“I was in the Rockin’ Vicars, which was the first British band to tour behind the Iron Curtain.”

People don’t become better when they’re dead; you just talk about them as if they are.

I wasn’t any good at playing tennis.

Kids are generally rotten until the age of about six, when they become people.

Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.

I think love’s an infatuation that turns into a habit, because you can’t keep that passion going. You get used to people, and that’s death for me – I like to be surprised.

I don’t want to advise anyone to do anything, apart from try and stay alive. That’s my advice – don’t die.

I never thought it was an option.

Cold pizza is a perfect breakfast, with lots of salt.

My father walked out on us when I was three months old, and my mum, well, she wasn’t the driven sort.

Good manners don’t cost nothing.

People look down on stuff that sells. What do you call that? Downward snobbery, I guess.

Everything I hear influences me. I can’t tell you all my influences as a musician.

I was the kid a lot of other mothers wouldn’t let you play with.

I find it quite easy to play chords, and, you know, that was all I ever did. I never wanted to be a lead guitarist.

Like most housewives, I don’t cook unless I have company.

I always open doors for women. It’s just good manners.

What’s a punk band? Hey, who’s got a beer?

We’ve been a band for 16 years. This is what you dream about.

I’m 90% performer, 10% musician. I’ve always said that Gossip are a band I would go see, not a band I would listen to.

History will tell if we were really a good band or just a one day fly.

The situation in America is when it starts moving there, all the bands from England move over to America and work from there, so that they’re available all the time for everyone that wants them in person.

We pride ourselves on trying to put on the best show we can and we’re not afraid to say that we happen to be the best live band in the world.

I have seen so many bands and musicians fade away, especially the ones in my early days that treated me and my bands with contempt for no other reason than that they were headlining the show, not all though, with great exceptions such as Slade and Vinegar Joe.

There is no rule in the pink-triangle guide to coming out that you must wear a rainbow flag cap and organise a full band parade.