My joke, which isn’t really a joke, is that there will be one of two tours: the tour for the album that does well, or the tour for the album that stiffs.

Meaning of the quote

This quote is about how musicians may tour differently depending on how well their album does. If the album is successful, the musician will likely go on a big tour. But if the album doesn't do well, the musician will probably have a smaller tour. The musician is saying this is kind of a joke, but it's also the reality of how the music business works.

About Richard Marx

Richard Marx is an American singer-songwriter who has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. He has had 14 number one hits, both as a performer and songwriter, and has written hit songs for other artists like NSYNC and Luther Vandross. Marx has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards and won the Song of the Year Grammy in 2003 for ‘Dance with My Father’.

More about the author

More quotes from Richard Marx

I didn’t want my last chapter to be the guy who sits at the piano and sings love songs.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I have complete freedom, and there’s no way to get pigeonholed or bored. What could be better than that?

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

It never ceases to amaze me that I get to do this for a living.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I think really what I’m saying is that I thrive on adversity.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I’ve always loved groups like U2 and Coldplay.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

One time Robert Plant was set to check into the same room after I checked out, so I removed every light bulb and ordered up a bunch of stinky cheese and put it under the mattress.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

People take songs so literally.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

As a songwriter, there’s nothing better than winning Song Of The Year. But I couldn’t really celebrate, because it wasn’t right. Luther wasn’t standing next to me, to receive the award.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I can’t wait to front my band with these new songs and play for fans, but I’ve decided to keep my day job too.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I love when people get songs wrong. I love when people take something from a song that’s totally not what I intended!

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I really didn’t have any plans to record prior to doing My Own Best Enemy.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

In the past, there has always been so much pressure about carrying a show and promoting a record.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

And to any new fans we made along the way, I say… welcome to our party. It’s just starting to get going.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

When things are too easy I lose interest in them so I find ways to complicate them to get myself interested.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I don’t think I’ve ever laid out a batch of songs that pick myself apart the way that these do.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

It’s funny; Luther and I have written many songs together, but we’ve never written songs in the same room.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

But I’m just having fun playing and giving Botox injections to the older songs.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I’ve never, ever in my life enjoyed playing live the way I am now.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

But once you have some success in one style, the business wants to lock you in that vein forever.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I’m happy, I would say that I’m one of the happiest people I know but I’ve certainly had periods of profound sadness, depression and heartache and those are the kind of things that are interesting to me to write about.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I fell off stage and bruised some ribs. The worst part was that the audience didn’t realize I was gone.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

So it was just a case of getting a bunch of songs that I had been writing for years but hadn’t recorded together, and the result was My Own Best Enemy.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

My joke, which isn’t really a joke, is that there will be one of two tours: the tour for the album that does well, or the tour for the album that stiffs.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

The only thing that’s a little tricky about it is sometimes people assume that if it’s a new song, it’s a reflection of what you’re feeling or going through now.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I’m now so keenly aware that I have everything to prove and nothing to lose.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

But more importantly, I think he remembered how very close I was with my own dad, who had died in 1997.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I think I do better when things are a little tougher.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I understand that, but this disc shows the type of music that I’ve always liked and wanted to make.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter

I’ve never written a song that I thought was a hit.

Richard Marx

American singer and songwriter