The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach: ‘We Didn’t Want to be Rock Stars’
Story by Charles Ken
Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach says band didn’t expect chart-topping success
Some people — maybe even most — go into the music business with the hopes of becoming rock stars. We’re talking, glitz and glamor, arena-playing, prima donna-type rock stars. But, not the Black Keys. Speaking with Interview Magazine, Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach said that he and drummer Patrick Carney “didn’t want to be rock stars.”
In fact, Auerbach insists that the Akron, Ohio, guys had very low expectations starting out. They just wanted to make great music, no matter who was — or wasn’t — listening. “We don’t have expectations or dreams, because those will always just bite you in the a–,” he said. “We’re very content with where we are and the speed we’ve been going. The only way we got through was by keeping our expectations very low. We didn’t want to be rock stars.”
He added that making music isn’t about having mad success or selling millions of records. “It’s not about success,” Auerbach said. “Whatever happens, it doesn’t matter. I would like to not go bankrupt or get some incurable disease, but other than that, I’m just happy to keep going.”
What’s stranger? Even after all these years of playing in the Black Keys, Auerbach says he’s still getting comfortable with being on stage. “Some people love being on stage and really open up, and I’m sort of the opposite of that. I don’t crave the spotlight,” he said. “I’m still not comfortable even talking on stage.” Read the full chat via Interview Magazine.
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