---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we started the band, it was because…"
description: "\"When we started the band, it was because we were waiting for a sound that never happened. We got tired of waiting, and we decided to just do it ourselv..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg"
---

#  When we started the band, it was because we were waiting…

![“When we started the band, it was because we were waiting for a sound that never happened. We got tired of waiting, and we decided to just do it ourselves.” quote by Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg)

> “When we started the band, it was because we were waiting for a sound that never happened. We got tired of waiting, and we decided to just do it ourselves.”

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A call to proactive creation: instead of awaiting an ideal moment or external validation, the band chose to generate their own music.

**In simple terms:** Create rather than wait.

Key Takeaway

Initiative beats patience.

Themes

creativity self-reliance initiative proactivity artistic expression

Mood

determined optimistic empowered

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

- forming a band
- starting a project
- overcoming creative block
- launching a startup
- self‑producing art

Key Concepts

agency collaboration musical innovation

Practical Applications

- self‑produced album
- DIY music workshops

Questions to Reflect On

- What would you create if you stopped waiting?
- How does taking initiative change outcomes?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Band Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-waiting-383760/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Just do it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-do-it/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Sound Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound-happened-383761/) [Started Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-band/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Tired of waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired-of-waiting/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-sound-383762/)

## Related quotes

> [When I first started out in the band, I had so many walls up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrianne-lenker/when-i-first-started-out-in-the-band-i-had-so-many-walls-up/)

[Adrianne Lenker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrianne-lenker/)

> [When we first started as a band we knew we could all sing and we took harmonies from Mayday Parade which doesn't seem like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/when-we-first-started-as-a-band-we-knew-we-could-all-sing-and-we-took/)

[Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/)

> [Everyone, My hair is better then fucking anyones! My hair is the reason we started the band, cause I couldnt sing, and they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sykes/everyone-my-hair-is-better-then-fucking-anyones-my-hair-is-the-reason/)

[Oliver Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sykes/)

> [We started as a band that struggled; none of us had money, and tried to make it, not because we wanted money but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/we-started-as-a-band-that-struggled-none-of-us-had-money-and-tried-to/)

[John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/)

> [I was two years old when I told my mom I was going to be in a band when I grew up, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kinsella/i-was-two-years-old-when-i-told-my-mom-i-was-going-to-be-in-a-band/)

[Tim Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kinsella/)

> [We started this band as kids, and as time has gone on, we've grown and are learning to accommodate each others' differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layne-staley/we-started-this-band-as-kids-and-as-time-has-gone-on-we-ve-grown-and/)

[Layne Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layne-staley/)

> [I went to Berlin to study psychology but decided that I was more interested in music and started an R and B band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-wright/i-went-to-berlin-to-study-psychology-but-decided-that-i-was-more/)

[Gary Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-wright/)

> [If I were to give advice to someone that just started a band and how to get someone's attention, you've gotta have a central…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-joseph/if-i-were-to-give-advice-to-someone-that-just-started-a-band-and-how/)

[Tyler Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-joseph/)

> [When we started the band, I was really like, "We just want to make a lot of records" - not quite unlike Guided By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/when-we-started-the-band-i-was-really-like-we-just-want-to-make-a-lot/)

[Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/)

> [Patrick and Joe were so young when we started the band. As slow as it was, with all the touring and crappy clubs we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hurley/patrick-and-joe-were-so-young-when-we-started-the-band-as-slow-as-it/)

[Andy Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hurley/)

> [ I started a band \[Big Japan\] for fun. These sticks break easily, but they feel good. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-brody/i-started-a-band-big-japan-for-fun-these-sticks-break-easily-but-they/)

[Adam Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-brody/)

> [Shannon and all of us started the band so it just felt really natural, and then she quit, and then she came back, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-wayman/shannon-and-all-of-us-started-the-band-so-it-just-felt-really-natural/)

[Theresa Wayman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-wayman/)

> [That was the special thing about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We didn't want to do music full-time. We weren't looking to get rich, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/that-was-the-special-thing-about-the-carolina-chocolate-drops-we-didn/)

[Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/)

> ['Daydream' brought us to the top of the heap of the indie-college market and recognition by all of our peers; 'Daydream' kind of capped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/daydream-brought-us-to-the-top-of-the-heap-of-the-indie-college/)

[Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/)

> [I spent my life working before I started band. I worked construction, landscaping. I worked in kitchens, cleaned dishes. I worked demolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-cole-smith/i-spent-my-life-working-before-i-started-band-i-worked-construction/)

[Zachary Cole Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-cole-smith/)

## More by Mike Shinoda

> [Dream big, work hard and don't be an asshole!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/dream-big-work-hard-and-don-t-be-an-asshole/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [We learned pretty early on in this band that you can't have snobbery in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/we-learned-pretty-early-on-in-this-band-that-you-can-t-have-snobbery/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I like sneakers. I guess I could call myself a collector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-like-sneakers-i-guess-i-could-call-myself-a-collector/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I feel really lucky to be in a band where the guys, for all the opportunities to do things that potentially would be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-feel-really-lucky-to-be-in-a-band-where-the-guys-for-all-the/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [Who can't relate to the idea of leaving one chapter behind and moving on to the next?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/who-can-t-relate-to-the-idea-of-leaving-one-chapter-behind-and-moving/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [This is ten percent luck, Twenty percent skill, Fifteen percent power of will, Five percent pleasure, Fifty percent pain, and a hundred percent reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/this-is-ten-percent-luck-twenty-percent-skill-fifteen-percent-power/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [My parents still treat Christmas like I'm thirteen years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/my-parents-still-treat-christmas-like-i-m-thirteen-years-old/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I spent ten years playing classical piano, and that was what led to keyboards and eventually to production and to Linkin Park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-spent-ten-years-playing-classical-piano-and-that-was-what-led-to/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [Most of the musicians that I know almost to the man everybody uses Apple computers. They've thought of the steps that you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/most-of-the-musicians-that-i-know-almost-to-the-man-everybody-uses/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I got over being embarrassed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-got-over-being-embarrassed/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [For me, I feel like, if the right movie comes along, I'd do it again. It's not about the budget. It's about whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/for-me-i-feel-like-if-the-right-movie-comes-along-i-d-do-it-again-it/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I liked the piano. I always liked playing. I just hated homework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-liked-the-piano-i-always-liked-playing-i-just-hated-homework/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [When I was in high school, if my favorite band got too popular, I'd watch carefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/when-i-was-in-high-school-if-my-favorite-band-got-too-popular-i-d/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I'd rather get up early and go out and do something than stay up late and screw up my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-d-rather-get-up-early-and-go-out-and-do-something-than-stay-up-late/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

> [I have a toothbrush, my toothbrush is sexy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-have-a-toothbrush-my-toothbrush-is-sexy/)

[Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

[Explore all 45 Mike Shinoda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/)

## 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 we started the band, it was because we were waiting for a sound that never happened. We got tired of waiting, and we decided to just do it ourselves.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mike Shinoda"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because-we-were-waiting-for-a-sound/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Band"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because-we-were-waiting-for-a-sound/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4c/mike-shinoda-14815_band_when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because_16540.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When we started the band, it was because we were waiting for a sound that never happened. We got tired of…” — Mike Shinoda",
                "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": "Mike Shinoda",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When we started the band, it...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because-we-were-waiting-for-a-sound/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/when-we-started-the-band-it-was-because-we-were-waiting-for-a-sound/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
