--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got it into my head that I had somewhat…" description: "\"I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the guitar, and then I did a record called 'Arena,' and it was not a particularly bad record - it w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg" --- # I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the… ![“I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the guitar, and then I did a record called 'Arena,' and it was not a particularly bad record - it wasn't a bad record at all, but it was built around a certain concept, which is a guitar quartet, with a little bit of augmentation here and there.” quote by Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg) > “I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the guitar, and then I did a record called 'Arena,' and it was not a particularly bad record - it wasn't a bad record at all, but it was built around a certain concept, which is a guitar quartet, with a little bit of augmentation here and there.” [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. Creative process of revisiting neglected instrument and building concept album. **In simple terms:** Returning to guitar, making a themed record. Key Takeaway Embrace past passions for new work. Themes creativity musical exploration nostalgia concept albums Mood enthusiastic proud Type musical reflective When to use this quote - songwriting - studio production - live performances - fan engagement Key Concepts artistic renewal instrument focus collaboration Questions to Reflect On - What inspired the guitar quartet idea? - How did you balance concept with song quality? A Different Perspective Risk of concept limiting broader appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Concept Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept-guitar-6132709/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Guitar Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-did-1295891/) [Guitar Quartet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-quartet-6132711/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Neglected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglected/) [Neglected Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglected-guitar-6132712/) [Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly/) [Quartet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quartet/) [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) [Record Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-built-6132710/) [Somewhat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhat/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > ['Something/Anything?' was kind of a different record, since I'm playing everything myself. A lot of the songs on there have a particular kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/something-anything-was-kind-of-a-different-record-since-i-m-playing/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [I have a collection of ukuleles. I meant to graduate to the guitar, but I never did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/i-have-a-collection-of-ukuleles-i-meant-to-graduate-to-the-guitar-but/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [The reason I wanted to play guitar was because I saw Buddy Holly and then our own homegrown Shadows on TV in 1957 or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-frampton/the-reason-i-wanted-to-play-guitar-was-because-i-saw-buddy-holly-and/) [Peter Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-frampton/) > [I used to watch my father play the guitar and sing when I was a little boy. By the time I was 11, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trini-lopez/i-used-to-watch-my-father-play-the-guitar-and-sing-when-i-was-a/) [Trini Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trini-lopez/) > [The first band I was ever in, I played guitar. We did Gary Glitter and Green Day covers at the time. We were called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/the-first-band-i-was-ever-in-i-played-guitar-we-did-gary-glitter-and/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [The only job I'd ever had that might be considered not playing music was teaching guitar, which I did in college for a while,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/the-only-job-i-d-ever-had-that-might-be-considered-not-playing-music/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [“Why did girls never play air guitar? Did we sing along because singing was what girls did or was it that girls only sang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavinia-greenlaw/why-did-girls-never-play-air-guitar-did-we-sing-along-because-singing/) [Lavinia Greenlaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavinia-greenlaw/) > [I got a chance to listen to and watch Thelonious Monk and his quartet play two shows a night, for six weeks. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chick-corea/i-got-a-chance-to-listen-to-and-watch-thelonious-monk-and-his-quartet/) [Chick Corea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chick-corea/) > [Growing up in the Bay Area, I played early on with these quartet groups who set guidelines for me. I remember the guys would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/growing-up-in-the-bay-area-i-played-early-on-with-these-quartet/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [Just as with the quartet, each part of a painting is telling a different story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guido-molinari/just-as-with-the-quartet-each-part-of-a-painting-is-telling-a/) [Guido Molinari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guido-molinari/) > [I prefer a quartet, it makes everyone work harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-belew/i-prefer-a-quartet-it-makes-everyone-work-harder/) [Adrian Belew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-belew/) > [The most perfect expression of human behavior is a string quartet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tate/the-most-perfect-expression-of-human-behavior-is-a-string-quartet/) [Jeffrey Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tate/) > [We used to get on planes, and they'd ask who we were, and we'd say, 'The Dave Brubeck Quartet', and they'd say, 'Who?' In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-desmond/we-used-to-get-on-planes-and-they-d-ask-who-we-were-and-we-d-say-the/) [Paul Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-desmond/) > [My grandmother would sing in the choir, while my dad - while he was in college - sang and recorded with a quartet. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-hilson/my-grandmother-would-sing-in-the-choir-while-my-dad-while-he-was-in/) [Keri Hilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-hilson/) > [Music just runs in my family. My dad and my uncles are a gospel quartet, Latimore Brothers. They've been doing their thing ever since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-latimore/music-just-runs-in-my-family-my-dad-and-my-uncles-are-a-gospel/) [Jacob Latimore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-latimore/) ## 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 Arena quotes > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/the-rules-of-survival-never-change-whether-you-re-in-a-desert-or-in/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I just like playing music and doing it with people that I care about. It doesn't really matter where. It's like, 'Why don't we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-just-like-playing-music-and-doing-it-with-people-that-i-care-about/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) [Browse all 674 Arena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the guitar, and then I did a record called 'Arena,' and it was not a particularly bad record - it wasn't a bad record at all, but it was built around a certain concept, which is a guitar quartet, with a little bit of augmentation here and there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Todd Rundgren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewhat-neglected-the-guitar-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arena" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewhat-neglected-the-guitar-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/todd-rundgren-3427_arena_i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewha_3234729.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I got it into my head that I had somewhat neglected the guitar, and then I did a record called 'Arena,' and…” — 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 got it into my head...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewhat-neglected-the-guitar-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-got-it-into-my-head-that-i-had-somewhat-neglected-the-guitar-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 } } ] } ```