Quotes by Bill Bruford

About Bill Bruford:

William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968–1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring drummer for Genesis in 1976. Following his departure from Yes and at various times until 1997, Bruford was the drummer for progressive rock band King Crimson. Bruford moved away from progressive rock to concentrate on jazz in 1987, leading his own jazz group, Earthworks, for several years. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1990. He retired from public performance in 2009, but continues to run his two record labels and to speak and write about music. His autobiography, Bill Bruford: The Autobiography, was published in early 2009.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

The best practice you can get is on the bandstand, but in between gigs I feel I have to stay in shape.

Bill Bruford

I practice at home, in between phone calls, and have much to do.

Bill Bruford

And we'd drink huge amounts of scotch and coke, which is a ghastly sweet drink... And now people don't drink nearly as much, for good reason. We're all a little wiser.

Bill Bruford

I seldom play in a trio, but acoustic music is likely to be lighter, quicker, and quieter.

Bill Bruford

I didn't write any music at all, and then, I remember Jon Anderson being very insistent saying that there were two kinds of musicians: the ones who wrote music and the ones who didn't.

Bill Bruford

But what I think my emphasis is, is on the fact that I like music a lot.

Bill Bruford

And I like messing around in the engine room of music. Seeing what happens in the rhythm section area.

Bill Bruford

Whatever I have come to offer, I have come to offer and it may or may not be connected to anything that has happened in the past.

Bill Bruford

We were from totally different social backgrounds. This is what is very hard for an American to understand, but we could have been five guys from Mars.

Bill Bruford

We used to drink an awful lot of alcohol.

Bill Bruford

The piano is kind of my second instrument.

Bill Bruford

Sometimes I had to room with Tony Kaye and that was awful.

Bill Bruford

So I have the classic amateur's technique; I know some very tricky bits and I have large gaping holes.

Bill Bruford

Plus I am being hounded by all the fabulous new drummers, Bill Stewart at the head of the pack.

Bill Bruford

My harmony is passable but is usually made more eloquent at the hands of Steve Hamilton.

Bill Bruford

If I was hearing something I couldn't do, I would figure out how to do it.

Bill Bruford

We all lived in the same house, or most of us did. And as far as I can make out we were confined to the property, because at twenty-four hours' notice we'd have to do a gig somewhere. So you couldn't leave the building for more than twelve hours in c...

Bill Bruford

If it's fast, no I don't have enough piano technique. In that case, it's probably been done on some kind of synthesizer or sequencer. Then the score can then be printed out and so forth.

Bill Bruford

I saw it as a challenge to play with Pat and we put hours and hours into it, usually on the bus. The trick was to find something that we both wanted to play within our different styles which would add up to being greater than the sum of its parts.

Bill Bruford

I mean, Chris is, I'm sure, a wonderful guy. But in those days he also very, very late. For all appointments and departures and arrivals and sound checks and anything.

Bill Bruford

Author Bio

  • NameBill Bruford
  • DescriptionEnglish drummer
  • AliasesWilliam Scott Bruford
  • BornMay 17, 1949
  • CountryEngland
  • ProfessionDrummer; Jazz Musician