Leadership Quote by Chris Robinson

There is a punkishly simple power move in Chris Robinson drawing a hard border between creation and commerce. “I make decisions based on my work” frames artistry not as a vibe but as an operating system: the music is the evidence, the compass, the only data point that deserves authority. Then he turns and sharpens the knife: “not based on meetings with my business managers,” a line that isn’t just anti-corporate posturing but a refusal to let managerial logic define artistic reality. The kicker - “who I don’t like to meet” - lands like a shrug, and that casualness is the point. He doesn’t bother dressing up the conflict in polite industry language. He names it.

The subtext is familiar to anyone who’s watched rock culture professionalize: artists are expected to become mini-CEOs, fluent in forecasts and brand strategy, grateful for “the team.” Robinson rejects that script. He’s not saying money doesn’t matter; he’s saying the meetings are where the music gets translated into spreadsheets, and translation is where meaning is quietly lost. By insisting decisions come from “my work,” he positions output - songs, performances, momentum, instinct - as the only legitimate stakeholder.

Contextually, this reads like a veteran musician protecting the fragile, irrational part of the job that actually produces anything worth selling. It’s a defense of craft, yes, but also a defense of temperament: the right to be difficult if “easy” means letting the business side start writing the setlist.