"One time I introduced my orchestra as the Shampoo Music Makers instead of the Champagne Music Makers"

"Music is my religion"

"I've always been into melodies. That's what I love about music – a good melody that gives you goosebumps"

"The House of Lords is like a glass of champagne that has stood for five days"

"We worked very hard to make the lyrics suit the music. I can't, like Elton John, for example, compose by lyrics. Elton has a great talent for that. Whatever you give him, including your questions, he composes in half an hour and makes a great song out of it"

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music"

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away"

"I just had lunch with Slash two days ago. He loves Axl. He holds no grudges towards him. Twenty years of great music wasn't created because of some stupid grudge. That's a shame"

"Music is the shorthand of emotion"

"Music washes away the dust of every day life"

"I think some people record songs and make records a certain way to cater to radio. If you're born to make commercial music that's cool. But if you're born to not make commercial records, maybe you're meant to cater to another market"