"I'm an artist, and if you give me a tuba, I'll bring you something out of it."
—John Lennon
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Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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I'm an artist, and I sold my tuba to get my 5D2!
Posted by: Tom Fenwick | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 11:30 AM
Isn't that one related to the definition of a Gentleman ?
Someone who can play the accordion, but doesn't...
Y
Posted by: Yanchik | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 12:13 PM
I used to play tuba, and I was rubbish. I don't know if I'm an artist.
Posted by: juze | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 12:21 PM
I heard someone asked Ringo how well John played the tuba and he said... "He blows...He really blows"
Posted by: sean | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 12:41 PM
What an ego.
Posted by: Tony | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 01:32 PM
The corollary is true as well. If you're not an artist, you won't bring much out of a Strad -- or a D3X.
Posted by: Jon Bloom | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 01:52 PM
I'm an artist, give me something and I will make a tuba out of it.
Posted by: charlie | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 05:12 PM
Hmmm...
I've never heard this quote before. Does anyone know its context?
Was Lennon just being his sometimes insufferable self in a media interview, or is there more to it?
Posted by: Rick | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 07:25 PM
Rick,
It came from a post-breakup interview, and he was talking about himself as a guitarist. He was pretty insecure in those days, rather strangely. None of those guys knew how to get along for the longest time and it was rather painful to watch. One of the things he said about his guitar playing was something to the effect of ask Eric Clapton, he'll tell you how good I am. Very insecure.
DZ,
Now that is a great tuba picture!
Tony,
It's not ego if you can back it up...it's not like Lennon never accomplished anything as a musician!
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 08:01 PM
I think it's fair enough - not egotistical at all. If you give an instrument you invented to a really talented musician in a few minutes they'll figure out how to get a sound out of it. The similarities among instruments are much greater than the differences to experienced musicians.
Posted by: Seth Glassman | Tuesday, 24 November 2009 at 08:13 PM
"It's not ego if you can back it up"
I have to disagree. Ego is ego, no matter if it's accurate or not.
Posted by: Stephen | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 12:10 AM
Yanchik:
I'll have to disagree with you on that. I always thought that the accordion was the sound of the devil's own backside after a particularly heavy meal, but then I discovered tango.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CmuAPAuHxs
(And in a bit of shameless self-promotion, my pics of the band: http://juze.smugmug.com/Music/Funtango/10140556_NbdPa#697317886_3aJY6 )
Posted by: juze | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 01:06 AM
Excellent. I try always to be hesitant to cast nasturtiums on t'internet, even very gently and under the guise of humour, but when it brings something good out, that's perfect !
Y
Posted by: Yanchik | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 03:36 AM
"I'm an artist, and I sold my tuba to get my 5D2!"
Tom, you're definitely not the first artist to trade in his large format gear for a 5D.
Posted by: robert e | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 05:37 AM
Don't forget this one, in this 50th Anniversary year of "The Americans":
Posted by: Yuanchung Lee | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 10:46 AM
I am always amused and even bemused by the commonly held but unsupportable notion that modest self-effacement, even to the point of inaccuracy, is an inherent and inerrant guide to virtue.
pax / Ctein
Posted by: ctein | Wednesday, 25 November 2009 at 12:24 PM