"My place in Scotland is in the middle of nowhere, so you've just got a keyboard, guitar, a little drum machine and you know if you can work stuff out like that, if you can hammer out songs that sound good just with those three things and a voice, you're on your way"
About this Quote
The intent is pragmatic mentorship with an artist's edge. Kay is describing a self-test: can you make a track compelling when the arrangement can't do the heavy lifting? It's a philosophy that cuts against an era where production can masquerade as writing. When he says "you're on your way", he's not promising fame; he's describing a threshold of competence and confidence, the point where songs survive even before they're dressed up.
Subtextually, it's also a defense of craft and taste. The drum machine isn't there to fetishize vintage gear; it's a metronome with attitude, a constraint that forces decisions. The guitar and keyboard cover harmony and texture; the voice is the truth serum. If the vocal line doesn't land, no amount of sheen will rescue it.
In context, it reads like a veteran of a band-and-groove tradition pushing back on the myth that inspiration requires maximal resources. Kay's "middle of nowhere" becomes a controlled environment for making work that can travel anywhere.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Kay, Jay. (2026, January 15). My place in Scotland is in the middle of nowhere, so you've just got a keyboard, guitar, a little drum machine and you know if you can work stuff out like that, if you can hammer out songs that sound good just with those three things and a voice, you're on your way. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-place-in-scotland-is-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-154625/
Chicago Style
Kay, Jay. "My place in Scotland is in the middle of nowhere, so you've just got a keyboard, guitar, a little drum machine and you know if you can work stuff out like that, if you can hammer out songs that sound good just with those three things and a voice, you're on your way." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-place-in-scotland-is-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-154625/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"My place in Scotland is in the middle of nowhere, so you've just got a keyboard, guitar, a little drum machine and you know if you can work stuff out like that, if you can hammer out songs that sound good just with those three things and a voice, you're on your way." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-place-in-scotland-is-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-154625/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.




