A well-known guitarist, Ronnie Montrose played in a number of rock bands, including Gamma, Steely Dan, and Night Ranger. His thoughts on the music industry were distinctive, and he frequently used vivid metaphors to convey how he felt about various facets of the music-making process.

Rather than writing songs from the heart, one of his well-known quotes talks about writing songs that only satisfy listeners' desires. Montrose likens this type of labor to performing the routine tasks of a repetitive job, such as flipping hamburgers or hammering nails. He believed that writing music only for commercial success could be as routine and unsatisfying as these tasks, which entail repetitive actions.

Montrose emphasizes his view that art should originate from a place of true inspiration rather than merely meeting expectations by drawing an analogy between jobs that require repetitive physical labor and his own. He contends that rather than acting creative when one isn't feeling creative, work that feels like a chore might as well involve actual physical activity.

Montrose's love of genuine expression and his contempt for the commercialization of music are both evident in this quotation. It inspires musicians to remain loyal to their creative vision rather than making concessions to appease fans or satisfy commercial demands.