That's a great quote. This is very common in pop music. The songs that resonate most with audiences often seem trivial at first to the artist.
I think partly this is because we are less creative when we have a lot of preconceptions about how a "proper" work is supposed to go. It's supposed to be hard, for example. Throwaway work can be free of those preconceptions because one isn't taking it seriously. What one ends up spontaneously creating can thus turn out to be more valuable. I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds Sweet Child to be the only memorable thing they ever did.
Wish I could remember other famous examples of classic songs being this kind of toss-off. Blowing in the Wind is one that comes to mind. But there are so many.
There's a long history (going back to at least "Rock Around the Clock") of single B-sides becoming unexpected hits. Searching for the phrase "started playing the B-side" brings up several examples:
My favourite is the story of "Amen Brother", a forgettable (?) b-side instrumental by sixties funk band The Winstons that just happened to feature a really sweet break beat ... which went on to spawn an entire musical genre.
I think partly this is because we are less creative when we have a lot of preconceptions about how a "proper" work is supposed to go. It's supposed to be hard, for example. Throwaway work can be free of those preconceptions because one isn't taking it seriously. What one ends up spontaneously creating can thus turn out to be more valuable. I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds Sweet Child to be the only memorable thing they ever did.
Wish I could remember other famous examples of classic songs being this kind of toss-off. Blowing in the Wind is one that comes to mind. But there are so many.