Having a track record to live up to and the history of successes had become a hindrance. It becomes harder to break out of what people expect you to do.

Simon is reflecting on the paradox of success: once an artist has accumulated acclaim and a recognizable “signature,” that very reputation can become constraining. A strong track record creates external expectations (from audiences, critics, labels, collaborators) and internal pressure to repeat what previously worked. The quote highlights how public identity can harden into a template, making experimentation feel risky and making departures from the familiar harder to justify or even to be heard on their own terms. It speaks to a broader creative dilemma—how to evolve while being continually measured against one’s past—and suggests that artistic freedom often requires resisting the comfort and captivity of proven formulas.