I got thrown out of music school for even listening to Fats Domino and Ray Charles. I was asked, ‘What kind of music do you like to listen to?’ and I said, ‘Well, I do like Paul Hindemith and Igor Stravinsky but I also like Fats Domino and Ray Charles,’ and they literally said, ‘Either forget about that or leave.’ Steve Winwood Read Quote
Obviously, the Sixties was a time when everyone wanted to experiment, and then everything became very formulated and corporate, so artists tended to get pushed into a kind of pattern. Now, I think that has continued with the emergence of televised talent shows like ‘X Factor.’ Steve Winwood Read Quote
Punk was more based on social change than on music, so it didn’t bother me too much. It wasn’t really a musical threat. Steve Winwood Read Quote
You would probably think that rock music is an urban phenomena, but the main reason for doing it in ’68 was so that we could play music very loud any time of the day or night without getting complaints from the neighbours. Steve Winwood Read Quote
Listening to music for me is like homework. Music will give me enjoyment, but as soon as it’s giving me that enjoyment, I want to analyse it, and then it becomes work. Why does it sound like that? How?… then I dissect it. Steve Winwood Read Quote
In some respects I’m quite easily led, so I have to make sure I’ve got my own space, and that I feel comfortable in my working environment. It’s very important for me to work with the right collaborators, as I can easily get led into a corner where I’m not comfortable. Steve Winwood Read Quote
Don’t buy this ‘believe in yourself’ rubbish. Why do they keep telling youngsters that? There’s no point believing in yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. Once you’ve got a vision of what you want to do, by all means stick to that passionately and doggedly. Believe in your ideas. It’s not quite the same thing. Steve Winwood Read Quote
A band is not a marriage. There are no oaths of allegiance. If you feel your life will be better served by splitting up the group, you’ve got to do it – but of course it does cause problems. Steve Winwood Read Quote
If you call someone up on a mistake – if the drummer’s put an extra beat in a bar or something – you have a lot more authority if you can show them how to do it right. Steve Winwood Read Quote
