"I prefer the rather old and battered, things with character, to the brand new"
About this Quote
Rick Allen is sneaking a whole worldview into a sentence that sounds like a shopping preference. “Old and battered” isn’t just about thrift-store cool; it’s a refusal of the glossy promise that newness equals value. In rock culture, that’s practically a moral stance. The beat-up guitar, the scuffed road case, the gear that’s been dragged through clubs and tour buses carries proof of lived experience. “Things with character” frames damage as biography, not defect.
Coming from a musician, the line also reads like a quiet defense of imperfection in an era that loves polish. Pop production can sand the edges off everything: pitch, timing, image, even personality. Allen’s phrasing pushes back, implying that what we call “battered” is often what makes something (or someone) distinct. He doesn’t romanticize antiques as luxury; he romanticizes survivorship. “Prefer” is key: it’s not a manifesto, it’s taste. That makes it harder to argue with and easier to absorb.
There’s another layer: artists build identity by curating objects and influences that signal authenticity. Old gear and worn aesthetics function like receipts for belonging, proof you didn’t just arrive yesterday with a credit card and a brand strategy. In that sense, the quote is less anti-new than anti-disposable. It’s a nudge toward repair, reuse, and respect for the marks time leaves behind - because those marks, for a working musician, often rhyme with craft itself.
Coming from a musician, the line also reads like a quiet defense of imperfection in an era that loves polish. Pop production can sand the edges off everything: pitch, timing, image, even personality. Allen’s phrasing pushes back, implying that what we call “battered” is often what makes something (or someone) distinct. He doesn’t romanticize antiques as luxury; he romanticizes survivorship. “Prefer” is key: it’s not a manifesto, it’s taste. That makes it harder to argue with and easier to absorb.
There’s another layer: artists build identity by curating objects and influences that signal authenticity. Old gear and worn aesthetics function like receipts for belonging, proof you didn’t just arrive yesterday with a credit card and a brand strategy. In that sense, the quote is less anti-new than anti-disposable. It’s a nudge toward repair, reuse, and respect for the marks time leaves behind - because those marks, for a working musician, often rhyme with craft itself.
Quote Details
| Topic | Nostalgia |
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