Top 10 Musician Quotes with Self-Descriptions In Them

Quotes where musicians said some things about themselves - where they described (or tried to describe) themselves as musicians or personalities.
The Top Ten
1 Lemmy: I’ve got what’s called a Low Tonal Register, which, loosely translated, means I sound like a gorilla on Valium Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and a singer known for his raspy voice. He died in 2015 from cancer and other health problems.

A pretty accurate self-description, LOL. Lemmy was a down to earth guy. R.I.P. Lemmy.

2 Bruce Dickinson: I fly airliners and in my spare time I sing a bit Paul Bruce Dickinson, known professionally as Bruce Dickinson, (born 7 August 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He is most well known for being the lead singer in heavy metal band Iron Maiden and his solo career.Outside his career in music, Dickinson has pursued a number of other activities. He undertook a career as a commercial pilot for Astraeus Airlines, which led to a number of media-reported ventures such as captaining Iron Maiden's converted charter aeroplane, Ed Force One, during their world tours. Following Astraeus' closure, he created his own aircraft maintenance and pilot training company, Cardiff Aviation, in 2012. Dickinson presented his own radio show ...read more.

He sings "a bit"?! His remarkable discography is a result of singing "a bit"?!

3 Jimi Hendrix: I’ve been imitated so well I’ve heard people copy my mistakes Jimi Hendrix (born November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Hendrix is consistently ranked on lists of musicians who died too soon.

He influenced a ton of guitarists over time. His innovativeness deserves endless glorification. I'm uninformed whether he was 'The Best' from a technical standpoint, but certainly, his passion and fire on the stage had no match.

4 David Lee Roth: I used to have a drug problem, now I make enough money David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality.
5 Dave Mustaine: Let's put it this way: I did not get in trouble every time I drank, but every time I got in trouble, I'd been drinking David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own band Megadeth shortly after.

I have one thing to say about this - Dave Mustaine is self-aware.

6 Keith Richards: I lifted every lick Chuck Berry ever played. Keith Richards is an English musician—primarily a guitarist—singer, songwriter, best-selling memoirist, and founding member of the rock band The Rolling Stones.

Great list, Metal_Treasure. I would say that this quote definitely rings true because the essence of the Stones lies in Chuck Berry. I think every straight rock and roll guitarist (myself included) goes through a period of learning from Chuck Berry.

7 Dave Mustaine: I’m not a great singer David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own band Megadeth shortly after.
8 Cozy Powell: I drive like I drum - madly. Colin Trevor "Cozy" Powell was an English rock drummer, who made his name with many major rock bands and artists like The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Robert Plant, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.
9 Ritchie Blackmore on smashing his guitars onstage: It goes instead into a mood and comes out as an aggressive bulldozer. I don’t know why; I often wonder why. I’m not an aggressive person offstage; I don’t know why I am on

Ritchie Blackmore doesn't talk about himself very much - in fact he has been avoiding journalists and media, so I was surprised he revealed and explained a quite personal thing.

10 Hansi Kürsch: During the performance of a 'clean falsetto' I could even chew gum. Hansi Kürsch, born Hans Jürgen Kürsch, is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer and bassist for German power metal band Blind Guardian . Heavily influenced by Freddie Mercury, he creates a huge choir effect by overdubbing his own voice multiple times in complex, overlapping vocal harmonies. He records ...read more.
The Contenders
11 Ritchie Blackmore: I have a bad reputation, but I don't mind. I quite like it. Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work in the hard rock/metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. He was ranked number 16 on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and number 50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the ...read more.

LOL. This guy is so eccentric. But also self-aware.
Here's the entire quote (I had no space above):
"I have a bad reputation, but I don’t mind. My good friends, people who really know me, know what I am. I got my image by being very moody, very sincere, telling people to f**k off when I shouldn’t have done. But I don’t care, not at all. I quite like it"

12 Matt Barlow: [After the September 11 terrorist attacks] I took a look at my life and realized that I wanted to contribute to the "real world" instead of living the illusion of a "rock star." (and he became a police officer to help the national security)

He joined the police department in Georgetown, Delaware, US.
Matt Barlow was the lead singer for Iced Earth, one of the best American metal bands.

13 Bruce Dickinson: Apart from death and taxes, the one thing that's certain in this life is that I'll never be a fashion icon. Paul Bruce Dickinson, known professionally as Bruce Dickinson, (born 7 August 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He is most well known for being the lead singer in heavy metal band Iron Maiden and his solo career.Outside his career in music, Dickinson has pursued a number ...read more.
14 Todd La Torre: I still feel like a drummer that likes to sing Todd La Torre is an American singer and drummer. He is the lead singer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, and a former lead vocalist of the bands Crimson Glory and Rising West.
15 Kurt Cobain: I haven't really had that much of a exciting life. There are a lot of things that I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life. So I pretty much like to make it up.
16 Paul Sorvino: I have the typical tenor’s build - the barrel chest, the broad face, very big upper body and very long, slender legs.

Paul Sorvino is an actor (Law & Order) and opera singer.

17 Pete Townshend: I smash guitars because I like them Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter for the rock band The Who.
18 Joe Lynn Turner: For a small guy, I have this huge chest because of these muscles in the solar-plexus area. Joe Lynn Turner is an American singer, known for his works with hard rock/metal bands Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen and Deep Purple.
19 Lemmy: I do not particularly like heavy metal. Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and a singer known for his raspy voice. He died in 2015 from cancer and other health problems.
20 Keith Richards: Let me be clear about this: I don’t have a drug problem, I have a police problem Keith Richards is an English musician—primarily a guitarist—singer, songwriter, best-selling memoirist, and founding member of the rock band The Rolling Stones.
21 Tobias Sammet: Although I have always been the clown of the class it didn't work out very well with the girls Tobias Sammet is a German metal musician, best known as the vocalist and primary songwriter of the power metal band Edguy, as well as the founder, main singer and bassist of the metal opera Avantasia.

But when he became a metal singer, it did work out with the girls.

22 Bruce Dickinson: When I was in employment as a regular line pilot, I used to take unpaid leave to go on tour with Iron Maiden. I got lucky – they let me off. Paul Bruce Dickinson, known professionally as Bruce Dickinson, (born 7 August 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He is most well known for being the lead singer in heavy metal band Iron Maiden and his solo career.Outside his career in music, Dickinson has pursued a number ...read more.
23 Lemmy: I like girls. That’s the only reason I’m in the music business - I discovered you could get women to take their clothes off if you had a guitar. And they come off a lot faster if you can play it Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and a singer known for his raspy voice. He died in 2015 from cancer and other health problems.
24 Tobias Sammet: I couldn't do that at all [to become a lead singer at 15] but to be honest my drive for personal prestige was bigger than the fear to make a fool of myself with my puberty voice Tobias Sammet is a German metal musician, best known as the vocalist and primary songwriter of the power metal band Edguy, as well as the founder, main singer and bassist of the metal opera Avantasia.
25 Paul Di'Anno: [When I was] in Iron Maiden, I was a young boy; I didn't know how to sing. I had no voice. Paul Andrews better known as Paul Di'Anno, is an English singer best known as the first vocalist to record with heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 1978 to 1981.
8Load More
PSearch List