Musicians

"I've always had my suspicions about moss."

"I'd like to punch out a really old lady. There'd be no repercussions."

"[When asked if he sees the future with people wearing shirts with his face on it]"

"[When asked if he would advocate stalking one's favourite comedian in the hope that one gets to form an award-winning double-act with them and become world famous]"

"I used to suck [Smarties] until they were all white, let them dry, and then put them back in the packet and show my mum the Smarties with no colour on them."

"[When asked if he used to go onstage dressed as Jesus with a watercolour beard]"

"I don’t think I’d have done comedy if I was born eighty years ago [...] I’d have been a lord. Shooting people that were on my land [...] With a wig, yeah. And some crisps."

"In Edinburgh? I quite like the City Cafe. Because you never get served in there. And I like the idea that you can go in there for three hours and still not get your order. I think that’s quite funny. And then when you say ‘Can I have some food - I’m wasting away,’ they have the audacity to tut at you. When there’s only four of you in there. Fuckers. They should all be shot in the face. Sorry. I’m only joking. And I’m really tired."

"Happiness is the moment when one doesn't feel pain."

"In 1956 I was granted the biggest reward of my career: my wife, Josée Jongen."

"I have never been a child prodigy. When I think back to my childhood, I can not discern any sign of future success. My only real talent couldn't be found in any curriculum: whistling."

"Alla Pugacheva You have recently been at Rotaru's Anniversary. Is it possible that you will perform in the near future a song in duet with Sofia Mihailovna? - I would like to. However, one cannot hurry us in this. Rotaru is enormously overcharged, myself - as well. But we are dreaming about this already for many many years. And the singers' dreams should come true!"

"Interview "Cosmopolitan Sofia": If there were a fire in your house, what would be the first thing you would take away with you? - I would take away my legs."

"20.02.94, Kyiv, 18:15 a boy from the crowd: - Sofia Mihailovna, how many languages do you speak? - I speak Moldavian, Ukrainian and Russian, but what is important is that we understand each other."

"Replying to Anatolii Kirillovich and Ilya Savelievich to their jokes about Aurica Rotaru during one of the rehearsals in Krasnodar [Russia] ('93): - One more time, one can't here Aurica! - Well, she is echoing in Moldavian... - She is not echoing in Moldavian. I'll show you, khokhols!! Just sing, Aurica. - Well, I am not singing in the beginning... - I'm telling you: sing."

"13.04.95. Kharkiv [Ukraine] speaking to pyrotechnist - about fog on the stage... - Make sure no one can be seen. Myself as well..."

"Interview to the newspaper "Week" [Russian: "Неделя"/Nedelya], 1978: -They say you started singing from the cradle? -Couldn't do it in the cradle: the dummy was in the way."

"Roman Viktyuk: Her destiny on Earth is to be the sun, the light. Her name in Ukrainian is Sonia, Solnyshko ["Sunny" in English]. That is how she is bringing throughout her whole life to people and throws handfuls of light, love and warmth into the concert halls... Sonechka, you know there was no way I would not appear on this stage since two nice parts of Western Ukraine are here. Sonia, Sonechko, there is no "our" or "your" sun, here is Light - Sonechka. Do keep on lighting, remain as tender, beautiful, talented, young as ever. You are unique, thank you Sonia. (Golden Grammy Awards Russia 2006, song "Do Not Love" [Russian: Не люби/Ne lubi)"

"Vladimir Putin: "The art of unique Sofia Rotaru is one of the birghtest pages of modern pop culture. Rare in beauty voice, artistic temper and flawless artistic taste have righteously won You the recognition and love of numerous generations of fans. Your songs come from the very heart an dthat is why they have such a long and happy life." (Russian President has greeted the singer, People's Artist of USSR, S.M.)"

"You will be one of the 10% of people out there who are in that bracket because you've succeeded, 90% of people don't live their dream, they talk about it. We've all been in the pub when your mate says 'I'm going to do this' and you go back a year later and he's sitting in the same chair saying the same thing. We've all been there or know someone who's been there."

"from a tremendously vital white-hot fortissimo down to a trembling, limpid pianissimo so distant that it was difficult to sense whence the mysterious sound could be coming"

"We had no sooner taken our seats in the railway carriage and the train was beginning to move slowly out of the station when the guard came along the corridor and presented me with my viola! The porter had spotted it, reclining in its case all alone on the platform seat where Lillian and I had been busily engaged in conversation, run along the platform, and thrust it into the hands of the guard through the luggage van window as the train was moving off. Such was my absorption in Lillian that I could even forget the existence of my beloved and precious viola which had meant so much to me for so many years."

"Georg Solti: There isn't any. There isn't any for me. This is a question for amateurs. Amateurs have favorite symphonies. A pro never have favorites. The favorite is what I am doing now, today. That's my favorite."

"Charlie Rose: What's your favorite symphony in the world now? Sir-"

"Between the two men, somewhere, a truth is lying, and that is what I try to find."

"In my orchestra, I hate slackness, idle talk and lost time. I always hated this and still hate it. But I can achieve much more when I am quiet and not shouting."

"Fight the tendency to become complacent and do one kind of music - that is the death of a musician."

"Everyone says you have to be a specialist, and if you conduct Wagner you cannot conduct Mozart - this is nonsense."

"From Toscanini I learnt the essential and desperate seriousness of making music."

"Datemi il conto della lavandaia e vi metterò in musica anche quello."

"Je le prends deux fois par semaine, Haydn quatre fois et Mozart tous les jours. Vous me direz, Beethoven est un colosse, qui vous donne souvent des coups de poing dans les côtes, tandisque Mozart est toujours adorable. C'est que lui a eu la chance d'aller très jeune en Italie à un époque, où l'on chantait encore bien."

"His moral deficiencies as an artist were quite extraordinary. When he found the natural superiority of his genius in conflict with the ignorance and frivolity of the public – and the musical ignorance and frivolity of the Venetians and Neapolitans can hardly be overstated – he surrendered without a struggle. Although he was so able a man that it was easier and pleasanter to him to do his work intelligently than to conventionalize it and write down to the popular taste, he never persevered in any innovation that was not well received."

"Rossini, divino Maestro, Helios von Italien, der du deine klingenden Strahlen über die Welt verbreitest!"

"Rossini, in music, is the genius of sheer animal spirits. It is a species as inferior to that of Mozart, as the cleverness of a smart boy is to that of a man of sentiment; but it is genius nevertheless."

"Music is a kind of harmonious language."

"Aspettate fino alla sera prima del giorno fissato per la rappresentazione. Nessuna cosa eccita più l'estro come la necessità, la presenza d'un copista, che aspetta il vostro lavoro e la ressa d'un impresario in angustie, che si strappa a ciocche i capelli. A tempo mio in Italia tutti gli impresari erano calvi a trent'anni."

"Melodia semplice e varietà nel ritmo."

"Monsieur Wagner a de beaux moments, mais de mauvais quart d'heures."

"Cette petite composition qui est, hélas, le dernier péché mortel de ma vieillesse."

"Bon Dieu; la voilà terminée, cette pauvre petite messe. Est-ce bien de la musique sacrée que je viens de faire, ou bien de la sacré musique ? J'étais né pour l'opera buffa, tu le sais bien! Peu de science, un peu de coeur, tout est là. Sois donc béni et accorde-moi le Paradis."

"I’m the authentic poet to get lyrical For you to beat me, it’s gonna take a miracle."

"To me, Big Daddy Kane is still today one of the best rappers. I would put Big Daddy Kane against any rapper in a battle. Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, any of them. I actually met Jay-Z with Kane. Kane brought Jay-Z over to my house. But nobody wants to see Kane. I could take 'Raw' right now and put it up against any record [from today]. Kane is one of the most incredible lyricists, the most real cat if you ever get a chance to meet him. Straight out of Brooklyn, soft-spoken and he will devour you on the mic. I don't want to try to out-rap Big Daddy Kane. I may out-dress him, but I'm not gonna try to out-rap him. Big Daddy Kane can rap circles around cats."

"Rappers stepping to me they want to get some But I’m the Kane, so yo, you know the outcome Another victory They can’t get with me So pick a BC date cause you’re history"

"Blow up the scenery, I reign supremer, see You need a savior to save ya, so lean on me"

"I care not for these ladies, That must be wooed and prayed; Give me kind Amaryllis, The wanton country maid. Nature art disdaineth; Her beauty is her own."

"There is a garden in her face Where roses and white lilies blow; A heavenly paradise is that place, Wherein all pleasant fruits do grow; There cherries grow that none may buy, Till Cherry-Ripe themselves do cry."

"The man whose silent days In harmless joys are spent, Whom hopes cannot delude, Nor sorrow discontent:That man needs neither towers Nor armour for defence, Nor secret vaults to fly From thunder's violence."

"Shall I come, sweet Love, to thee, When the ev'ning beams are set?"

"Plead, Sleep, my cause, and make her soft like thee, That she in peace may wake and pity me."

"Well, my mom told me she saw me coming out of an aircraft and..."