Shane MacGowan

“I'm just following the Irish tradition of songwriting, the Irish way of life, the human way of life. Cram as much pleasure into life, and rail against the pain you have to suffer as a result.”

“Rock 'n' roll is where the fun is.”

“I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a drunk. I like the taste of drink.”

“There's no such thing as bad publicity, except your own obituary.”

“The most important thing to remember about singing is to sing from the heart.”

“I was very, very religious. I was a religious fanatic.”

“I don't think you can be a good writer unless you're a good reader.”

“For me, a song is a song. And a lot of the songs that I've written, they don't have a punk-rock vibe, but they're still my songs.”

“I don't have a drug problem. I have a problem with sobriety.”

“When I'm writing, I'm just in my own world.”

“I was obsessed with Sinéad O'Connor, obsessed with her music.”

“Obviously the highest pressure scene, I guess, is a headlining slot at the Hollywood Bowl.”

“I've always been a voracious reader.”

“I'm not a nationalist. I'm a patriot. There's a difference.”