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Brian Setzer Quotes

Powerful Brian Setzer for Daily Growth

About Brian Setzer

Brian Setzer, born on April 10, 1959, in Massapequa, New York, is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer best known for leading the band Stray Cats and for his subsequent solo career, which fuses elements of rockabilly, swing music, and classic rock. Raised on a diet of rock and roll, blues, and country music, Setzer's love for guitar began at an early age. Influenced by guitarists like Eddie Cochran, Chet Atkins, and Duane Eddy, he formed his first band, the Wielders, in high school. In 1979, along with bassist Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom, Setzer founded Stray Cats, a rockabilly trio that would come to define the genre's resurgence in the 1980s. Their self-titled debut album in 1981 was a hit, spawning the top 20 single "Stray Cat Strut." The band achieved even greater success with their follow-up, 'Rantzashe Cat,' which included the global hits "Runaway Boys" and "(She's) Sexy + 17." In 1989, Setzer embarked on a solo career. His debut solo album, 'The Brian Setzer Orchestra,' showcased his love for swing music and big band sound. The album's single, "Mystery Train/Rockabilly Blues," became a holiday staple with its reimagining of "Jingle Bell Rock." Throughout his career, Setzer has been nominated for 13 Grammys, winning three: Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1987, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2002, and Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package in 2004. Today, Brian Setzer continues to tour and record, merging his love for rockabilly, swing, and classic rock into a unique and energetic sound that appeals to fans of all ages.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Rockabilly is like a big old house party that never ends."

The quote by Brian Setser, "Rockabilly is like a big old house party that never ends," suggests that rockabilly music represents an ongoing, lively celebration of the genre. This interpretation implies that rockabilly has a festive, inclusive atmosphere where everyone is invited to join in and enjoy the music. The metaphor of a house party emphasizes the sense of community and camaraderie associated with rockabilly culture, which continues to thrive and persist over time.

"I've always been about innovation and reinvention."

Brian Setzer values creativity and novelty, as well as a willingness to adapt and transform, both in his personal artistic pursuits and in his broader approach to life. This attitude encourages growth, evolution, and the continuous exploration of new ideas.

"To me, rock and roll isn't just a genre, it's a mindset."

Brian Setzer suggests that rock and roll is more than just a musical style; it symbolizes a particular attitude or state of mind. This perspective transcends the boundaries of a specific genre, encapsulating an essence of freedom, energy, and rebellion that resonates in various forms across music and culture.

"I believe in the power of music to heal and connect people."

This quote highlights the transformative and unifying potential of music. Brian Setzer suggests that music, in its essence, has the power to not only mend emotional wounds but also foster connections between individuals. By creating a shared experience, music can bridge gaps, break down barriers, and bring people together. This power is rooted in its ability to evoke emotions, resonate with our personal experiences, and remind us that we are not alone.

"When I play, I want the audience to feel like they're part of something special and exciting."

This quote by Brian Setzer emphasizes his desire to create a shared experience between him and the audience during his performances. He aims to generate an atmosphere that is not just enjoyable, but also extraordinary and memorable - one that transcends the typical concert-going experience and makes each audience member feel included in something unique and momentous. In essence, Brian Setzer aspires to make music that leaves a lasting impression on people, connecting with them on a deeper level through its power to evoke shared feelings of excitement and specialness.

Veteran performers are dying off, and new acts simply aren't emerging on the national scene.

- Brian Setzer

New, Dying, Veteran, Performers

I always thought when I hit 50 years old that'd be it for the travel. I don't have to tell you - you wait at an airport, your flight's delayed, get on a 14-hour flight, get off, get stuck in traffic, you get to the hotel and the room service is closed.

- Brian Setzer

Thought, Flight, Wait, Room Service

Elvis is not so difficult as Johnny Cash because his voice is so distinctive. If you try to copy Johnny Cash, it's just going to sound dumb.

- Brian Setzer

Voice, Sound, Going, Johnny

A lot of people put all that stuff on a pedestal, and they won't touch it. But I don't think that's the reason they did that. I think they played that stuff out of pure joy.

- Brian Setzer

Think, Reason, Pedestal, Pure Joy

Rock and roll and swing never quite mixed. Rock and roll came in and just blew everything out of the water. Big bands were dead.

- Brian Setzer

Rock And Roll, Big, Roll, Blew

I didn't want to take the guitar solos down note-for-note, but more or less use them as a map, and keep all the hooks from the guitar playing, and let myself come through.

- Brian Setzer

Through, More, Guitar Solos, Map

I can't tell you how many people have asked me to show them Stray Cat Strut and that little diminished run on the C. I guess my brain is wired backwards. I don't know what possessed me to do that, but I did.

- Brian Setzer

Tell, Show, Wired, Strut

Since the big band started I'm just always swamped with movies and things. It certainly pays the bills and it's very satisfying, because I get to write all these big charts and all this crazy music.

- Brian Setzer

Big, Very, Charts, Satisfying

If you listen to everybody's opinions, I mean, I always say I'd be digging a ditch on the side of the road now if I had listened to what everybody told me what to do. You know, you have to follow your heart, you have to.

- Brian Setzer

Everybody, Ditch, Had, Digging

Normally, you go into the recording studio, make a record and then take it on the road and you think... wow... I could have done THIS to it, or something.

- Brian Setzer

Think, Could, Studio, Normally

We weren't afraid to mix some crazy styles into the standard rockabilly look. We also took a lot of different musical influences that were part of that era.

- Brian Setzer

Some, Standard, Took, Mix

People out there maybe know who Junior Parker is and some of those Sun Records blues guys.

- Brian Setzer

Some, Records, Maybe, Parker

I love Glen Campbell. He never gets a mention.

- Brian Setzer

Love, Never, I Love, Campbell

Mark Winchester has left the band. He's decided that he's tired of the road and just wants to concentrate on his career in Nashville. I don't blame him at all. He'll certainly be missed.

- Brian Setzer

Career, Nashville, Certainly, Concentrate

I basically sat down for a month, with all the Sun stuff I could find and just picked out my favorites. I didn't think that they were indicative of '54 to '57, although I tried to stay within that period.

- Brian Setzer

Sun, Down, Favorites, Indicative

It is hard to play Blue Suede Shoes. I know everyone has heard it 10 million times, and that makes it even harder to play it, but there's a very laid back tempo on that. I was surprised at how slow it really was.

- Brian Setzer

Play, Back, Very, Surprised

The jazz chord substitutions in a country song... that was another thing that bent people's ears. I guess that my favorites are the unique ones. It's not how fast you play. It's that unique blending of different stuff I'm most proud of.

- Brian Setzer

Play, Country, Favorites, Chord

I wanted to go back to Sun. Unfortunately, most of the gear is gone from Sun. The way I take it now, it's almost like a tourist destination. So, it would have been pretty difficult to have brought all the gear into Sun to make it like it was in the '50's.

- Brian Setzer

Been, Brought, Almost, Tourist

I started a big band when grunge was popular. I mean, that didn't make much sense.

- Brian Setzer

Big, Sense, Started, Grunge

Robert Plant is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, never mind rock star. He's so down to earth.

- Brian Setzer

Mind, Star, Rock Star, Down To Earth

It's not about how loud you turn the amp up. That's not what makes it sound big. What makes it sound big is fooling around with different delays and reverb settings.

- Brian Setzer

Big, Loud, Settings, Amp

With the Stray Cats at least, we really took the music somewhere else. First, we wrote our own songs. That's a real weak point in modern classics if you do rockabilly or blues.

- Brian Setzer

Classics, Took, Stray, Blues

For every rockabilly festival staged here, there are 10 held overseas.

- Brian Setzer

Here, Festival, Held, Overseas

I put a metronome up to all the songs, and I tried to really keep it true to the original tempos.

- Brian Setzer

Original, Tempos, Put, I Tried

To me, rockabilly music paralleled punk's energy and feeling, but the players were much better.

- Brian Setzer

Music, Better, Players, Punk

I'm not God's gift to rockabilly. There's great players out there, and some of them deserve a lot more than they've gotten.

- Brian Setzer

Gift, Deserve, Some, Rockabilly

To keep creating something with this type of music, you have to take it out of the box.

- Brian Setzer

Music, Keep, Take, Box

Just because you put super great musicians together, it doesn't mean you're going to have that chemistry as a band.

- Brian Setzer

Great, Chemistry, Going, Musicians

Don't be afraid to take liberties with this music. Try and put some of yourself into it.

- Brian Setzer

Music, Some, Take, Liberties

The songwriting has never really stepped forward from the '50's.

- Brian Setzer

Never, Forward, Stepped, Songwriting

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