Time & Perspective Quote by Thurston Moore

Band diplomacy is its own genre of music, and Thurston Moore plays it like a practiced minimalist: a few plain chords, lots of space, no obvious hook. On paper, he is merely noting a fact Jim has the shortest history with the band but the phrasing does quiet boundary work. "We're all very sensitive" signals an internal awareness that tenure equals legitimacy, that seniority can harden into gatekeeping. Moore preemptively frames any tension as empathy, not hierarchy, even as he reinforces the hierarchy by naming it.

Calling Jim a "free agent" borrows the language of sports and labor markets, which is telling. It recasts artistic membership as a contract negotiation, not a romance. The band is an institution; Jim is talent with options. That metaphor does double duty: it respects autonomy while subtly implying contingency, that this isn't a forever bond but a renewable deal. It's also a way to save face if things go sideways. If Jim leaves, it won't be drama, it will be "free agency."

Then comes the real tell: "I'm just going to let time dictate". It's the softest possible exertion of control. Moore avoids choosing, avoids staking a claim, avoids giving fans a definitive narrative. Time becomes the fall guy, an outside force that will "dictate" what no one wants to publicly decide. In the context of a band with deep history, strong personalities, and the constant pressure of legacy, this is strategic ambiguity: keep the music (and the brand) intact by refusing to turn a personnel question into a referendum on belonging.