--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing live is much more natural for me…" description: "\"Playing live is much more natural for me. The instant reaction and the feedback from the audience is great for me. I really relish it. And if you play ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/rory-gallagher-12913_blues_playing-live-is-much-more-natural-for-me_2896952.jpg" --- # Playing live is much more natural for me. The instant… ![“Playing live is much more natural for me. The instant reaction and the feedback from the audience is great for me. I really relish it. And if you play blues-based music, it's not really academic music or recital music. It really needs a bit of atmosphere and a bit of interplay and a bit of…” quote by Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/rory-gallagher-12913_blues_playing-live-is-much-more-natural-for-me_2896952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/rory-gallagher-12913_blues_playing-live-is-much-more-natural-for-me_2896952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/rory-gallagher-12913_blues_playing-live-is-much-more-natural-for-me_2896952.jpg) > “Playing live is much more natural for me. The instant reaction and the feedback from the audience is great for me. I really relish it. And if you play blues-based music, it's not really academic music or recital music. It really needs a bit of atmosphere and a bit of interplay and a bit of roughness, and you really get that with an audience.” [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He enjoys live blues performance for its spontaneity and audience interaction, contrasting it with academic music. **In simple terms:** Live blues feels raw, interactive, unlike formal recitals. Key Takeaway Value authentic, audience‑driven music. Themes live performance blues authenticity audience interaction Mood energetic passionate Type music performance When to use this quote - concerts - musical improvisation - performance art Key Concepts spontaneity musical atmosphere Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for spontaneity? - What role does audience feedback play? A Different Perspective Live settings can be unpredictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I kept playing blues-based music all during the 1980s, and it was tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-kept-playing-blues-based-music-all-during-the-1980s-and-it-was-tough/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [You could play the blues like it was a lonesome thing - it was a feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edwards/you-could-play-the-blues-like-it-was-a-lonesome-thing-it-was-a-feeling/) [David Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edwards/) > [I still like to play the blues more than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/i-still-like-to-play-the-blues-more-than-anything-else/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [If you can play the blues, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/if-you-can-play-the-blues-you-can-do-anything/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [When I picked up my guitar, I spent the first day learning the chord E, the second day A, then B7, and all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/when-i-picked-up-my-guitar-i-spent-the-first-day-learning-the-chord-e/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [The way Will Moore taught me, and the way I play it, the blues is just something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hooker/the-way-will-moore-taught-me-and-the-way-i-play-it-the-blues-is-just/) [John Lee Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hooker/) > [I think that as you get older, you mellow out a lot more. Having been through the ups and downs in life, I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-ralphs/i-think-that-as-you-get-older-you-mellow-out-a-lot-more-having-been/) [Mick Ralphs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-ralphs/) > [Before I left, I opened a lot of doors for a lot of people to play the blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-allison/before-i-left-i-opened-a-lot-of-doors-for-a-lot-of-people-to-play-the/) [Luther Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-allison/) > [I used to play too with a boy who played a saxophone. We didn't play no blues, we'd play a lot of love songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edwards/i-used-to-play-too-with-a-boy-who-played-a-saxophone-we-didn-t-play/) [David Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edwards/) > [For a while I had a blues band in L.A., but I realized I was too optimistic to play the blues. I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/for-a-while-i-had-a-blues-band-in-l-a-but-i-realized-i-was-too/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [There was a rumour that I was buying Gibson. It circulated around the Internet... And I just go, 'How well off do you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/there-was-a-rumour-that-i-was-buying-gibson-it-circulated-around-the/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [I don't even think whether I play the blues or not, I just play whatever feels right at the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/i-don-t-even-think-whether-i-play-the-blues-or-not-i-just-play/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [If you can't play the Blues you might as well hang it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-gordon/if-you-can-t-play-the-blues-you-might-as-well-hang-it-up/) [Dexter Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-gordon/) > [I just play blues for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howlin-wolf/i-just-play-blues-for-fun/) [Howlin' Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howlin-wolf/) > [My father's rich, my momma's good looking. Right? And I can play the Blues. I've never suffered and don't intend to suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/my-father-s-rich-my-momma-s-good-looking-right-and-i-can-play-the/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) ## More by Rory Gallagher > [One thing I really hate about people who play both acoustic and electric is if they try to play electric style on an acoustic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/one-thing-i-really-hate-about-people-who-play-both-acoustic-and/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Touring doesn't have to be a harried, cliched way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/touring-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-harried-cliched-way-of-life/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [There was nobody in the city I came from - Cork, Ireland - that I could link up with to teach me the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/there-was-nobody-in-the-city-i-came-from-cork-ireland-that-i-could/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Basically, I like anything with guts - Lead Belly, Bill Big Broonzy, Johnny Winter, the Stones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/basically-i-like-anything-with-guts-lead-belly-bill-big-broonzy/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [It's dangerous not to tour, because people assume you've faded away, or have no interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/it-s-dangerous-not-to-tour-because-people-assume-you-ve-faded-away-or/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-heard-leadbelly-and-big-bill/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [One of the things that was crucial for me I got from Rory Gallagher, which was the idea of, like, being a guitar player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/one-of-the-things-that-was-crucial-for-me-i-got-from-rory-gallagher/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I could bear being in the charts and being on everyone's car radio 10 times a day. I'm just terrified of... a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-could-bear-being-in-the-charts-and-being-on-everyone-s-car-radio-10/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I'm a great listener - I play records all the time at home. And I play guitar as a hobby. So inspiration has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-m-a-great-listener-i-play-records-all-the-time-at-home-and-i-play/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I think that I set such high standards for myself that sometimes I expect other people to live up to these standards, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-think-that-i-set-such-high-standards-for-myself-that-sometimes-i/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Playing live is my natural element. It's too hard to relax in the studio because there are too many options. It's just not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/playing-live-is-my-natural-element-it-s-too-hard-to-relax-in-the/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Obviously, I would like to play to bigger audiences and have a bit more success, but not if I have to commercialize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/obviously-i-would-like-to-play-to-bigger-audiences-and-have-a-bit/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [As a kid, I loved any guitarists, whether it was Elvis Presley, Lonnie Donegan, Chuck Berry or even the cowboy guitarists like Gene Autry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/as-a-kid-i-loved-any-guitarists-whether-it-was-elvis-presley-lonnie/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [My favorite lineup is just a trio, because then every night you can improvise and change the repertoire. Keyboards and brass can be great,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/my-favorite-lineup-is-just-a-trio-because-then-every-night-you-can/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Basically, I try to treat the electric guitar like an acoustic guitar. What you have to do is attack the instrument and know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/basically-i-try-to-treat-the-electric-guitar-like-an-acoustic-guitar/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) [Explore all 52 Rory Gallagher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) ## More Blues quotes > [If they played more blues, people would just get it - they try to hold it back but just about can't hold it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hooker/if-they-played-more-blues-people-would-just-get-it-they-try-to-hold/) [John Lee Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hooker/) > [I love Las Vegas, but I never get a chance to play a club like the House of Blues. I guess we've graduated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/i-love-las-vegas-but-i-never-get-a-chance-to-play-a-club-like-the/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [I guess what I like is mostly country & western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I'm a rock/blues guitar player. I'm not wanting to be a pop star or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orianthi/i-m-a-rock-blues-guitar-player-i-m-not-wanting-to-be-a-pop-star-or/) [Orianthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orianthi/) > [An element I love about the blues is jamming with other musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hoey/an-element-i-love-about-the-blues-is-jamming-with-other-musicians/) [Gary Hoey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hoey/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [Since I was a kid, I've had an absolute obsession with particular kinds of American music. Mississippi Delta blues of the Thirties, Chicago blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-had-an-absolute-obsession-with-particular/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [James Cotton is a real blues guy, and he played with Muddy Waters, and it surprised me that they would want me to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/james-cotton-is-a-real-blues-guy-and-he-played-with-muddy-waters-and/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [When I discovered blues - I was 12-years-old - I didn't discover it in America where it was from; I discovered it from Fleetwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/when-i-discovered-blues-i-was-12-years-old-i-didn-t-discover-it-in/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [Elvis deserves a lot of credit for bringing the blues to middle America, not the Vegas stuff. The early stuff, The Sun records, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tork/elvis-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-for-bringing-the-blues-to-middle/) [Peter Tork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tork/) > [Old-school rock bands, and blues bands, too, are kind of a dying breed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/old-school-rock-bands-and-blues-bands-too-are-kind-of-a-dying-breed/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-cropper/my-favorite-moment-of-the-whole-thing-was-when-john-belushi-suggested/) [Steve Cropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-cropper/) > [I listened to King Oliver and I listened to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp... I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-listened-to-king-oliver-and-i-listened-to-louis-armstrong-jelly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) [Browse all 1,026 Blues quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Playing live is much more natural for me. The instant reaction and the feedback from the audience is great for me. I really relish it. And if you play blues-based music, it's not really academic music or recital music. 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