"Bach is really the ultimate in bass players you know"
About Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce — Life and Legacy
Jack Bruce was a pivotal figure in the world of rock music, celebrated for his role as the bassist and co-founder of the legendary band Cream. His distinctive blend of blues, jazz, and rock not only defined the sound of the 1960s but also showcased his exceptional talent as a songwriter and performer. Bruce's lyrics often reflected themes of freedom and emotional struggle, as seen in his poignant works like 'White Room' and 'Sunshine of Your Love.' He believed that music was a powerful medium for expressing complex human emotions, famously stating, 'the only way to deal with the future is to function efficiently in the now.' This perspective reveals his deep understanding of the present moment's significance in shaping one's artistic journey. Bruce's innovative spirit and willingness to challenge musical norms left an indelible mark on the industry, inspiring countless musicians to explore their own creative boundaries. His legacy continues to resonate, reminding us of the profound connection between music and personal freedom.
Quote collection
Jack Bruce quotes
12 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"If you haven't got a sense of humor you're making your life a hundred times harder. It doesn't matter what happens to you, if you can have a laugh about it, and don't take yourself so serious, you have the battles halfway won."
"Well I like everything but my first love has always been piano because when I started out there was a piano in my house and it was there so I just started tinkling on it really so it's always been my first love."
"Between now and then and I just felt it was ready and it was a long enough period gone by. I obviously didn't want to hurt anybody, you know. It was done out of a genuine memorial or tribute whatever you want to call it."
"The paradox of anti-Semitism is that it is invariably up to the Jews to explain away the charges. The anti-Semite simply has to make them."
"I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and rather than just doing one thing when I make an album, the challenge to myself is to write all these diverse tracks, but to make them work. It's like a jigsaw because if you've got a lyrical track going into a hard rock track... it's got to work. You've got to write things that will work together."
"I'm no politician but I do feel that a lot of damage was done because of misguided principals and America is still suffering from it."
"I was a big fan of Gary Moore, he was my buddy and I miss him a lot. I loved his playing because you've got that passion; it was sort of a Celtic thing. The Irish and Scots they just go for it and not too worried about looking good. When I was in the states touring, I landed in Seattle to do a gig and one of the fans came to me and told me about Gary's death. It was very hard for me to carry on, it was awful."
"I had a lot of vocal problems when I was younger. I don't know if it's down to leading a healthier lifestyle or what but my range has increased."
"I think people who basically do one thing like Eric Clapton is great. But I've always enjoyed playing different kinds of music and playing with different kinds of musicians because I find that really interesting, like learning and working with Kip Hanrahan. There's a great conga player called Milton Cardona and he taught me a lot of the nuances, he's a Santeria Priest and so he knows his onions as it were."
"I played upright bass. I wanted to write great tunes, play the bass, be a band leader, and smoke a big funny pipe like Charlie Mingus. So I went out and bought the pipe when I was around 18 or 19 years old. You know even women smoke a pipe in Glasgow. I worked with Carla Bley and she smoked a pipe, which I find fascinating."
"Well all the big companies are really panicked by the internet thing and all that, and sales went down, although sales have gone up again in this country a bit and also the big companies, because they're so big, they need big sales really so they're not really interested."