Faith & Spirit Quote by Rick Derringer

There is a particular kind of brag that comes disguised as gratitude: the humble-flex of having both romance and logistics locked down. Rick Derringer frames “a great relationship” not in terms of passion or drama, but in terms of compatibility under pressure: work. For a musician, that word carries touring schedules, egos, money, fatigue, long van rides, and the constant negotiation between art and livelihood. He’s not romanticizing candles; he’s romanticizing endurance.

The phrase “when you can work with” quietly admits the opposite is common: love that collapses under the practical weight of collaboration. Creative partnerships are notoriously combustible because the same intensity that fuels good art can weaponize disagreement. Derringer’s line positions the “soul mate” not as a mystical inevitability, but as a person who remains legible when the stakes get real: deadlines, rehearsals, decisions about sound, brand, and control.

“Consider to be your soul mate” is also a revealing hedge. It treats soul mates less like fate and more like a chosen story couples tell about themselves, a narrative that becomes meaningful if it survives the grind. The subtext is almost workmanlike: intimacy is proven through shared labor. In an era that sells romance as escape from the world, Derringer’s take is the opposite. The relationship isn’t great because work disappears; it’s great because the work becomes a place where love can function without breaking.