--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: High school and college were my punk…" description: "\"High school and college were my punk, formative years. I was playing hardcore, learning to be a musician. In bands, you tour, but you're paid nothing; ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/steve-aoki-12546_band_high-school-and-college-were-my-punk-for_1625283.jpg" --- # High school and college were my punk, formative years. I… ![“High school and college were my punk, formative years. I was playing hardcore, learning to be a musician. In bands, you tour, but you're paid nothing; you're playing to 50 people in a basement, sleeping in a van, and you love it.” quote by Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/steve-aoki-12546_band_high-school-and-college-were-my-punk-for_1625283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/steve-aoki-12546_band_high-school-and-college-were-my-punk-for_1625283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/709/steve-aoki-12546_band_high-school-and-college-were-my-punk-for_1625283.jpg) > “High school and college were my punk, formative years. I was playing hardcore, learning to be a musician. In bands, you tour, but you're paid nothing; you're playing to 50 people in a basement, sleeping in a van, and you love it.” [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on early music years, valuing passion over profit, finding joy in grassroots performances despite hardships. **In simple terms:** Passion outweighs money in early music life. Key Takeaway Embrace the grind for love of art. Themes passion music hardship community Mood energetic nostalgic Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - touring small venues - living on the road - building fanbase - learning resilience Key Concepts DIY ethos artist development subculture Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond money? - How can you balance art and livelihood? A Different Perspective Financial stability can be elusive, limiting sustainability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bands/) [Basement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basement/) [Basements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basements/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-punk-327243/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Formative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formative/) [Formative years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formative-years/) [Hardcore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardcore/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Hardcore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-hardcore-327245/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Punk Formative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-formative-327244/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Sleeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleeping/) [Sleeping in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleeping-in/) [Tour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tour/) [Van](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/van/) [Vans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vans/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I was a DJ in college and had my own punk music-focused show all four years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-besser/i-was-a-dj-in-college-and-had-my-own-punk-music-focused-show-all-four/) [Matt Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-besser/) > [In many ways, I consider those to be my formative years, because when you're in school, you have a distant relationship to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/in-many-ways-i-consider-those-to-be-my-formative-years-because-when/) [Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/) > [They say the music you listen to in your formative years stays with you and leaves an impression for the rest of your life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/they-say-the-music-you-listen-to-in-your-formative-years-stays-with/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [I came up during the formative years of TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-braidwood/i-came-up-during-the-formative-years-of-tv/) [Tom Braidwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-braidwood/) > [Most of my formative years were in Chandigarh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/most-of-my-formative-years-were-in-chandigarh/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [I think you could go back to any filmmaker or musician or artist, and look at what their input was in their formative years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-stanton/i-think-you-could-go-back-to-any-filmmaker-or-musician-or-artist-and/) [Andrew Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-stanton/) > [I don't think I have ever done anything for this age of children before, a pre-school audience. Generally speaking, we don't have vivid memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-don-t-think-i-have-ever-done-anything-for-this-age-of-children/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [My formative years were all about 'Star Wars' - the first three, not the last crap, obviously. I understood 'Star Trek' but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-frost/my-formative-years-were-all-about-star-wars-the-first-three-not-the/) [Nick Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-frost/) > [My dad, who is a heart surgeon, works with many adult patients who did not take good care of their bodies in their formative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-oz/my-dad-who-is-a-heart-surgeon-works-with-many-adult-patients-who-did/) [Daphne Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-oz/) > [I have very fond memories of the '80s; they were very formative years for me. I certainly remember the Cold War. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-have-very-fond-memories-of-the-80s-they-were-very-formative-years/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [When I was growing up, everybody in charge, my parents and teachers, had all survived the war, and they talked about the war like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/when-i-was-growing-up-everybody-in-charge-my-parents-and-teachers-had/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If women's choices - such as taking time off to rear children - make them less productive in the economy, does adolescent boys' behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/if-women-s-choices-such-as-taking-time-off-to-rear-children-make-them/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [I'm an obsessive musical theatre person, so some of the most formative albums for me were, you know, the 'Phantom Of The Opera' soundtrack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-williams/i-m-an-obsessive-musical-theatre-person-so-some-of-the-most-formative/) [Allison Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-williams/) > [The most formative time of our lives are the years between birth and age 21, when we explore who we are and learn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/the-most-formative-time-of-our-lives-are-the-years-between-birth-and/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [“Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would not take the garbage out! She'd scour the pots and scrape the pans, Candy the yams and spice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/sarah-cynthia-sylvia-stout-would-not-take-the-garbage-out-she-d-scour/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) ## More by Steve Aoki > [I never cake someone who doesn't want to be caked - at least, I try not to. Sometimes I miss my target. I'm pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/i-never-cake-someone-who-doesn-t-want-to-be-caked-at-least-i-try-not/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [When I perform, I don’t think about the haters, the Internet trolls, or anyone else. I care about giving the person in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/when-i-perform-i-don-t-think-about-the-haters-the-internet-trolls-or/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [“Remember, you can't engineer genuine. You can only be genuine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/remember-you-can-t-engineer-genuine-you-can-only-be-genuine/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [When I work with artists, I give them a general guideline of what my vision is. Then they're going to speak their minds on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/when-i-work-with-artists-i-give-them-a-general-guideline-of-what-my/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [Im 36, but I still feel like a punk kid with $200 in my savings account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/im-36-but-i-still-feel-like-a-punk-kid-with-200-in-my-savings-account/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [Artists are creating their own genre sound, and other artists are building upon that sound and already creating a huge subculture created around one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/artists-are-creating-their-own-genre-sound-and-other-artists-are/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [I like looking at a future where we're expanding our creativity and brightening our lives. I believe that eventually we'll get to a point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/i-like-looking-at-a-future-where-we-re-expanding-our-creativity-and/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [I'm 36, but I still feel like a punk kid with $200 in my savings account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/i-m-36-but-i-still-feel-like-a-punk-kid-with-200-in-my-savings-account/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [ To come out here and play on Woodstock grounds, first year ever headlining on the main stage there's nothing more iconic. \[Mysteryland\] is one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/to-come-out-here-and-play-on-woodstock-grounds-first-year-ever/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [No matter what I do, I can't help but feel that I'm under a microscope. Some of it is completely silly, and some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/no-matter-what-i-do-i-can-t-help-but-feel-that-i-m-under-a-microscope/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [I feel pretty comfortable in front of a camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/i-feel-pretty-comfortable-in-front-of-a-camera/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [I always tell up-and-coming DJs you have to really love what you do and find that interest to drive you. It requires so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/i-always-tell-up-and-coming-djs-you-have-to-really-love-what-you-do/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [There's a big gaping hole in the EDM space for songwriting. It's one thing to learn how to be a great sound designer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/there-s-a-big-gaping-hole-in-the-edm-space-for-songwriting-it-s-one/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [The ephemeral part of this work is that in music production, the sounds evolve so much faster than it used to, which means that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/the-ephemeral-part-of-this-work-is-that-in-music-production-the/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [My first job was working at Benihana as kitchen help. In college, I was a telemarketer for a company at the same time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/my-first-job-was-working-at-benihana-as-kitchen-help-in-college-i-was/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) [Explore all 54 Steve Aoki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) ## 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": "High school and college were my punk, formative years. I was playing hardcore, learning to be a musician. 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