Mike D Quotes

The first Decline I did was out of sheer love and appreciation for the music. In 1977, it was more about bands, because punk was a new form of music. It was groundbreaking and political.

I always think the Sex Pistols and the Ramones as very, very important because they stripped things down.

There are several books out on punk history, but I haven't read any of them. I was there.

I didn't really see the British punk movement, if that's what it was, as wildly original, because I had been listening so intently to all the New York music since 1973, really.

The Ramones were inspiring a lot of bands that couldn't master their instruments.

A punk concert isn't fun without a pit.

I never met Johnny Rotten, and I didn't want to meet Johnny Rotten.

All of the punk-rock bands of the era would come in and play, and my job on Punk Rock Night was that I would go into the slam pit, and... I was 24 or 25, and I'd slam dance in the pit.

I went to UC Berkeley for college, and it was during the period when the whole punk movement was happening.

I always said the world is a better place because of Joey Ramone.

When punk came along, I found my generation's music. I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, 'cause that was what got played in the house. But when I first saw the Stranglers, I thought, 'This is it.'

Growing up in San Diego, I can remember going with my brother to see bands like Pennywise and NOFX - good punk bands that were fast and tight.

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records that weren't very political, at all.

I started going to Madame Louise's, the lesbian club where all the punk bands used to go - the Sex Pistols, the Clash. I remember seeing Billy Idol walk in there; he was gorgeous.

I think people are too hard on the Pistols. The Pistols started the whole punk thing and never saw much money.

We were watching bands like the Ramones and Blondie and other bands beginning to ignite.

I was the first one to allow a projectile to come off of the stage and into the audience. And I kind of take responsibility for the mosh pit.

When I was a kid, I was into hardcore music. The scene in New York was tiny. Every person hanging out was in a band and played at the A7 Club. There was not much rehearsing or anything. Just doing.

People called me the godmother of punk, but I never name myself anything.

The whole punk scene is, of course, responsible for the Go-Go's ever getting created. Because before punk rock happened, you couldn't start a band if you didn't know how to play an instrument. But when punk happened it was like, 'Oh, it doesn't matter if you can play or not. Go ahead, make a band.' And that's exactly what the Go-Go's did.

I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.

I still have dreams about CBGB's. I still miss the place.

I don't think any punk bands really ever got their due.

I was actually late to the punk movement because I was too young.

I couldn't imagine a list of 10 records that didn't contain a punk record - that didn't contain a Clash record.