Michael Stipe Quotes

It's a great thing that the United States has given the rest of the world - no other country has given such great popular music to the Far East and Europe. When I play those great countries, a lot of times, the audience starts singing the songs with me. They know them. They love them.

The Ice Storm, because of the movie, has had, or is to have, a vigorous life in other cultures.

The whole world loves American movies, blue jeans, jazz and rock and roll. It is probably a better way to get to know our country than by what politicians or airline commercials represent.

Few years ago, it was completely different. Now you go to any country, city, or continent and just say 'Bollywood,' and they will know. So, it means everybody is watching everything.

From jazz, the blues, country and rock to Hollywood movies, culture has in many ways been our greatest export (or our most obnoxious one, depending on your point of view).

I can understand my popularity with the Indian diaspora, but I do get surprised when non-Indians recognise my music.

American shows don't always translate, but this one has and speaking for myself I'm quite glad for it.

Even in China. Children there, next to the Great Wall, who had never seen Mickey Mouse responded. So the studio did have that skill to communicate with images.

I have fans all around the world.

But we're very much an American band and that's that. I think that's part of the appeal outside of this country and it might be part of the reason people turned away from us within this country, because familiarity breeds contempt.

The Arab world also won the Nobel with me. I believe that international doors have opened, and that from now on, literate people will consider Arab literature also. We deserve that recognition.

Internationally, I have as large of a fan base - if not larger - than I have domestically.

I actually feel like the phrase 'big in Japan' is not appropriate for me. The reason is that there are more people who sympathize with my practice in America than there are domestically in Japan.

That's an amazing gift as an actor - to be able to say I have an audience in so many countries in the world and that people know my work.

Personally, I don't give a toss about French viewers. I make films for foreigners - it's a bit like Ken Loach, who's not very popular in England but has had a lot of success in France. Cinema is always an experience in a foreign body.

My detractors are only accusing me of blowing up cars. What they have not realised is that my films have the potential to cross language barriers. New avenues have opened for Hindi films, and I'm proud and happy about it.

I gladly accepted the commission but was uncertain about what the end result would be. On the one hand, Cuban music was conquering the world; being heard everywhere, and our small island was already producing one of the popular musical genres of the 20th century.

We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The demand is huge.

I didn't think much about foreign readers when I began 'Naruto,' but I knew that many of the artists who influenced me had already been accepted overseas.

The immense popularity of American movies abroad demonstrates that Europe is in the unfinished negative of which America is the proof.

I'm more American than anything else. I grew up in China, but I was fulfilled at a young age by American music. It was my biggest inspiration.

I'm starting to believe it when someone tells me 'Suits' is popular in another country. We're just acting, but we are reaching so many different kinds of people all over the world.

People listen to The Beatles, but while they were muscially influential, they weren't culturally influential in quite the same way. You can go into the back of beyond in a little Indian village, and they will listen to Bob Marley. But they're not going to be listening to The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.

When I'm back in my country, it's like being David Beckham. But it's like that for David Beckham all over the world. It must be more difficult for him than for me.

I was travelling a lot, during the release of 'Dilbar,' to various countries, and the song would be played at random places like lounges, coffee shops, streets, and I realised the song had reached levels that was beyond India.