guitarists

"We must always aim for the top and I see my role as helping recognise our wealth of talent and helping make sure the various DStv channels that feature music have of flow of good Zimbabwean content. This gives me great satisfaction"

"To be where I am, there came about a combination of many things that include hard work, perseverance and adherence to certain life and music business principles"

"I had a burning passion for music as early as I can remember and I was happy to discover that I was gifted in this area, so I never dreamed of doing anything other than earning a living through music"

"I noticed online that there is not even a single thing such as this on Zim guitar so I decided to be the one to start it"

"They are running in their own lane so they won’t disturb anybody"

"It’s basically a book of answers. I asked my fans on Facebook to post questions concerning the Zimbabwean music industry, so I responded. But it mainly touches on the struggles that we face as Zimbabwean musicians. We are famous but poor"

"Musicians, fans and arts journalists will benefit a lot because it addresses the day-to-day issues of the music industry"

"With the current economic climate, the downs are many"

"Dancehall has provided employment to a lot of young people who are now entertainers, producers and dancers, so it's a good thing in that regard"

"I am 47 years right now, the journey had its fair share of ups and downs"

"Russia is a popular theme in France right now, in terms of Soviet memorabilia and stuff like that. But there isn't really a serious approach to Russia, we’re like matryoshka dolls to them: 'Hey, look, Russians can play guitars almost like we do'. A lot of bands have taken the opportunity to tour abroad, consciously accepting the fact that they will be touring on bad terms in terms of both pay and concerts. I didn't want to be a matryoshka doll. The problem isn't so much the money, it's the prestige of the country. If you want to go abroad, it's best to go as a tourist."

"There is not any kind of meaning in the lyrics, in fact it was an attempt at completely deconstructing reality."

"And I don't think that parents can teach anything at all. A child is a person with his own destiny, and it seems to me that we attach too much importance, so to speak, to the formation of personality by the parents. Parents can educate there, whatever they want, and the personality is formed by itself, under the influence the environment... But one and the same environment affects some in this way, others in a different way ..."

"I think we all have handicaps — physical, mental, emotional or from situations into which we are born but of which we have no control. But we have to be careful not to listen to people who tell us that we can’t do this or that. If you are stupid enough to let that really sink in, then it’s true. You won’t be able to do anything. But I was always a rebel."

"Almost everything can be forgiven to those who are honest. Say, for example, if we [Kino] play our music in an unprofessional manner, or sing our songs in an unprofessional way – and we have made countless mistakes of this kind – our fans will overlook this, but, if we do not try our best to be honest our fans will never forgive us."

"It is more important for me to preserve some self-respect and some inner freedom, which I now have, but it is very difficult to preserve it, I have to fight all the time with all sorts of temptations. And I fight with them ... If the question is put in such a way that I will have to play music that I do not want to play, but which people like, then it would be unfair to play it, for me it would be a temptation."

"The most important thing is that we would like people to reach some kind of mutual understanding, so that these huge mixed nationalities, religions, social order, finally understand each other, if possible ... And then everything would fall into place, and there are no more desires would not be."

"The most interesting thing for us is the work of independent record companies. Most often, music "for sale", music for dancing comes to us. The ears get used to the standards. And independent companies have a small circulation of records of groups that are not guided by standards. It's closer to us."

"The main thing is to remain yourself, and this is impossible for a professional actor. Although it is difficult to think ahead. It seems to me that cinema and music, complementing each other, can coexist in my life."

"Almost everyone can forgive us for honesty: and, say, not enough professional game, and even not enough professional verses. There are many examples of this. But when honesty disappears, they forgive nothing."

"I feel that now I can’t always reach an understanding with someone, especially with people of an older generation. I find it difficult in this situation, because they think differently. Naturally, people cannot think alike, but they must understand each other. That's why they are people."

"I want to be myself everywhere - both on the movie screen and at a concert, do you understand? The most important thing for me is to maintain the self-esteem and freedom that I have now. But it is very difficult to save. You have to fight all the time. And if the question becomes that I will have to play music that I don’t want to play, but that people will like, it would be dishonest to play it, right?"

"My generation was born in the early 60s or a few years earlier. My parents’ generation carried guns and gained control of the country. We’re the first generation under them, so we call ourselves the revolution’s generation."

"His lyrics evoked alienation, a craving for personal freedom and sexual desire. His voice was a deep bass growl, the likes of which few outside the tiny, nascent Beijing rock scene had ever heard."

"If you’re singing and writing lyrics in Chinese, then you’re making Chinese music. You have your own story and you try to tell your own feelings, which are different from older generations’—different from the revolution. We were the first generation to try and express our own feelings. You can say this is Western, but I would say it’s human. Anyways, it doesn’t matter. I’m playing rock music and I’m singing in Chinese. That’s it."

"Talking about capitalism and communism isn’t really important or relevant anymore. Money isn’t proof that capitalism is right — money is money. Nobody really cares about these concepts, not even the government. They’re all just tools. I do think people of this generation talk more about control, education, the environment. Nobody talks about capitalism or socialism anymore though. It’s all mixed up together."

"I like Hip-Hop music. I like electronic music. I like, you know - I can get a lot of energies from the young people."

"I think rock music is more personal for me. I have more freedom. I can show more of my personal emotions in rock and roll music. With classical music, I can only play something that is written already."

"When I'm holding a guitar, I got a little more confident. You know, actually, before that, I would say I was a shy guy. You know, I was trying to looking for some better way. And then finally, I found a guitar and I really can sing. And people give more attention on me and I thought, "OK, this is the thing I will do forever"."

"For the young people now, the going to the concert or the going to follow some big stars - unfortunately, now, you know, they don't want message anymore. They want be a part of economic developing. They don't care about message now."

"Some Chinese are slaves to Western culture, others look East. I say fuck all of them and be yourself. That’s what I like about rock ‘n’ roll. You can talk straight."

"I don't even want people to say I'm the godfather of Chinese rock music. I would like to say I'm the grandson of Chinese rock music. I want to keep doing something, I don't want to sit there and tell people what you should do. I don't like that."

"I can't think of someone who has ever been more worthy than Cui Jian for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He's Woody Guthrie or Bruce Springsteen, whose songs made people suddenly realize that there are things going on about which we don't know and ought to, and singing with the voice of the people not often represented in popular culture."

"We were constantly testing to see how far we could go, testing the aesthetic limits of society, and those of the old cadres too. We felt that if we couldn’t upset them, we weren’t doing it right. We’d be like, really? You’re upset at such a little thing? On the other hand. Every so often, we didn’t get a reaction and we’d be surprised at our luck."

"Fear is part of the culture of this country and has been for the past 50 years. But in America everyone is fearful too, just for different reasons. Maybe now it’s the same everywhere. Anyways, I may be afraid, but I usually try to answer questions without putting myself in danger. I just don’t want to lie. Journalists always expect me to answer that black is black or white is white, but if you get to know China you’ll understand that no one answer is ever right. It’s all gray."

"To be the person stand behind the camera observing other people is really interesting, it gives me a great sense of freedom."

"I had a lot of friends who worked in foreign embassies so I had the chance to exchange music tapes. That's the way I listened to a lot of rock music at that time"

"I don't really want to talk about the old stuff - I really don't think it's important any more. I have a lot of new songs, which are more important to me"

"I think the biggest enemy in this country is the corruption. I think everybody will - now they learn it."

"I think that music festivals, clubs, and record companies can really change the Chinese music scene, but I believe there is no festival or record company doing a good job in China. I think the Chinese listening culture is more viewing-like. Everybody takes care of how he/she looks like. They don't care about what they sound like. It could be pretty bad, but there is hope."

"I want to give a serious message in the pop music. Right now, I think most of the rock and roll music - they just don't want touch this. You know, they think this is not fashion anymore. And that the young people will think this not cool. I think this a part of rock and roll music - good melody, good energy, and good message."

"Overall the roller coaster of emotions games have — you know, fear or the feeling of running from something, or the high-strung tension of being in battle, or even going somewhere in a game that’s less tense and is kind of funny, that’s there in any part of game development. Everyone’s kind of in the same position."

"Your flair, your style, your élègance: No matter where we are, it feels like France."

"Why, people chasing their tails, day in day out; Stepping on each other’s dreams; Trying to buy something that can’t be bought - until their lights are out."

"Oceans of blue embracing the land: A drop at a time, igniting the sand."

"It ain't the gold in your pockets - with everyone starving in rags. It ain't the size of your rockets - with all your foes in black bags. 'Cause carnival's in town from Sunday to Sunday. And everything's upside down, with rainbows in fun grey."

"Everyone has a life. That’s how it seems on the screens."

"Prescribed so many pills and each and everyone just kills. Are we now Jekyll or Hyde?"

"Just a flash of a second of the age of the world to live this life we’ve been beckoned for our souls to unfurl. Paint on this canvas with all the colours that we know and then add some more from the magical unknown. Round and round, along the spiral, on this path supreme, spawn the sound of the cycle, called forth by our being. Oh, polish this gemstone from all sides thereof, until it shines oh so brightly in the light of love."

"After all to have it all, feel 10ft tall and one with all in this moment."