Jazz was born out of the whiskey bottle, was raised on marijiana, and will expire on cocaine.
Artie ShawWhen I first met Benny Goodman he wouldn't talk about anything but clarinets, mouthpieces, reeds, etc. When I tried to change the subject, he said 'But that's what we have in common. We both play clarinet.' I said, 'No, Benny, that's where we're different. You play clarinet, I play music.'
Artie ShawI can't understand guys who just have to have your autograph. What do you do when you get home, take it out & look at it?
Artie ShawI like the music. I love it & live it in fact. But for me the business part of music just plain stinks.
Artie ShawI wanted to resign from the planet, not just music. It stopped being fun with success. Money got in the way. Everybody got greedy, including me. Fear set in. I got miserable when I became a commodity.
Artie ShawI'm not conditioned to be an entertainer. An entertainer pleases others while an artist only has to please himself. The problem with that is artists are misunderstood by all. I'm not interested in the clarinet but in music. we speak our emotions into music. An artist should write for himself and not for an audience. If the audience likes it, great. If not, they can keep away. My situation is the same. Let them concentrate on my music and not on me. I like the music. I love it and live it, in fact. But for me, the business part of music just plain stinks.
Artie Shaw