---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've always said that our band is pretty…"
description: "\"We've always said that our band is pretty much an open system and there's no rules governing anything... so who knows what the future will hold?\" — Ros..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg"
---

#  We've always said that our band is pretty much an open…

![“We've always said that our band is pretty much an open system and there's no rules governing anything... so who knows what the future will hold?” quote by Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg)

> “We've always said that our band is pretty much an open system and there's no rules governing anything... so who knows what the future will hold?”

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

## About This Quote

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

An open, rule‑free creative environment invites uncertainty but also endless possibilities for evolution.

**In simple terms:** Free collaboration leads to unknown futures.

Key Takeaway

Foster open, adaptable teamwork.

Themes

creativity collaboration uncertainty

Mood

optimistic experimental

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- band rehearsals
- startup brainstorming
- improvisational performance

Key Concepts

systems theory emergent behavior artistic freedom

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance freedom with direction?
- What safeguards prevent stagnation?

A Different Perspective

Lack of structure can cause chaos or indecision.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Governing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Knows Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-future-539480/) [Open Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-rules-2722135/) [Rules Governing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-governing-2644681/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“Equality was thus conceived in terms of the relative position of individuals, the rules governing their interactions,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-rosanvallon/equality-was-thus-conceived-in-terms-of-the-relative-position-of/)

[Pierre Rosanvallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-rosanvallon/)

> [Ministers must not be able to set rules governing solicitors on a whim, to suit their own requirements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-martin/ministers-must-not-be-able-to-set-rules-governing-solicitors-on-a/)

[Kevin Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-martin/)

> [We are forced to participate in the games of life before we can possibly learn how to use the options in the rules governing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-are-forced-to-participate-in-the-games-of-life-before-we-can/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [There is nothing God doesn't know about your life. You may know the past and present, but God also knows the future. Choose today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/there-is-nothing-god-doesn-t-know-about-your-life-you-may-know-the/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [Who knows what the future holds? It's all on parenting, one way or another. I don't care what level it is, it comes back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/who-knows-what-the-future-holds-it-s-all-on-parenting-one-way-or/)

[Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/)

> [God alone knows the future, but only an historian can alter the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/god-alone-knows-the-future-but-only-an-historian-can-alter-the-past/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [It is not wise to neglect the present for the future, for who knows what the future will be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/it-is-not-wise-to-neglect-the-present-for-the-future-for-who-knows/)

[H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/)

> [Life is short, sooner or later everybody will die too. No one knows what the future may brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-short-sooner-or-later-everybody-will-die-too-no-one-knows/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Nobody knows what the future is except for wizards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/nobody-knows-what-the-future-is-except-for-wizards/)

[Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/)

> [Nobody knows what the future holds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/nobody-knows-what-the-future-holds/)

[Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/)

> [If God is all knowing and he knows our future, then how is that free will?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-god-is-all-knowing-and-he-knows-our-future-then-how-is-that-free/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Who knows what the future holds but I think I'll always be that dude that can run hooks, and do hooks for other artists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonreal/who-knows-what-the-future-holds-but-i-think-i-ll-always-be-that-dude/)

[SonReal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonreal/)

> [Who knows what the future holds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/who-knows-what-the-future-holds/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Since God knows our future, our personalities, and our capacity to listen, He isn't ever going to say more to us than we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/since-god-knows-our-future-our-personalities-and-our-capacity-to/)

[Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/)

> [God knows the future, you don't. So stop worrying and make wise decisions. Trust him with the results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-knows-the-future-you-don-t-so-stop-worrying-and-make-wise/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Rostam Batmanglij

> [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [I tend to use different microphones, different mic techniques, and different recording mediums - like analogue tape - that evoke multiple eras of recorded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-tend-to-use-different-microphones-different-mic-techniques-and/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [I think the music that speaks to me the most is music that is personal. And that's the music that I'm trying to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-think-the-music-that-speaks-to-me-the-most-is-music-that-is/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [I've always been very good at helping other people finish their songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-ve-always-been-very-good-at-helping-other-people-finish-their-songs/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [The most exciting songs to me are the unlikely hits, when you think, 'I love this, but why is it on the radio?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/the-most-exciting-songs-to-me-are-the-unlikely-hits-when-you-think-i/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [Even though I've been making electronic music since I was 14, it's hard for people to see you as a producer with a musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/even-though-i-ve-been-making-electronic-music-since-i-was-14-it-s/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [It's always my mission to try to do something that hasn't been done before, whether that's musically, lyrically or in terms of mixing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/it-s-always-my-mission-to-try-to-do-something-that-hasn-t-been-done/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [There's a line in the Arthur Russell documentary where his partner talks about how Arthur is really interested in process. He never felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/there-s-a-line-in-the-arthur-russell-documentary-where-his-partner/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [The first Vampire Weekend record was the first full-length album that I produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/the-first-vampire-weekend-record-was-the-first-full-length-album-that/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [Classical music can be catchy, so can African instrumental guitar music. It's not just pop songs that are catchy. Rhythms can be catchy, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/classical-music-can-be-catchy-so-can-african-instrumental-guitar/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [Because of who I am, and how open I am, there's something inherently political about just writing love songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/because-of-who-i-am-and-how-open-i-am-there-s-something-inherently/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [I've always had a complex relationship towards my identity as an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-ve-always-had-a-complex-relationship-towards-my-identity-as-an/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [When my mom was pregnant with me, my parents moved from France to America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/when-my-mom-was-pregnant-with-me-my-parents-moved-from-france-to/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [You want the personality of each performer - whether it's singing or bass or drums or piano - to be intact. In some ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/you-want-the-personality-of-each-performer-whether-it-s-singing-or/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [I thought it would be interesting to play classical music on rock instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-thought-it-would-be-interesting-to-play-classical-music-on-rock/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

[Explore all 125 Rostam Batmanglij quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

## 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": "We've always said that our band is pretty much an open system and there's no rules governing anything... so who knows what the future will hold?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rostam Batmanglij"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-pretty-much-an-open-system-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Band"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-pretty-much-an-open-system-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/rostam-batmanglij-3648_band_we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-prett_1889732.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We've always said that our band is pretty much an open system and there's no rules governing anything... so…” — Rostam Batmanglij",
                "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": "Rostam Batmanglij",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We've always said that our band...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-pretty-much-an-open-system-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/we-ve-always-said-that-our-band-is-pretty-much-an-open-system-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
