback from things you are touching - it's pretty cool. It's a really a nice contrast to writing.” [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. Playing drums engages the whole body and senses, offering a physical contrast to writing. **In simple terms:** Drumming uses body and senses, unlike writing. Key Takeaway Explore full‑body creative expression. Themes creativity embodiment contrast Mood energetic curious Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - music practice - physical therapy - creative workshops Key Concepts sensorimotor integration artistic diversity Questions to Reflect On - How does physical activity affect your creativity? - Can you integrate more bodily movement into your work? A Different Perspective Physical expression may be limited by skill or access. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Drumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drumming/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Touching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touching/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Even when I don't think I'm writing, I'm writing. There's some part of my brain geared toward making songs up, and I know it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/even-when-i-don-t-think-i-m-writing-i-m-writing-there-s-some-part-of/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [“Split your skull—a hatchet works well enough. Take a more delicate instrument—a scalpel, perhaps—and make a hand-sized slit; it doesn’t matter where. Reach in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chila-woychik/split-your-skull-a-hatchet-works-well-enough-take-a-more-delicate/) [Chila Woychik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chila-woychik/) > [“One thing about writing this much… her brain never really shifted out of The World of Mages. When she sat down to write, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/one-thing-about-writing-this-much-her-brain-never-really-shifted-out/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Gain great values by converting your time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/gain-great-values-by-converting-your-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [A private enterprise system needs some measuring rod, it needs something, it needs money to make its transactions. You can't run a big complicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/a-private-enterprise-system-needs-some-measuring-rod-it-needs/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [You do not belong to you. You belong to the universe. The significance of you will remain forever obscure to you, but you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/you-do-not-belong-to-you-you-belong-to-the-universe-the-significance/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [The freedom to convert is fundamental to freedom of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-inglis/the-freedom-to-convert-is-fundamental-to-freedom-of-religion/) [Bob Inglis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-inglis/) > [There was reference made to a book written in Greek by a former Rabbi who had been converted to Christianity. There was reference to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-streicher/there-was-reference-made-to-a-book-written-in-greek-by-a-former-rabbi/) [Julius Streicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-streicher/) > [Because of my own experience with market fluctuation, I recognize the great risks one takes on investments. This converts the Social Security safety net…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-napolitano/because-of-my-own-experience-with-market-fluctuation-i-recognize-the/) [Grace Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-napolitano/) > [Whenever you take a subject you're obsessed with or that haunts you, and make a movie about it, you're converting it into work units…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-maddin/whenever-you-take-a-subject-you-re-obsessed-with-or-that-haunts-you/) [Guy Maddin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-maddin/) > [We are witnessing the beginning of one of the great tragedies of history. The United States, in a misguided effort to reduce its oil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-r-brown/we-are-witnessing-the-beginning-of-one-of-the-great-tragedies-of/) [Lester R. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-r-brown/) > [The natural man cannot but resist the Lord's offering to help him; yet that resistance is infallibly overcome in the elect, by converting grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/the-natural-man-cannot-but-resist-the-lord-s-offering-to-help-him-yet/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [My guess is that liberating the fossil fuel industry to frack anywhere they want will drive down the rate at which we're converting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/my-guess-is-that-liberating-the-fossil-fuel-industry-to-frack/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [To approach a city, or even a city neighborhood, as if it were a larger architectural problem, capable of being given order by converting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/to-approach-a-city-or-even-a-city-neighborhood-as-if-it-were-a-larger/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) ## 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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-m-not-sure-i-ever-try-to-make-a-case-for-the-music-i-mean-sometimes/) [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/) > [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 Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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 your ideas into physical motions, getting physical feedback from things you are touching - it's pretty cool. It's a really a nice contrast to writing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Azerrad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain-and-some-fingers-but-drumming/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain-and-some-fingers-but-drumming/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/michael-azerrad-18236_brain_when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain_803783.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're writing, you're only a brain and some fingers, but drumming, you're involving all four limbs…” — Michael Azerrad", "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": "Michael Azerrad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're writing, you're only a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain-and-some-fingers-but-drumming/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/when-you-re-writing-you-re-only-a-brain-and-some-fingers-but-drumming/#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 } } ] } ```