Geoffrey Holder Quotes

It does not matter how badly you paint so long as you don't paint badly like other people.

The most daring thing is to be yourself and to do exactly what you want to do at that point in time and not to be worried with what other people are doing or what's popular.

I never tried to sing like anybody else, fortunately I didn't sound like anybody else. It just happened.

I want to be free to be any version of me I feel like being. I don't want to be McDonald's that serves the same food every time.

I never wanted to be like anyone growing up. It's always been about the enjoyment, and I've just never wanted to imitate anyone.

They're never gonna not put you in a box. It's something that they have to do, because nine times out of 10 people don't understand creativity.

We don't follow trends; I don't think we even set trends. We just do our own thing. We just do what we love. That's why Arch Enemy sounds like that.

I'm an artist. I'm a musician. I'm not someone you can put in a box.

I create, dress, and act however I feel in a single moment.

What I don't like is when people feel like they can box an artist into who they think an artist should be.

I think that my father would find it so confusing that people want to imitate him. Not because he didn't have confidence in who he was, but because he never imitated anybody. He was his own person.

Originality is independence, not rebellion; it is sincerity, not antagonism.

I personally do not listen to a lot of music. It helps keep my mind free. I don't want to sound like someone else from the get-go. I want to express myself and the world in my head.

Don't try to write to the trend of the moment.

It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else.

I like being the odd one out in L.A. Because if you conform, you become something you hate. I love being the odd one out. It's not about 'Look at me! Look at me!' It's about really becoming someone else.

I think, as an artist, part of your job is being aware of what's going on around you and not selling out and not following the trend, which I'm totally against.

I've never really tried to copy anyone; I like to have my own style.

I always try to be a trend setter. That's what I always tell young people when I'm giving them advice. To go with their heart and don't follow the trends.

People relate to the spirit of the band, which is to live your way and succeed on your own terms. There's no hypocrisy in being successful and still railing against conformity.

I love Lady Gaga. She's not afraid to take risks and be herself.

I mean, if I was living to please people, I'd have never been in a band at all. I wouldn't have anything awesome around. I'd just be bored.

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

I don't want ever to be guilty of what my critics claim: doing formula without original elements.

No age is compelled to take its beauty from preceding epochs.