--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn…" description: "\"Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn band is deeply schooled in music. I'm the only one who's self-taught, which I think is a bit hilarious because I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/nicholas-thorburn-28337_band_everybody-now-who-s-playing-in-unicorn-b_12961.jpg" --- # Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn band is deeply… ![“Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn band is deeply schooled in music. I'm the only one who's self-taught, which I think is a bit hilarious because I'm leading the band and writing the songs, but I'm surrounded by such overwhelmingly competent musicians.” quote by Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/nicholas-thorburn-28337_band_everybody-now-who-s-playing-in-unicorn-b_12961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/nicholas-thorburn-28337_band_everybody-now-who-s-playing-in-unicorn-b_12961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/nicholas-thorburn-28337_band_everybody-now-who-s-playing-in-unicorn-b_12961.jpg) > “Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn band is deeply schooled in music. I'm the only one who's self-taught, which I think is a bit hilarious because I'm leading the band and writing the songs, but I'm surrounded by such overwhelmingly competent musicians.” [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A self-taught leader feels out of place among formally trained peers, highlighting the contrast between innate creativity and institutional expertise. **In simple terms:** Self-taught leadership amid formal expertise Key Takeaway Nontraditional skill can coexist with formal mastery Themes creativity leadership education music confidence Mood amused confident reflective Type personal anecdote humorous observation When to use this quote - leading a creative project with formally trained team - collaborating with experts while lacking formal credentials - navigating humor in perceived inadequacy Key Concepts self-teaching band dynamics skill disparity Practical Applications - leveraging unique perspective to drive innovation - building credibility through results rather than credentials Questions to Reflect On - How does informal learning shape leadership style? - What value does diverse training bring to a team? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unicorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unicorn/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've never really been schooled in music theory. I'm a guitar player, and I attack the guitar in a certain way that it not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-borland/i-ve-never-really-been-schooled-in-music-theory-i-m-a-guitar-player/) [Wes Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-borland/) > [I have to say, music was always my self preservation survival technique. This sort of sacred space in my life and in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-have-to-say-music-was-always-my-self-preservation-survival/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Music is about self-expression and representing the times, and I think fashion is the same. It took me a long time to find my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-sumner/music-is-about-self-expression-and-representing-the-times-and-i-think/) [Eliot Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-sumner/) > [My creativeness stems from my love of music. Music is pure emotion. Music is the infinity sign. Music is self-expression in its purest form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordae/my-creativeness-stems-from-my-love-of-music-music-is-pure-emotion/) [Cordae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordae/) > [It's not the music its self that makes me cry, it's the memory behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-the-music-its-self-that-makes-me-cry-it-s-the-memory-behind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Making music is so much more self-motivated. It's my own music. It's my own time. I don't have a team around me that's helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-kirke/making-music-is-so-much-more-self-motivated-it-s-my-own-music-it-s-my/) [Lola Kirke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-kirke/) > [A lot of my music is about self-discovery because I focus on my teenage years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/a-lot-of-my-music-is-about-self-discovery-because-i-focus-on-my/) [Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/) > [I can't write or read music. I am self-taught and never learned formally. It can be a curse sometimes but I think it's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/einar-selvik/i-can-t-write-or-read-music-i-am-self-taught-and-never-learned/) [Einar Selvik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/einar-selvik/) > [For instance, our music, They Might Be Giants, has this element of humor, which is probably the most uptight part of what we include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/for-instance-our-music-they-might-be-giants-has-this-element-of-humor/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [You wash your hands when you shake a bunch of hands. You have to wash your energy when you're around people. It's hard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/you-wash-your-hands-when-you-shake-a-bunch-of-hands-you-have-to-wash/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [Music is a self-propelling thing. You can not rely on anybody but yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vincent-mcmorrow/music-is-a-self-propelling-thing-you-can-not-rely-on-anybody-but/) [James Vincent McMorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vincent-mcmorrow/) > [Just as my fingers on these keys make music, so the self-same sounds on my spirit make a music too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/just-as-my-fingers-on-these-keys-make-music-so-the-self-same-sounds/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [I studied computer science and graphic design, yeah, so music was self-taught and a backburner thing, an obsessive hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tycho/i-studied-computer-science-and-graphic-design-yeah-so-music-was-self/) [Tycho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tycho/) > [There's a thin line between interesting music and self-indulgence. We crossed it on the Passengers record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mullen-jr/there-s-a-thin-line-between-interesting-music-and-self-indulgence-we/) [Larry Mullen, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mullen-jr/) > [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/) [Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/) ## More by Nicholas Thorburn > [You're forced to step into that performer role. I can't just hide behind a synthesizer forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/you-re-forced-to-step-into-that-performer-role-i-can-t-just-hide/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I can tell what inspired the songs for me, or what I was thinking and feeling at the time. But I don't want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-can-tell-what-inspired-the-songs-for-me-or-what-i-was-thinking-and/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I wrote a cheesy love song - called "Tender Torture". I guess it's more of a song about being away from someone that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-wrote-a-cheesy-love-song-called-tender-torture-i-guess-it-s-more-of/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [You know what I think the guy who reviewed the live show for Pitchfork suffers from? Shy/asshole confusion. I'm not an asshole. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/you-know-what-i-think-the-guy-who-reviewed-the-live-show-for/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I really do just try to tune as much out as I can and make things that I think just sound good to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-really-do-just-try-to-tune-as-much-out-as-i-can-and-make-things/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I'll acknowledge that I'm from Canada but I don't think I'll acknowledge that I'm Canadian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-ll-acknowledge-that-i-m-from-canada-but-i-don-t-think-i-ll/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [It's always something that interests me, crafting a really perfect pop gem, but it's not a lifelong obsession. I've kind of moved beyond it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/it-s-always-something-that-interests-me-crafting-a-really-perfect-pop/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [When people all wear the same thing, people notice. They aren't stupid. People don't go, "Oh, you can see right through them!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/when-people-all-wear-the-same-thing-people-notice-they-aren-t-stupid/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I've always got songs ready to go. It's not a challenge to conjure anything, it's just whether the music I supply is desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-ve-always-got-songs-ready-to-go-it-s-not-a-challenge-to-conjure/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [It is a game you have to play. You have to tour your ass off. It's just always "where am I now" versus "where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/it-is-a-game-you-have-to-play-you-have-to-tour-your-ass-off-it-s-just/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I'm totally open to outside opinions and criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-m-totally-open-to-outside-opinions-and-criticism/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I operate in such a vacuum. I write by myself, it's a very solitary experience, and I'm not used to, I've never had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-operate-in-such-a-vacuum-i-write-by-myself-it-s-a-very-solitary/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I don't want to over think anything because the second I do, I start to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-don-t-want-to-over-think-anything-because-the-second-i-do-i-start/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > ["Jogging Gorgeous Summer" song was inspired by a general feeling of sunshine, feeling good, sitting in the backseat of a car and hearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/jogging-gorgeous-summer-song-was-inspired-by-a-general-feeling-of/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) > [I've learned a lot about how to be in a band. It's like being in a marriage to these people. Because there's so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-thorburn/i-ve-learned-a-lot-about-how-to-be-in-a-band-it-s-like-being-in-a/) [Nicholas Thorburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) [Explore all 19 Nicholas Thorburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-thorburn/) ## 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": "Everybody now who's playing in Unicorn band is deeply schooled in music. 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