--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided early on that I wanted to be…" description: "\"I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton - not George Harrison.\" — Todd Rundgren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg" --- # I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield… ![“I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton - not George Harrison.” quote by Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg) > “I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton - not George Harrison.” [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He chose role models whose musical style aligned with his aspirations, emphasizing personal artistic direction over mainstream fame. **In simple terms:** Choosing role models shapes personal artistic goals. Key Takeaway Select role models that match your vision. Themes identity inspiration music career choice Mood motivational determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - music education - creative mentorship Key Concepts self‑determination artistic influence personal branding Questions to Reflect On - Who inspires you to be authentic? - How do you balance influence and originality? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on idols can limit original expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clapton/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever I hear my playing, I can't detach from my influences: there's my Jeff Beck, there's the Clapton bit, the Eric Johnson bit, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/whenever-i-hear-my-playing-i-can-t-detach-from-my-influences-there-s/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [When I got out of high school, I was in a blues band. It was the kind of music I was interested in, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/when-i-got-out-of-high-school-i-was-in-a-blues-band-it-was-the-kind/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [My guitar heroes are Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck and people like that - so I've tried to make an album of Robert Johnson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/my-guitar-heroes-are-eric-clapton-and-jeff-beck-and-people-like-that/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [... Michael Bloomfield was the antithesis of a collector ... he didn't care how old a guitar was; all he wanted was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gravenites/michael-bloomfield-was-the-antithesis-of-a-collector-he-didn-t-care/) Nick Gravenites > [Michael Bloomfield came in after rock n roll started, and he was a great guitarist. He idolized me - I know that. What else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/michael-bloomfield-came-in-after-rock-n-roll-started-and-he-was-a/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [Punk was sort of an angry stance against things that had happened just before, against the pop of glam rock, against progressive rock. Music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/punk-was-sort-of-an-angry-stance-against-things-that-had-happened/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I love Eric Clapton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-love-eric-clapton/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I just wonder where I was when the talent was being given out, like George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Eric Clapton... oh, there's many more!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-just-wonder-where-i-was-when-the-talent-was-being-given-out-like/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [I tended to lean towards the guys who both sang and played, such as Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Steve Wariner... And at the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/i-tended-to-lean-towards-the-guys-who-both-sang-and-played-such-as/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [For my 23rd birthday, I received a nylon string guitar. I told myself that if I could play Eric Clapton's 'Tears In Heaven,' then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-jackson/for-my-23rd-birthday-i-received-a-nylon-string-guitar-i-told-myself/) [Neil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-jackson/) > [First concert I ever went to was a group called The Yardbirds. Eric Clapton is the lead guitarist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-barber/first-concert-i-ever-went-to-was-a-group-called-the-yardbirds-eric/) [Ron Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-barber/) > [I know he played on the last record but I don't wake up in the middle of the night thinking of Eric Clapton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-bruce/i-know-he-played-on-the-last-record-but-i-don-t-wake-up-in-the-middle/) [Jack Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-bruce/) > [As a young man with most of my life ahead of me, I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/as-a-young-man-with-most-of-my-life-ahead-of-me-i-decided-early-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I had decided early on that if I couldn’t dress elegant, I’d dress memorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-had-decided-early-on-that-if-i-couldn-t-dress-elegant-i-d-dress/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-decided-very-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-reporter-that-i-would/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) ## More by Todd Rundgren > [I suppose people also have to be a little more careful or circumspect if they're going to leverage their celebrity to promote their political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-suppose-people-also-have-to-be-a-little-more-careful-or-circumspect/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [It's the only way that YOUR life is gonna have any value to you. If you're just living the same life that everybody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/it-s-the-only-way-that-your-life-is-gonna-have-any-value-to-you-if/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [Once I go on stage, the atmosphere is totally theatrical. The greater the illusion, the greater the intensity of the excitement it creates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/once-i-go-on-stage-the-atmosphere-is-totally-theatrical-the-greater/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [I know that I could make this world peaceful and calm, if I only could get my hands on a hydrogen bomb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-know-that-i-could-make-this-world-peaceful-and-calm-if-i-only-could/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [The Toddstock thing is the closest thing, I have to say, a Grateful Dead sort of thing where it all lapses over from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/the-toddstock-thing-is-the-closest-thing-i-have-to-say-a-grateful/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [By the time my first solo record came out, I was making a handsome living as a record producer. I had worked with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/by-the-time-my-first-solo-record-came-out-i-was-making-a-handsome/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [Music gets recorded usually in one format, and when you have to take it out and perform it there are other applications and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/music-gets-recorded-usually-in-one-format-and-when-you-have-to-take/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [Singles needed to come back. And what I tried to do in my online experiment was to change the rules for myself and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/singles-needed-to-come-back-and-what-i-tried-to-do-in-my-online/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [As much as I'd like to be listening to other things, I can't do that until I get all of this sort of put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/as-much-as-i-d-like-to-be-listening-to-other-things-i-can-t-do-that/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [It may not necessarily reflect my current frame of mind. Sometimes I have to put myself at the point in time of the voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/it-may-not-necessarily-reflect-my-current-frame-of-mind-sometimes-i/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [When the Beatles first came out, you had to go to a certain amount of trouble to have long hair. You just couldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/when-the-beatles-first-came-out-you-had-to-go-to-a-certain-amount-of/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [People have always said that I could have been a highly successful pop artist, if only that were my intention. It never was. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/people-have-always-said-that-i-could-have-been-a-highly-successful/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [When I got out of high school, I joined a local blues band in Philadelphia - Woody's Truck Stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/when-i-got-out-of-high-school-i-joined-a-local-blues-band-in/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [I'm a guitar player, really - I mean, first and foremost - I grew up with all that great 1960s music, in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-m-a-guitar-player-really-i-mean-first-and-foremost-i-grew-up-with/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [The ultimate crime is not to care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/the-ultimate-crime-is-not-to-care/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) [Explore all 131 Todd Rundgren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) ## More Beck quotes > [Simon had been all lined up and he’d managed to throw away the best girl he’d ever meet. “What a dumbass,” Beck muttered. “No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-oliver/simon-had-been-all-lined-up-and-he-d-managed-to-throw-away-the-best/) [Jana Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-oliver/) > [Beck is obviously a consummate musician. He plays instruments, many instruments. He can make his own record without having a fleet of computer operators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/beck-is-obviously-a-consummate-musician-he-plays-instruments-many/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Ya hafta be there for Beck. He only has you." Riley sighed. "I'll get the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-oliver/ya-hafta-be-there-for-beck-he-only-has-you-riley-sighed-i-ll-get-the/) [Jana Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-oliver/) > [ I didn't get a chance to meet Glen \[Beck\] for this movie. I did meet him a few years ago, coincidentally, before any of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-didn-t-get-a-chance-to-meet-glen-beck-for-this-movie-i-did-meet-him/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Jeff Beck is probably my favorite and biggest influence on the guitar. Touring with him in 2010 was such a milestone. I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hoey/jeff-beck-is-probably-my-favorite-and-biggest-influence-on-the-guitar/) [Gary Hoey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hoey/) > [I spent a lot of my time, growing up, at the Beck Center. I'd be in plays there, and I'd get there an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/i-spent-a-lot-of-my-time-growing-up-at-the-beck-center-i-d-be-in/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [I'm rarely grabbed by anything the way I was when I was 10 years younger. About the only relatively new artists whose albums I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-egan/i-m-rarely-grabbed-by-anything-the-way-i-was-when-i-was-10-years/) [Greg Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-egan/) > [When God plays guitar he uses Jeff Beck's hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lukather/when-god-plays-guitar-he-uses-jeff-beck-s-hands/) [Steve Lukather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lukather/) > [My personal favourite is Jeff Beck. All the others are wonderful as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-redding/my-personal-favourite-is-jeff-beck-all-the-others-are-wonderful-as/) [Noel Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-redding/) > [“That night, I fell into a deep, travel-weary sleep, lulled by the familiar sound of the waterfall beyond the window. I dreamed of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/that-night-i-fell-into-a-deep-travel-weary-sleep-lulled-by-the/) [Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/) > [We should be happy. We should be enjoying that there is all this bounty. Somebody can take an iPod and have all the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-stock/we-should-be-happy-we-should-be-enjoying-that-there-is-all-this/) [Gregory Stock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-stock/) > [On August 28, 2010, Fox News messiah Glenn Beck hosted a 'Restoring Honor' revival meeting featuring sexy guest star Sarah Palin, much as Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/on-august-28-2010-fox-news-messiah-glenn-beck-hosted-a-restoring/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Every time I listen to Jeff Beck my whole view of guitar changes radically. He's way, way out, doing things you never expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/every-time-i-listen-to-jeff-beck-my-whole-view-of-guitar-changes/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [When we toured... I was hungry to take out people like Jeff Beck in front of us; Fleetwood Mac, just before they hit; Heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kantner/when-we-toured-i-was-hungry-to-take-out-people-like-jeff-beck-in/) [Paul Kantner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kantner/) > [“When Beck finally comes out of the office for dinner, he takes one look at me, and I know he sees the change, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-sloan/when-beck-finally-comes-out-of-the-office-for-dinner-he-takes-one/) [Harper Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-sloan/) Browse all 100 Beck quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton - not George Harrison.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Todd Rundgren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-michael-bloomfield-jeff-beck/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beck" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-michael-bloomfield-jeff-beck/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/todd-rundgren-3427_beck_i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-m_3118246.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I decided early on that I wanted to be Michael Bloomfield, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton - not George Harrison.” — Todd Rundgren", "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": "Todd Rundgren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I decided early on that I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-michael-bloomfield-jeff-beck/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-decided-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-be-michael-bloomfield-jeff-beck/#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 } } ] } ```