--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've been allowed to operate unmolested…" description: "\"We've been allowed to operate unmolested on the fringes of the music scene, really. That's where we enjoy it most.\" — Walter Becker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/walter-becker-8870_allowed_we-ve-been-allowed-to-operate-unmolested_2403325.jpg" --- # We've been allowed to operate unmolested on the fringes of… ![“We've been allowed to operate unmolested on the fringes of the music scene, really. That's where we enjoy it most.” quote by Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/walter-becker-8870_allowed_we-ve-been-allowed-to-operate-unmolested_2403325.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/walter-becker-8870_allowed_we-ve-been-allowed-to-operate-unmolested_2403325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/walter-becker-8870_allowed_we-ve-been-allowed-to-operate-unmolested_2403325.jpg) > “We've been allowed to operate unmolested on the fringes of the music scene, really. That's where we enjoy it most.” [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Operating outside mainstream attention allows creative freedom and authentic enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Staying on the fringe preserves authenticity. Key Takeaway Embrace niche spaces. Themes creativity authenticity music industry Mood reflective inspired Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - musician life - indie label - DIY production - alternative venues Key Concepts independent art subculture Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance exposure and authenticity? - What fringe community fuels your art? A Different Perspective Mainstream pressure can erode originality over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-scene/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [We leave unmolested those who set the fire to the house, and prosecute those who sound the alarm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/we-leave-unmolested-those-who-set-the-fire-to-the-house-and-prosecute/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [We have not enjoyed unmolested those rights which the constitution of the U.S.A. and our Charters grant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/we-have-not-enjoyed-unmolested-those-rights-which-the-constitution-of/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“I never worried about being a whale stalker before. I promise to leave them unmolested from now on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-cook/i-never-worried-about-being-a-whale-stalker-before-i-promise-to-leave/) [Eileen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-cook/) > [I never liked living in Montreal. And I don't really like the music scene there. It was never my cup of tea, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-demarco/i-never-liked-living-in-montreal-and-i-don-t-really-like-the-music/) [Mac DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-demarco/) > [“I nodded, unsure if Ted sounded admiring or angry. 'I waded in but I couldn't find him. I mean, is it possible - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hand/i-nodded-unsure-if-ted-sounded-admiring-or-angry-i-waded-in-but-i/) [Elizabeth Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hand/) > [I'm from Louisiana, and that's where I got my start, in Cajun music. There's a huge music scene down there centered around our culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/i-m-from-louisiana-and-that-s-where-i-got-my-start-in-cajun-music/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [The Manchester music scene was very male dominated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/the-manchester-music-scene-was-very-male-dominated/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I'm always going to get more of a charge playing Chicago than I will Duluth or some place like that. Just because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/i-m-always-going-to-get-more-of-a-charge-playing-chicago-than-i-will/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [A lot of kids are moving to Baltimore, because we have a great music scene and we've got edge. Come on down, we've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/a-lot-of-kids-are-moving-to-baltimore-because-we-have-a-great-music/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I remember times when the whole music scene was just flourishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roscoe-mitchell/i-remember-times-when-the-whole-music-scene-was-just-flourishing/) [Roscoe Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roscoe-mitchell/) > [ I have "come back" \[to music scene\] so many times, people are just like, Is this another one?... It's kind of like a joke… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/i-have-come-back-to-music-scene-so-many-times-people-are-just-like-is/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [The American new music scene is remarkably vibrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/the-american-new-music-scene-is-remarkably-vibrant/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [There's no real music scene in Guyana, but there's a music space. So there's no scene because there's no economy for it, but there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-jhn/there-s-no-real-music-scene-in-guyana-but-there-s-a-music-space-so/) [Saint Jhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-jhn/) > [Growing up in Houston, the music scene is super boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/growing-up-in-houston-the-music-scene-is-super-boring/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [Im really into the indie-music scene and listen to a lot of De La Soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/im-really-into-the-indie-music-scene-and-listen-to-a-lot-of-de-la-soul/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) ## More by Walter Becker > [Cynicism, I contend, is the wailing of someone who believes that things are, or should be, or could be, much, much better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/cynicism-i-contend-is-the-wailing-of-someone-who-believes-that-things/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [If it feels like we're re-creating something rather than creating something, we don't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/if-it-feels-like-we-re-re-creating-something-rather-than-creating/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [There's a great freedom in writing by yourself. You can write anything you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/there-s-a-great-freedom-in-writing-by-yourself-you-can-write-anything/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [Most of our songs are about relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/most-of-our-songs-are-about-relationships/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [That's sort of what we wanted to do: conquer from the margins, sort of find our place in the middle based on the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/that-s-sort-of-what-we-wanted-to-do-conquer-from-the-margins-sort-of/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [You have a kid, and it's like, 'He's gotta go to college! Gotta have some clothes!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-have-a-kid-and-it-s-like-he-s-gotta-go-to-college-gotta-have-some/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I think what television and video games do is reminiscent of drug addiction. There's a measure of reinforcement and a behavioural loop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-think-what-television-and-video-games-do-is-reminiscent-of-drug/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I guess actually playing on the records and touring is a great forced practice regimen for me. And you learn a lot playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-guess-actually-playing-on-the-records-and-touring-is-a-great-forced/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [We are constantly competing with the monsters from the id.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/we-are-constantly-competing-with-the-monsters-from-the-id/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I love guys like Charlie Parker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-love-guys-like-charlie-parker/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > ['Deacon Blues' was special for me. It's the only time I remember mixing a record all day and, when the mix was done, feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/deacon-blues-was-special-for-me-it-s-the-only-time-i-remember-mixing/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [It seemed like the more complex the music we were playing, the less able we were to guarantee its consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/it-seemed-like-the-more-complex-the-music-we-were-playing-the-less/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [Our career had a sort of funny shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/our-career-had-a-sort-of-funny-shape/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I think that there's the self-imposed pressure to come up with something that's good. For guys like us, that's much more important than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-think-that-there-s-the-self-imposed-pressure-to-come-up-with/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I can never believe how much time and energy and money and talent and everything else is being poured into horrible ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-can-never-believe-how-much-time-and-energy-and-money-and-talent-and/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) [Explore all 77 Walter Becker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) ## More Allowed quotes > [I just think that things should be allowed to run their course, and not turned into a Disney ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-shaw/i-just-think-that-things-should-be-allowed-to-run-their-course-and/) [Fiona Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-shaw/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/there-aren-t-traditions-of-freedom-in-a-place-like-iraq-they-re-going/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [As a child, we lived in flats, and I was never allowed pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pigott-smith/as-a-child-we-lived-in-flats-and-i-was-never-allowed-pets/) [Tim Pigott-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pigott-smith/) > [I'm not allowed to date. My dad said so. Not until I'm, like, 90.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-hogan/i-m-not-allowed-to-date-my-dad-said-so-not-until-i-m-like-90/) [Brooke Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-hogan/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I respect Chris Brown. I'd like to call myself a friend - I don't know if I'm allowed to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-respect-chris-brown-i-d-like-to-call-myself-a-friend-i-don-t-know/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [One should be allowed to choose one's burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-butts/one-should-be-allowed-to-choose-one-s-burden/) [Mary Butts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-butts/) Browse all 1,069 Allowed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've been allowed to operate unmolested on the fringes of the music scene, really. 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