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I don't want to be known for anything other than writing songs.

Nate Ruess

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Nate Ruess
Age: 42
Born: 1982
Born: February 26
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Iowa City
Iowa
Nathaniel Joseph Ruess
Nathaniel Joseph Nate Ruess
Songs
Known
Song
Anything
Writing

More quotes by Nate Ruess

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I tried to play bass in a punk band once, and it was an absolute disaster. I can’t play anything. I don’t know what it is.
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Lately I've been falling asleep listening to 'Common One' by Van Morrison, specifically the song 'Summertime in England.' It's 15 minutes long, so to make it through the entire song is a real task unto itself, but Van has that emotional payoff that makes even his most tiresome songs more powerful than most people's entire catalog.
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It takes a lot to still believe in people.
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I think any branding for me is band-related. It's really weird to get used to the exposure, because I am a naturally introverted person, and I'm not exactly social. Occasionally I can get comfortable enough to talk, but I spend a lot of my days not talking, especially when I'm at home and not on tour.
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My dad dragged me to a Bruce Springsteen concert as a kid. It was my first concert, but I fell asleep in the middle. My second concert was Weezer on the Pinkerton tour, and Pinkerton is the reason why Im doing this.
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I never wanted to get a job of musician. That was kind of my thing. I came from somewhat of a musical family. I had an uncle on Broadway. My dad kind of knows how to play instruments. Although, I always find it annoying when he does play an instrument.
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May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground.
Nate Ruess
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There’s always some level of optimism in every single song.
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If you look at a lot of the songs I've been involved in, there's always been this retro vibe. I started getting worried that I wasn't moving forward very much, nor was I even in tune with the music today. I almost scoffed at it.
Nate Ruess
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The Queen and Electric Light Orchestra harmonies are so distinct and fit in our songs so well sometimes, but we don't know how to do them properly.
Nate Ruess
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I came from somewhat of a musical family. I had an uncle on Broadway. My dad kind of knows how to play instruments. Although, I always find it annoying when he does play an instrument.
Nate Ruess
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I worry that if I enjoy something - like the songs on 'Some Nights' are about wondering about who you are. I'm never quite sure and I'd hate to feel sort of content and get a good sense of who I am because if I know one thing, that's not me. I don't mind not necessarily being happy about it. And that's fine.
Nate Ruess
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I'm not going to lie. I check the iTunes charts. It's all about the iTunes charts. I only go on the Internet for the iTunes charts and basketball blogs.
Nate Ruess
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If you can make the song a soundtrack to what you're living at the time, I think that's the most important part of a song.
Nate Ruess
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I knew how touring was for 10 years, but it's completely different now that things are popping off.
Nate Ruess
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I prefer to connect with fans from the stage. Like, I don't have a Twitter page, or anything like that. So for me, that's what the show is about. For me - is a way to interact with fans being up onstage and showing them, through music - which is all I really know - the best way to say thank you.
Nate Ruess
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But as long as you're creating the art you want to create, if people start liking you, you shouldn't have to apologize. You want your stuff to be heard by as many people as possible.
Nate Ruess
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It's as simple as finding something on the street and then writing a jingle. If I'm driving and I have my turn signal on and it's rhythmic, maybe I just write a song to that.
Nate Ruess
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My girlfriend is a fashion designer. She has her own company called Rachel Antonoff. She is doing a collaboration with Urban Outfitters right now, a shoe collaboration with Bass. She sells to Barneys, stuff like that.
Nate Ruess
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I don't play an instrument - I just write in my head, and I usually hear fully formed songs. 'We Are Young' turned out so much like it was in my head. But it also exceeded all my expectations.
Nate Ruess