Music Quote by Andy Taylor

There’s a quiet insult buried in Andy Taylor’s phrasing: nostalgia alone is too small a reason to show up. “Passively” is the tell - a dig at the reunion-industrial complex where legacy acts cash the check, run the hits, and let muscle memory do the work. He’s separating performance from autopilot, suggesting that simply replaying “a bunch of old songs” isn’t artistry; it’s maintenance.

The intent is partly defensive and partly aspirational. Defensive, because audiences (and promoters) often want the old version of a band preserved in amber. By insisting the group needs to feel “motivated,” Taylor frames creative restlessness as a prerequisite, not a luxury. Aspirational, because bringing “new material into the set” stakes a claim that the band still has a present tense. It’s a subtle refusal to be reduced to a tribute act to themselves.

The subtext is also about power: new songs re-balance the relationship between artist and crowd. The hits put the audience in control - everyone already knows what to feel and when. New material asks for attention, patience, and trust. That’s why the final clause matters. “It goes down really well” isn’t just a report from the stage; it’s a justification aimed at skeptics who assume new songs are bathroom-break bait. He’s saying the risk is paying off, that the crowd isn’t merely consuming memory - they’re granting permission for evolution.