Killing time: The case for quality over quantity

When I was in high school, my favorite band was The Killers. I caught onto them sometime between Sam’s Town and Day & Age.

Their music was a lush, fascinating blend of disparate styles, like Springsteen-esque rock epics with synth soundscapes. The Killers combined the best of the 70s and 80s with airtight songwriting and production that sounded fresh in the 2000s.

It’s easy to take The Killers for granted. These days, “Mr. Brightside” is overplayed at a meme level rivaled only by Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” But The Killers are the last of the stadium rock bands.

Their hits like “When You Were Young” and “Human” proved that a band could make anthems without relying on four-chord turnarounds like “Viva La Vida.” I even learned to play “Human” on the piano. In my view, the mark of a good song is its ability to stand up in any arrangement. To me, the Killers’ songs sound just as good on a baby grand as they do in an arena.

My dad latched onto The Killers as well. He built factories for a living. To monitor progress, he’d fly drones to get an aerial view of a site. This was long before drones were household tech. He showed me a video once. It had no audio, so he threw a Killers song on in the background just for fun.

“I like The Killers,” he told me. “They’re true musicians. They’re not just trying to pump out quick music to make some money.”

Almost as soon as he said that, The Killers went on hiatus. They’d had a hot streak with three records from 2003 to 2008 before taking a much-earned break.

Since then, they haven’t scored Top 40 hits in America, but they’ve continued to make quality records with great singles like “Caution” and “Quiet Town.” They haven’t chased trends. Sometimes, they lean more strongly on a particular strain of influences, but they have stayed true to who they are.

I respect this approach. We live in an age that values quantity over quality by a wide margin. Conventional wisdom says you have to crank out content constantly or the algorithm won’t give you the time of day. Maintaining a cadence is all that matters.

This morning, I read a blog post from a writer who said he doesn’t bother rewriting his drafts unless an editor tells them to. I disagree with this mindset wholeheartedly. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t believing in half-assing anything.

Sure, there’s a thrill of living in the present moment with first takes, but once you get past the zen of one-shotting a project, how is this respecting anyone else’s time? If you’re not trying to make your work the best it can be, what’s the point? You’re essentially a sprinkler spraying water with no regard for where it lands.

Some might argue successful artists like The Killers have the luxury of taking their time because they already have it made. They’re already a lock for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There’s nothing left to prove.

I believe an artist has everything to prove all the time. Expressing yourself through art is about exploring what you’re capable of. Life is short. If you’re not putting your heart and soul into what you’re creating, it’s not worth anyone else’s time. Your effort is a sign of your integrity. Honor your craft.

The great things in life are so rare. Any time you spent in reaching greatness is time well spent. Get back to killing it.

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