I am the type of artist where you can't tell me anything. I have always been that way. I am right. I don't need any input. Gary Clark, Jr. More Quotes by Gary Clark, Jr. More Quotes From Gary Clark, Jr. All I can do is do what I can do, and do what I know how to do. I do what I love to do, and that's pretty much it. Gary Clark, Jr. know-how knows can-do The blues is the foundation for a lot of things. Things have branched off. Its cool how music grows, but the foundation is always there. Its not going anywhere. The blues is always going to be relevant. Gary Clark, Jr. relevant foundation grows Music is soaking up things that I see in other people or things that go on in my life, and I put it out there in the form of a song. Gary Clark, Jr. goes-on song people I opened up my mind as far as playing music. I was at a Cody Chesnutt concert a few years ago, and a friend introduced me to him. We just started talking about music, and he asked me what I did. I said, "I have these songs and I'm kind of nervous to put them out, because I've just kind of been playing blues stuff, and playing other people's songs." He said, "You should just put them out there, man. Why not? It's just gonna bother you if you don't. The easiest thing to do is to just let it go." So I just took that with me. Gary Clark, Jr. mind song men I don't think anything can touch the expressive range of the guitar. Gary Clark, Jr. range guitar thinking I've been called 'musically schizophrenic,' and some people think that's a cool thing. Gary Clark, Jr. schizophrenic people thinking When I was growing up, I would go hang out with older guys at night in blues clubs. Gary Clark, Jr. growing-up guy night Things that I would say or would like to saw are just easier to sing about and put out there in music. Gary Clark, Jr. There's nothing like a music festival. People are ready to have a good time. I don't think anyone comes to a festival going, 'I'm gonna be a complete bummer today. Gary Clark, Jr. festivals people thinking Most of my songs start out as being very aggressive and guitar-driven. Gary Clark, Jr. driven guitar song When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hip-hop and R&B stuff was on the radio. Gary Clark, Jr. hip-hop sublime guitar I grew up being a huge fan of Bruce Lee, and this quote always stuck out to me. He said, "Water can flow, or it can crash. If you put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot." It always made sense to me to adapt the flow and roll with whatever the situation is and to not think about it too much and get caught up in it. It works easier for me that way. Gary Clark, Jr. too-much water thinking I like to see how people interact with each other and I draw from that. I'm inspired by that. Gary Clark, Jr. inspired draws people There's so much music in Austin, and it's all so different. Gary Clark, Jr. austin different I don't believe in competition, ain't nobody else like me around Gary Clark, Jr. dont-believe competition believe You're gonna know my name by the end of the night. Gary Clark, Jr. ends names night For a black male, the sound of the blues is pre-Civil Rights. It's oppression. Gary Clark, Jr. black rights sound I was just a very emotional player. I wore my emotions on my sleeve. I pretty much told you how I felt. I didn't mince words, so to speak. If I felt bad, I let you know that I felt bad. If I felt you were playing sorry, I told you. If I was playing sorry, I told myself that. I came from an era when losing really hurt. I didn't see anything good about it. Gary Clark, Jr. player hurt sorry I grew up with synthesizers and weird, spacey music-hip-hop, R&B, modern rock-that I heard on the radio. That's influenced the way I play music. It's natural for me to go with what I feel. If I didn't let that other stuff out and stuck to a certain format, I would feel like I was missing out on something. I'm just enjoying my ride and being who I am. Gary Clark, Jr. rocks who-i-am play I failed public speaking in grade school, 'cause I was so nervous and scared. Gary Clark, Jr. scared causes school
