The Year in Quotes: 2019

One of the best parts about writing about music is having the opportunity to hear insight behind the music we love from the artists themselves. Sometimes they give us a closer look at the music itself, and sometimes we learn more about different perspectives on life, politics, mental health, or even just what it means to be an artist. We were lucky enough to speak to a long list of artists this year, many of whom said some things we won’t be forgetting soon. After a year of interviews, here are some of our favorite quotes of 2019.

“Back in the punk days it was really about everybody just getting some energy and using it however they wanted in their lives. It wasn’t about the person on the stage, it wasn’t about somebody dictating on the phone to somebody, you know. It was about just opening the door.” – Mark Stewart, The Pop Group

“Sometimes I don’t think the words truly matter as much as the picture you paint.” – Zack Schwartz, Spirit of the Beehive

“I think AC/DC has that rule: Whatever song they do, only AC/DC could do that. We sort of had that vibe. We built this thing, we need to grow and change, of course, but it should only be what only Chavez can do.” – Clay Tarver, Chavez

“If negativity is what you want, it isn’t hard to find. Positivity is a bit harder to find, but it’s there. Time will always go on whether we are here or not. Things will get better, and things will get worse, depending on what you view as right or wrong especially. Try leaving social media platforms and being more creative with your time. Works for me.” – M.S.W., Hell

“As a band there’s this general idea that ‘oh you can’t do this, it’s forbidden,’ or ‘you can’t use this influence when you’re making a certain kind of music.’ We just don’t believe in that. It really does a disservice to yourself as a musician and fan of music to pigeonhole what a band should sound like.” – Hades Apparition, Devil Master

“If you feel good, what do you write about? ‘I’m feeling good, I’m so at ease.’ Who wants to listen to that? You put on music when you feel bad, and when there’s someone else singing about pain, it’s like ‘fuck yeah! I can relate to that.’ I don’t know any other way.” – Stefanie Mannaerts, Brutus

“If you as an artist feel the need to use your art as a sounding board for your personal beliefs, opinions, politics, then, by all means, go for it. If you don’t feel comfortable expressing your personal beliefs in a public setting, then don’t. It’s OK.” – Mike Paparo, Inter Arma

“I work at a bar, and that’s a different dynamic than working table service. I’ve been working in the service industry for 18 years. When you’re behind the bar, you’re kind of on display, and people come to you for their liquor and beer, so the power dynamic is kind of shifted. People are getting drunk, you’re subject to different types of harassment, and I’ve gotten it all. And being ethnically ambiguous too? It’s a whole bunch of shit.” – Robin Wattie, Big|Brave

“I tend to get more angry when harm is being done to someone else. With…the wrongdoing I see being done to other people and the planet, I’m more able to get fired up about it. Like ‘fuck you, don’t do this!’” – Nate Garrett, Spirit Adrift

“I have no idea what genres I do anything in, although I heard “mom-rock” is the new “pigfuck”. Just sayin’.” – Terence Hannum, The Holy Circle

“I was painfully aware of the fact that bands were signing million dollar contracts and tanking. I thought all that was really fucked up and bad for everything. But then by around 2000, I was like ‘That band was so fucking smart. Like nobody was into their band, but who cares, they made a million dollars and got to set up studios and start businesses!’” – Matt Sweeney, Chavez

“In the ’90s, in a world of rampant wealth and celebrity, it seemed part of life was imagining what you didn’t have. And contemplating this juxtaposition. Even if it’s grotesque, or not based in reality.” – Scott McCloud, Girls Against Boys

“Everything that I do, every move I make artistically, or everything I put into the work, there’s always a reason why. I’m always asking myself, ‘Why is that there? Why did I do that?’ It can be a little maddening sometimes. But I think that has been one of the things that has really helped me stay on track.” – Kristin Hayter, Lingua Ignota

“I think it’s helpful to process things in this public sort of way; because when people do connect with [these subjects through art], it has a reassuring quality. Like maybe whatever you feel isn’t so alienating, and that there is a kind of universal suffering that other people feel to some degree.” – Lee Buford, The Body

“Especially now, nobody really makes money from music, so there’s absolutely no rules. You don’t have to sound like Radiohead. You can sound like a radio, going fucking mental. I never understood why people just do strange versions of things that already exist.” – Gareth Sager, The Pop Group

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