Damon Albarn Quotes

My grandad said 'Smile and the world will smile with you.' 1995

I once owned up to flooding the toilets when it wasn't me. I got the slipper from the teacher for it, too. No one else would own up and we weren't allowed to go home, so I just owned up. I can't remember whether it was for anyone in particular, or whether it was a random act of chivalry - or just play stupidity. 1995

I couldn't fit in with the lads at school. I was the weirdo. Post-stroke-gay. I always got called gay.

I was always a workaholic, but I just didn't have any work. 1995

We were young, good looking and in the best band in the world. 1994

Graham has obsessions. At the moment it's American hardcore. They last from six to eight months, and it's very hard for him to see anything else. 1995

We've said nothing in any of our interviews - we're probably the only band in history to do that. Dave just says nothing. Alex says nothing in an Alex way. Graham says nothing in a very negative way. I say nothing in a roundabout way. We do it on purpose because there is very little to say; it's all about feeling. Our generation doesn't need a spokesman. 1991

I don't care who I snog, girls or boys. It's not a sexual thing at all, it's more of a header. 1991

It's not easy for us to talk about girls. We're not very articulate on the subject. Sexual energy is too tiring for me. 1991

It's extraordinary that 16 year olds thrust their breasts at me and ask me to sign them. But they do. 1995

I wouldn't get a hard on looking at a bloke but I like the idea of bisexuality. I'm more homosexual than Brett Anderson. And as far as bisexuality goes, I've had a little taste of that particular fruit, or I've been tasted, you might say. But when you get down to it, you can't beat a good pair of tits. 1994

The British like sex to be a naughty thing. I think it's because we have an asexual Queen. 1994

I've only ever been in love with one person and that's Justine. 1995

The most drunk I ever got was at a private view for a college art show. I think I had two bottles of tequila and completely lost about ten hours. I woke up in a cell and, when my vision cleared, I found myself staring at a Nepalese soldier in full uniform. He didn't speak any English and he was just very alarmed that I was in there with him. When I asked the coppers what had happened, they said, 'Well we found you at Euston station, unconscious and surrounded by a group of tramps, so we thought we'd bring you here for your own good.' I'd had all my money taken, so I had to walk home. 1995

I've always known I'm incredibly special. All my life. You know? It's not a big deal. 1991

 It was quite a relief not to win the Mercury prize, because people are going to start getting fed up with us for winning everything. It's good not to achieve every time and it's important to remain some kind of underdog because there's nothing worse than a big-head. 1995

I've got people camping outside my place in Kensington. In sleeping bags. It's not that irritating, except we haven't got any curtains in the front room, so we can't walk around in the nude. 1994

Oh yeah, we've got all these Japanese girls that follow us around. They're completely mad. They're so polite and they've got these incredibly expensive video cameras. They love waving too, when you get on the bus they all wave. It's like their idea of sex is waving and bowing. 1990

I am genuinely inspired by my mum. I love and respect my mum and I think she's great. She always makes me laugh and I trust her totally. Both my parents are artists and I grew up in quite a liberal home; I was allowed to do what I wanted, but all based on a strong moral foundation. I think it's really important that parents allow you to do what you like when you're young because you're more likely to get it all out of your system. I do love my mum. 1993

I feel an all-consuming feeling that we're laying our world to waste and there's little I can do about it except say there's nothing I can do and eat Indian curry. 1991

We really annoy our peers quite immensely. Which is amusing. The Manic Street Preachers feel compelled to indulge in onstage outbursts about us. 1994

 It's important that Oasis are rude about everybody and that they get drunk. That's what people like you want, and you encourage them. Fair enough. It's nice, isn't it? But it's nothing to do with me. They came to see us in Manchester and they were very pleasant boys. Very nice. I'd like to see that as a quote. Oasis are very nice boys.

 We were approaching Madrid airport on an Iberia flight from Barcelona when our tour manager, who was sitting next to me, grabbed hold of my left leg. I said, 'Fuck off Ian,' but he wouldn't let go so I hit him. I then looked at the other passengers and noticed they had the same look of complete panic on their faces as he did. I asked him what was wrong and he said, 'We nearly died.' Apparently, the plane had approached the runway almost on its side with the left wing no more than six feet off the ground. Just before impact, the pilot had managed to right the plane so avoiding disaster and probably our death. For the rest of the day, everyone got completely drunk and told all and sundry how much they loved them. I felt strangely distant as I had not shared the experience.

 The charts are like a street - like a cul-de-sac within a housing estate. You have nice neighbours and horrible ones. We want to be in Number 3 next to the newsagent. 1994

Even though I'm a Chelsea fan, there's no getting around Ryan Giggs' genius. For the fact that you can walk into any pub across the land and guarantee that there'll be a conversation about him taking place. The last time that happened was with George Best. 1993