Irish artists have a tradition of being very heavily engaged in what is happening in their own society. So it was important that they had a voice.

I don't do anything in order to cause trouble. It just so happens that what I do naturally causes trouble. I'm proud to be a troublemaker.

Women are to be valued for so much more than their sexuality. We aren’t merely objects of desire.

I understand that we are actually complicated people but we are also dreadfully simple.

I don't believe in any kind of artistic snobbery or musical snobbery. You know, to me, the sexiest and the most spiritual words ever uttered in rock and roll are wop babaloo balop bam boom.

Maybe it was mean, but I really don't think so. You asked for the truth and I told you.

When you dishonor the the utter glory and majesty of black people, you lie. Your heart lies to you and you let it

I grew up in a situation of extreme abuse, but there was no chance to talk about it, so music became the escape if you like.

At some point the entire population of the earth is gonna have to look back at the kind of essence of spirituality which is basically caring about each other.

We have a tradition of passing our history orally and singing a lot of it and writing songs about it and there's kind of a calling in Irish voices when they're singing in their Irish accent.

When I kissed you, you didn't mind. I thought I tasted of too many cigarettes, but you tasted like wine.

Here was a man who'd learned to write before he could think, a man who threw out logical fallacies like tacks behind a getaway car, and he always always always got away.

Our potential is determined by God’s potential. His potential is unlimited

The more you look, the less you see.

One way to eliminate self negating thoughts and behavior is by gaining more understanding through realizing that you cannot force others to see that what you feel is real.

I wear black because I'm comfortable in it. But then in the summertime when it's hot I'm comfortable in light blue.

Appearing to pay attention when someone is speaking is one of the cornerstones of real social interaction.

Originally I considered myself a singer.

The pain of hope dying is worse than his fists and boots.

Arguably, the Venice Film Festival is the second best film festival in the world, after Cannes.

O, I have suffered With those that I saw suffer!