“I much prefer being in the studio or on stage and staying out of the mainstream really.” StageStudiosStayingMainstream Author:Ian Astbury
“What I consider to be the barometer for what is a rock artist and what is not, is somebody who has a certain element of blues, even a hint of soul or blues music, derivative of African-American blues, folk, spiritual, or gospel.” SoulSpiritualArtistCertainRocksElementsFolksAfrican AmericanHintsDerivativesBarometerBlues Music Author:Ian Astbury
“I admire Chris Martin. Coldplay have made some wonderful records for the genre they're involved in, but I would consider them to be more of a pop act. The music is much more cerebral than it is animalistic.” MadeRecordsWonderfulInvolvedMusic IsPopsAdmireGenreCerebralAnimalistic Author:Ian Astbury
“I think hip-hop has more to do with rock and roll. Kanye West is, in many ways, a rock artist.” ThinkingWayArtistRocksWestHip HopHipsHopsRock And Roll Author:Ian Astbury
“Jay Z in many ways is a rock artist. In the sense that they've used hard rock, punk rock, psychedelic rock aesthetics and influences in their music. When you see Kanye West, he has a full band playing. Jay Z has a full band playing with Marshalls.” WayHardUsedArtistInfluenceRocksBandWestPunkAestheticsPsychedelicPunk RockHard Rock Author:Ian Astbury
“Kanye West talks about being Axl Rose, being Kurt Cobain, being Jim Morrison. Adam Levine is selling acne ointment to teenagers.” RoseWestSellingTeenagerAdamCobainAcne Author:Ian Astbury
“Chris Martin is more of a musician and hasn't really put himself out there as a television host or anything like that.” TelevisionMusicianHost Author:Ian Astbury
“The term "rock" has, unfortunately, become appropriated by four-year-old girls and accountants. An accountant does something amazingly well on the stock exchange and his buddies high-five him: He's a rock star! A four-year-old girl learned to ride a bicycle: She's a rock star!” YearsWellsDoeGirlStarsTermFiveFourRocksFour YearsRock StarBuddyBicycleAccountantsStock Exchange Author:Ian Astbury
“What is the popular image of rock star? A rail-thin, overly-paid, narcissistic, average-talented individual who self-implodes in front of everybody, eternally having a party and who looks eternally youthful?” LooksSelfIndividualStarsPartyRocksFrontsPaidAverageRock StarNarcissisticRail Author:Ian Astbury
“I do know that there is a difference between artists who are career-driven and artists who have a calling and are just compelled to make music, compelled to perform live, and the business isn't the reason they're doing it. In fact, there isn't really a reason. You just do it.” KnowsReasonFactsArtistDifferencesCareersCallingDrivenCompelledJust Do It Author:Ian Astbury