“I just became a vegetable for three months. I couldn’t talk to people. I was very ill and that was part of the reason I left college.”

Bipolar disorder, manic depression, depression, black dog, whatever you want to call it, is inherent in our society. It’s a product of stress and in my case over-work.

I’m a punk rocker. I don’t do Christian.

There is always room at the top, don’t let them tell you there is not.

I wanted to make good records. But my problem is I’ve got a low boredom threshold, so I wanted it to look and sound different with each album, which is really tantamount to suicide

I’ve been told I sold 110m albums and singles. If that’s the case, I should’ve come here in a space rocket.

I’ve never really been nervous about any concerts. I enjoy it so much.

The brain isn’t like the heart. They learned how to transplant a heart. The brain is more complex.

Since the decline of record companies and music sales, I’ve always played live.

I think what’s going on with gorillas is pretty bad. The fact is that you can buy gorilla meat in London any day you want it.

Depression is something that doesn’t just go away. It’s just… there and you deal with it. It’s like… malaria or something.

Bad things happen sometimes.

I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 18 The first time was a nightmare. Who shows you how to use a condom?

I became a man. Before that I was a little boy.

I’ve learned to really just say no. If I don’t want to do something, I won’t do it. There’s nothing that can make me do anything.

When I was sectioned for six months, that was one of the worst experiences of my life, not being able to go out and have freedom. Having experienced it, it’s almost inexplicably awful.

I’m blind without my glasses.

All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.

I don’t have any ill will or ill thought towards anybody.

I’m harmless. I don’t have any ill will or ill thought towards anybody. When people know you’re that way, you can say stuff that the creepy guy at your office could never get away with.

Whereas the gourmand bears a closer analogy to that class of great eaters ill-naturedly (we dare say) denominated, or classed with, aldermen

Don’t speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn’t walk in their shoes.

There is something noble in hearing myself ill spoken of, when I am doing well.

A love like that was a serious illness, an illness from which you never entirely recover.

Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.