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Richard Scotti
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5/28/2009 6:36:11 PM
The "overconfident"
"People who are overconfident keep putting out piles of shit. But if you're working hard and not sure of what you're doing you know you're on to something."....Billie Armstrong from Green Day.
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Hop On Pop
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5/28/2009 6:44:49 PM
I like Green Day, but that is a bit of an over-generalization that is striving to be a deep, deep insight. Just comes off as over thought-out blather.
Self-conscious philosophizing.
Something he probably should have thought harder about keeping to himself.
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Jeff Allen Myers
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5/28/2009 6:55:31 PM
I too like Green Day, and Armstrong's songwriting. However, this comment is bullshit!!! 90% of the time if you don't know what you are doing it will show, the other 10% is pure luck. Even when you are experimenting you need a plan and have an "Idea" or a "conceptual" goal in mind.
This comes off as snobbish..... the "Overconfident" line probably relates to the "success" of the artists he is targeting.. Hard work is great, but if you don't have a plan you will most likely "spin your wheels".
Jeff
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5/28/2009 6:59:03 PM
Green Day is overrated. :)
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AnigmaS
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5/28/2009 7:00:01 PM
Yep, I find that some of my biggest personal piles of shit have absolutely nothing to do with my confidence level.
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Jeff Allen Myers
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5/28/2009 7:07:23 PM
No Scott I would say they are "overconfident" :)
I do Like "American Idiot"
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The Man With No Band
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5/28/2009 7:57:31 PM
I agree with Larree .... and I agree with Billie ....
Look at Metallica for example ... way over confident and the result is .... piles of shit
and having a plan is not a requisite IMO ... it limits freedom of thought and spontaneity ....
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Bananafishü
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5/28/2009 8:07:32 PM
Bananafishü.
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Jesse Adams
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5/28/2009 9:56:48 PM
I liked the quote. Makes sense to me.
"Even when you are experimenting you need a plan and have an "Idea" or a "conceptual" goal in mind."
I gotta disagree with that Jeff. IMO, that would just put limits on where you can take your creativity. Some of my cooler tunes I think, especially the experimental ones, like Somber, had no guidance whatsoever... that's why it's so unique. I still don't know what the hell Somber is, but I like it. It's definitely different, and different is GOOD.
There's risk to that... either a song works or it doesn't... and if you have no structure or just aimlessly piece shit together with no end in sight... it shows. But I feel if you have any ability as a natural songwriter then you can just let yourself go, follow your heart and your songs piece themselves together.
I feel it's a good thing to not lay down any guidelines per se and just go where your mind, music and ideas take you. I cannot sit down and go, "OK, I'm going to write an acoustic ballad", or "How about a heavy ass, brutal thrash tune." And when I have, the end result just seems to be bland. Songs write themselves... they go where they go.
For me, it's always dependent on how I'm feeling, or what I'm in the mood for. I like many styles of music and I'm moody, so I guess that's why I have so many different styles of songs.
Just my 1 cent.
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Jesse Adams
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5/28/2009 9:59:16 PM
For the record, I NEVER have any idea what I'm doing. :)
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Jeff Allen Myers
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5/28/2009 10:02:24 PM
---- Updated 5/28/2009 10:04:05 PM
I agree with you 100% jessie when it comes to the writing and experimenting process, often times there is no plan...and you don't need one. If you sit down with the plan to write a song, often times you come up empty. Inspiration does not follow a timeline...
In this case, I was taking the quote in the context of already being in the Studio to record an album. You must have a plan.... Its ok to experiment and add new things, but overall it is not wise to show up for a session with no plans or goals in mind.
As for you not knowing what you are doing?? I don't believe that for a second Jessie :)
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Jesse Adams
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5/29/2009 12:07:44 AM
Agreed Jeff. And I really don't know what I'm doing... really. I couldn't tell you what key I was in or what notes I'm playing... I totally fly by the seat of my pants with this stuff.
Anyways sorry about my long drudgery about songwriting, like I know anything about it, haha. Just getting some thoughts out I suppose.
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Richard Scotti
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5/29/2009 8:21:58 PM
What Armstrong is saying is that if you are willing to push the boundaries and risk failure, you're on to something. The overconfident are incapable of risking failure because they feel they are incapable of failing. They feel that everything they do is great, devine and entitled. When you're that cock sure of everything, you're missing something. Bono is always saying U-2 is the best rock band in the world but their present work doesn't live up to that statement. Sometimes overconfidence can lead to complacency which is defined as "smug satifaction with one's existing situation while being unaware of defect". I don't have a strong opinion about Billie's personality or Green Day's music but I think his quote is interesting. He's saying stay humble, stay hungry, don't ever be totally satisified with your work. Don't think you're work is so perfect that there's no room for improvement. If one thinks that, one will not improve. He isn't he knows that you need skills and a plan if you want to create something good. All he's saying is that one should always be surprised by their own greatness, not completely sure of it.
Pavorrotti never said he was the greatest opera singer who ever lived. What he did say is "I am always learning. I will always be a student".
This is how I interpret Billie's quote. It's obviously subjective and open to interpretation. There's no right or wrong way to view it. The quote stands on it's own independent of the merits of Green Day or the personality of Billie Armstrong. He isn't making this statement to imply that Green Day is the greatest band in the world, something that Bono says about U-2 all the time. This is just my take on it for what it's worth. Anyone who needs more context to interpret this quote should buy this month's issue of Rolling Stone magazine.
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Bob Elliott
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5/29/2009 9:49:00 PM
The problem is that there is no predictor for who holds the fire. Some are major confident, some are very humble. Same could be said for the less talented: some are confident and some are extra humble.
It won't tell you much.
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SILVERWOODSTUDIO
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5/29/2009 10:45:38 PM
arrogance can be blinding----it isn't really part of Art Culture
---but can be a big part of Celebrity culture-----IMO
----in NZ we like our celebs to be humble---and most are!?
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