David Johansen Quotes

I used to play too with a boy who played a saxophone. We didn't play no blues, we'd play a lot of love songs - 'Stardust', 'Blue Moon', 'Out Cold Again', 'Sophisticated Lady', 'Stars Fell On Alabama', a lot of different stuff.

I grew up around jazz. I love jazz.

Growing up, I was very much interested in jazz music.

I hear many extra-musical things somehow in Coltrane.

When I found the music of Monk I finally found music that fit that horn. Every one of his tunes fit it perfectly.

I think I came across Cecil Taylor a bit later, in 65 or 66. That really impressed me - Cecil Taylor is an amazing character... Both his music and the way he approaches the instrument are astonishing.

Bernstein grew up in my building in New York. He's a very, very fine player. When he was a kid, he came by to find out what was going on in the world of jazz.

My father was a jazz tenor sax player. He played in a lot of big bands. So I had that sound around me all the time. The first record that really caught my ear was Clifford Brown's 'Brownie Eyes.' I grew up listening to John Coltrane and Illinois Jacquet. This is where I come from... I love improvisational music.

As far as other instrumentalists, I used to love mellow sax players like Paul Desmond. I love piano.

To me, Bill's musical heart is in Earthworks, in the jazz they are playing, in the acoustic kit.

I didn't plan on rock-n-roll. I wanted to learn jazz; I got to know some people doing rock-n-roll with jazz, and I thought I could make some money playing music.

I love Ornette Coleman. I love Don Cherry. I love the way those guys play.

And I used to listen to a lot of jazz.

Jazz is very important. It's not something I can put my finger on. When I'm writing at my favorite time, I like to have the gentle side of Coltrane or Brubeck on the CD player. It creates sort of a spiritual space in which I write best.

I'm an old Coltrane disciple just like I'm a Christian.

When I was a kid I was definitely into Neil Young.

I try to make my flow sound like a John Coltrane solo.

My earliest memories have to do with music.

My playing started to develop through the Miles Davis stuff I was listening to.

My music is jazz.

Miles Davis is one who writes songs when he plays.

Anything by Gonzalez Rubalcaba is unbelievable. I've been listening to the best of Django Reinhardt.

I use a lot of tunings because I listen to a lot of jazz.

I used to sing songs from musicals all the time as a kid.

I like to listen to classical music... I like mainline jazz.