--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every cool riff has already been written…" description: "\"Every cool riff has already been written by Black Sabbath. You're either playing it faster or slower or backwards, but they wrote it first.\" — Rob Zombie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/rob-zombie-2937_backwards_every-cool-riff-has-already-been-written_1565071.png" --- # Every cool riff has already been written by Black Sabbath… ![“Every cool riff has already been written by Black Sabbath. You're either playing it faster or slower or backwards, but they wrote it first.” quote by Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/rob-zombie-2937_backwards_every-cool-riff-has-already-been-written_1565071.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/rob-zombie-2937_backwards_every-cool-riff-has-already-been-written_1565071.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/rob-zombie-2937_backwards_every-cool-riff-has-already-been-written_1565071.png) > “Every cool riff has already been written by Black Sabbath. You're either playing it faster or slower or backwards, but they wrote it first.” [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All rock riffs trace back to earlier works; originality often lies in reinterpretation, not invention. **In simple terms:** Music builds on past ideas, not just new ones. Key Takeaway Explore and remix existing material creatively. Themes creativity originality music history Mood thoughtful nostalgic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - cover bands - DJ mixes - film scores Key Concepts intellectual property cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - What makes a remix feel fresh? - How do you balance homage and innovation? A Different Perspective Risk of plagiarism accusations if too similar. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sabbath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sabbath/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [In the early days, you would get skinheads, the Eagles and Black Sabbath playing the same show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/in-the-early-days-you-would-get-skinheads-the-eagles-and-black/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Everybody knows that Black Sabbath started everything and almost every single thing that people are playing today has already been done by Black Sabbath.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/everybody-knows-that-black-sabbath-started-everything-and-almost/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Riff-raff, street rat. I don't buy that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aladdin/riff-raff-street-rat-i-don-t-buy-that/) [Aladdin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aladdin/) > [Excuse me while I light my spliff, Good God I gotta take a lift, From reality I just cant drift, That's why I'm staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/excuse-me-while-i-light-my-spliff-good-god-i-gotta-take-a-lift-from/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [I like to decide the night before Thanksgiving that I'm gonna do it, and I'll see what riff raff is around. Then I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-like-to-decide-the-night-before-thanksgiving-that-i-m-gonna-do-it/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Songs are out there - they're waiting to be grabbed. I start with a phrase, musical and lyrical, words like 'I don't think so'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-wood/songs-are-out-there-they-re-waiting-to-be-grabbed-i-start-with-a/) [Ronnie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-wood/) > ['I'm Broken' was a sound check riff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/i-m-broken-was-a-sound-check-riff/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) > [I think often times if a guitar riff is centered around the chorus or if it follows the chorus, then it often times turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-often-times-if-a-guitar-riff-is-centered-around-the-chorus-or/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [“Sometimes, sometimes you find a riff that fits so comfortably, you wish it would go on forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fox-benwell/sometimes-sometimes-you-find-a-riff-that-fits-so-comfortably-you-wish/) [Fox Benwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fox-benwell/) > [There's such a huge difference between a great arrangement of riffs and a song. Sometimes the two can be the same. But the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-such-a-huge-difference-between-a-great-arrangement-of-riffs/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [A riff can take on the aspect of a chorus in a listener's psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/a-riff-can-take-on-the-aspect-of-a-chorus-in-a-listener-s-psyche/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I got really hooked on this riff in the middle of this song called 'Minor Miracles' by my friend Eric Johnson from Fruit Bats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-got-really-hooked-on-this-riff-in-the-middle-of-this-song-called/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [I like old-school, riff-driven, hard rock music with big hooks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/i-like-old-school-riff-driven-hard-rock-music-with-big-hooks/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [When I write a song, it's all about the riff - the riff first, then the words come later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/when-i-write-a-song-it-s-all-about-the-riff-the-riff-first-then-the/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) ## More by Rob Zombie > [I can picture certain things in my mind, while writing the script, but then I can also tell that everyone else might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-can-picture-certain-things-in-my-mind-while-writing-the-script-but/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [White Zombie was a bunch of kids with the worst equipment playing in a basement. But that is what is so great about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/white-zombie-was-a-bunch-of-kids-with-the-worst-equipment-playing-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [I'm never aiming to make a movie like someone else's movie, but in order to describe a movie to someone else who hasn't seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-m-never-aiming-to-make-a-movie-like-someone-else-s-movie-but-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [There are always tons of names on a movie of people that didn't actually do anything on that film. I feel bad for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/there-are-always-tons-of-names-on-a-movie-of-people-that-didn-t/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [“How can I love when you're so cheap?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/how-can-i-love-when-you-re-so-cheap/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [My advice: Don't quit. When I got to New York City, I lived so far below the poverty line, because I didn't give in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/my-advice-don-t-quit-when-i-got-to-new-york-city-i-lived-so-far-below/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat. Tender is the fur, dying as you purr.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/dead-i-am-the-rat-feast-upon-the-cat-tender-is-the-fur-dying-as-you/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Short answers seem like you don't care even if you are trying to answer. I get the same flack for my short texting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/short-answers-seem-like-you-don-t-care-even-if-you-are-trying-to/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [She who looks back, and she looks away, She internalizes the motion wave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/she-who-looks-back-and-she-looks-away-she-internalizes-the-motion-wave/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [It's lifestyle music. It's not like some secretary who likes some pop song, but can't name who the band is; whereas a heavy metal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/it-s-lifestyle-music-it-s-not-like-some-secretary-who-likes-some-pop/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [A lot of times the best trailers are for complete dogshit movies. It's a shame that people are beyond quick to judge things these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/a-lot-of-times-the-best-trailers-are-for-complete-dogshit-movies-it-s/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Probably the biggest thing that surprises people is that I am obsessed with hockey. I grew up in the Boston area so I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/probably-the-biggest-thing-that-surprises-people-is-that-i-am/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [I find making trailers really frustrating, because sometimes the worst trailers are for the best movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-find-making-trailers-really-frustrating-because-sometimes-the-worst/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Just getting movies made is difficult because it takes a lot of money; I mean, it costs more money to make one movie than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/just-getting-movies-made-is-difficult-because-it-takes-a-lot-of-money/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [I'm definitely of the mindset of "I wouldn't want to be part of any group that would have me as a member."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-m-definitely-of-the-mindset-of-i-wouldn-t-want-to-be-part-of-any/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) [Explore all 144 Rob Zombie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every cool riff has already been written by Black Sabbath. 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