Michael Stipe Quotes

I think, increasingly, despite what we are being told is an ever more open world of communication, there is a terrible alienation in the ordinary man between what he is being told and what he secretly believes.

I've always enjoyed playing live onstage.

You know, who cares about seeing the girls when everybody wants to see the band. That's what's important, KISS is important. I think we look great, and the attitude is there, and I'm real happy with it.

I mean it's funny, playing music, how of course you want it to do well, you want them to like it, but it's not competitive like an election, it's the Olympics, it's not a Formula 1 race. The Billboard charts are just to show you what people like.

The Germans and I no longer speak the same language.

Most of my career has been about standing on a stage performing music to an audience, and once the show is over, they go home and I go on to the next show.

I want to write songs and play them for people - live.

My first jam was at Hotel Diplomat opening for Hollywood.

I was lucky enough to get to perform on stage in front of 20 million people on TV, and 150 thousand in concerts. For 15 minutes I got to be a rock star, the 15 minutes is great! It turns into Spinal Tap after 20 minutes.

We'll open for anyone, we are just looking to play.

Although there was a point with the Tijuana Brass where we were playing for such huge crowds that I kind of lost contact. At one point, the only connection I had with the audience was with people out there lighting cigarettes.

I love live music and I love to see people's faces when I'm performing.

Mick Jagger is one of the greatest athletes who ever lived, just for how much he puts into it onstage.

My fans, country radio, friends, family, you name it - they know I love to perform.

Something magic happens when I get to a club or get on stage.

We really put together a great band, and have a great time.

I make records so I can go on tour. There's nothing else. I love to go out and play for people.

I don't miss television. It's too much hurry up and sit around, wait till they do this and do that, and get the lighting just right. I'd much rather go out on a stage anywhere and just play and sing for an hour.

Getting out and being able to present a concert is invigorating.

I think me and Macklemore exist in two different worlds.

I really wanted to make a record that would feel fun to play live.

Yeah, playing live for me is the essence of what we do.

I've always loved to play live.

You could say I try to eliminate people.

I love just getting to experience the different types of fans and getting to perform in front of thousands of people every night; that is icing on the cake for me. That is the fun.