Cliff Martinez Quotes

• Composing demands a degree of isolation.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Isolation, Composing

• You’ll know if you’re a famous composer if 20 years from now your name appears on a pull-down menu in Band in a Box, alongside Hans Zimmer.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Famous, Name

• The more I come to understand music, the more I feel like a numbskull because there is always more to learn. The more I do it, the more I’m humbled. I’m just always trying to get better at it. I pick up a few tricks along the way.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Music, Better, Come

• I’ve often thought that my background in rock ‘n’ roll has gone to waste in film work. My background was that I was a rock ‘n’ roll drummer and I don’t think I used drums in my first ten years of film scoring.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Work

  Tags in Rock, Thought

• I’m not sure why anybody makes a physical CD anymore when the costs are so much lower to just throw it up on iTunes. And it doesn’t seem that making a hard copy of something prevents pirating any less. I mean I’m amazed that they still do that.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Hard, Mean, Still

• I’m free to make music – I’m sitting on about 40 or 45 new songs that I can’t wait to put out.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Music, Free, Put

• I think music will be created algorhythmically, all the things that we do will be boiled down to a little computer program.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Music, Little, Down

• I live in Topanga Canyon, which is like a faux-rustic enclave in Los Angeles. I love the sounds of all the critters outside – the frogs, owls, crickets, and birds. Some of the birds around here are pretty accomplished musicians. You can learn a lot from them.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Love

  Tags in Live, Pretty

• I guess what I’ve learned is that there are no boundaries when it comes to imagination. It’s limitless.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Learned, Boundaries, Guess

• I actually don’t see that strong of a connection between my background as a rock ‘n roller and my early films. In a way I think your musical identity in film work is determined by the jobs that come your way.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Work

  Tags in Rock, Strong

• For me, the work begins with a rough cut of the film. I can’t do much with the script. I’ve tried to write music to a script prior to seeing the film, but I’ve found it turns out to be a waste of time.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Write, Tried, Music

• I don’t want to be typecast as the ‘ambient guy’ or someone who only does electronic scores. I think most of the work that comes my way is because people feel they know me musically.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in People, Someone, Electronics

• I got fed up with being in bands. I spent a couple of years touring the country in a smoked filled band, doing lots of drugs and being really unhealthy.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Country

  Tags in Really, Couple

• I guess I’d like to have my cake and eat it, too. I want to be known for having a recognizable style. I believe having your own personal identity is what makes you competitive. On the other hand, I would like to be versatile and be challenged to go in new directions.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Believe, Guess, Makes, Personal

• I know so few people who actually give music their undivided attention, so I’ve been trying to just park myself on the couch between the speakers and listen.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in People, Attention, Myself

• I was in the Chilli Peppers at the time and I asked myself, would I be able to wear a sock on my genitals at the age of forty and they proved me wrong because I guess they’re still doing it.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Myself, Proved, Guess

• I work at home but average 15,000 to 18,000 miles per year on my Honda.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Average

• I’ve always been very left of center and the radio never had much diversity and film did.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Center, Diversity

• Pop music is a fashion, and fashions come and go. The public retires you as their tastes change.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Fashion, Public

• The more I come to understand music, the more I feel like a numbskull because there is always more to learn.

  Cliff Martinez

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Understand, Learn

Cliff Martinez (20)

Birth:	5th February, 1954
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Composer, Drummer

About

Cliff Martinez was born in The Bronx, New York City. He is an American film score composer and former drummer known for his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Captain Beefheart. Martinez's film scores include Drive, Only God Forgives, Contagion, Solaris and Traffic. In 2012 Martinez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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