Top 100 Quotes & Sayings by John 5

I'm playing all the time. It's a gift, and I'm so happy for that gift. It's really engulfed my life in a good way. I make time.

I'm always playing guitar.

I wanted to do this so badly, to be a successful musician.

It's funny, the power of music. I was watching 'Dracula,' the 1931 version with Bela Lugosi, and the only music you hear is at the very beginning of the credits. There's not one other piece of music; it's all silent. It's unbelievable, and it's very effective, too.

I started at such a young age learning every style of music, the country and the bluegrass and the western swing and the rock - everything.

I love doing it. It's great. I love doing the sessions, 'cause you're kind of like in a different band every day. I used to do them all the time. I think my first one was John Wetton from U.K. and Asia and all that stuff, King Crimson. It was so great. Really a lot of fun.

Writing songs, especially with the instrumental stuff, it's difficult.

I am from Michigan; I am from Grosse Pointe. I was upper class growing up there.

I know it is one of the most important instruments and inventions, the electric guitar, to me, since television or movies or anything like that.

I find the macabre fascinating; it's all over history.

I've been putting out records for so long, but I didn't want to tour because I didn't think anybody really cared.

I always look for inspiration. If I find something that's inspiring, I'm so excited because it is very hard to find something inspiring.

I get starstruck... I don't know, because a lot of my heroes are my really good friends.

All my life, I've really enjoyed music: making music, playing it, and recording it. It's such a relief and a joy to do what I do for a living.

The guitar is my whole life.

Sometimes if you're in the studio for a very long time, you want to get out and play live shows and vice versa.

Whatever I say is so honest when I'm doing interviews.

Nothing's changed from when I'm seven years old to now. Nothing's changed at all. I like the same stuff that I did - Kiss, Van Halen, 'Happy Days,' 'Laverne & Shirley,' 'The Brady Bunch,' monsters and all that stuff.

Steve Vai had a unique style of playing. Steve Vai didn't sound like anyone else: Steve Vai sounded like Steve Vai.

I, like, prayed inside of my head as a little kid. I didn't grow up in a religious home, but we went to Midnight Mass. That was the only time I'd go to church, but when I did, I prayed that I wanted to be a successful musician. I got my wish.

I think there are so, so, so, so many things you have to be... to do this... you know, to keep going in the music business. Of course, you have to play well with others, you know, and you have to be smart with business and be good at your craft and be healthy.

I liked what any other kid did back in the day. You know, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper, and everything else that was on the radio in Michigan. There was a lot of Steely Dan; just a lot of great music inspired me.

I love Loretta Lynn, and I love Roy Clark and Johnny Cash, everybody.

If my mom said, 'You better not do this!' I'm not one of those people who go, 'Well, I'm definitely going to do that.' I always thought, 'Okay, mom. I probably don't want to do that. She's probably looking out for me.' If it's someone who says, 'You'll never make it,' I'll just do what's in my heart. It's what I've always done.

I'm always working and recording. It's just what makes me happy.

I'm so honored that I got the best guitarist award for the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards.

Being the founding member of Loser, my decision to leave was not an easy one.

I was such a sponge with music.

How it's been with me, it doesn't really matter what kind of music it is as long as it's good and catchy and I enjoy it. That's why I know all these different styles of music, just because it's fun. Whatever is good, I like it.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the main influences on why I wanted to play guitar. He really shook me. I think it was his whole style - the look and what he did with the guitar.

I was a valet for celebrity parties.

I think I'm always writing, and I'm always working, and I'm always trying to be creative. It's just something that I do all the time. I watch TV, and I'll play guitar.

Personally, I like records that are very varied in sound. Not just like, 'Oh, here's 12 super heavy tracks,' and they're all the same tempo.

I can get inspired, like anyone, from movies or music or TV or a certain way people think.

I know singers; I've worked with some of the greatest singers in the world.

I remember where I was when I heard Yngwie Malmsteen for the first time. It was such an epiphany for me, and it really shaped the way I play today. I think I heard him in '83, if I'm not mistaken - I was 13 years old - and it really was amazing for me.

There's 24 hours in a day, and I'm working most of them.

I would definitely say Zombie has been the best time I've ever had. It is just so great and so fun because, you know, we all get along so well, and, you know, it's just like, everybody, we're just all friends here, and we're just having a really, really, really great time.

In my eyes, and in my opinion, the guitar is strong and powerful and will never die.

When I was touring with Ozzy, you know, when I was with Manson, we toured with Ozzy, so many times, we did Ozzfest a thousand times, and, you know, it seems like I'm always playing with Ozzy in one way or another opening up.

There's not many crazy guitar instrumentalists out there that put on a crazy monster show.

Slayer just goes from generation to generation to generation, because it's just so great.

Chet Atkins, I love his singer style and the country thing that he did. He really had a huge impact in my life, just his style - western swing and the country thing he did - it really changed my life.

Inspiration is a really hard thing to describe, but it's something that triggers your brain, like the first time I heard a certain guitar player that I loved or the first time that I saw a monster or the first time that I saw anything that really was an epiphany for me. It just stays with you your whole life.

I'm still obsessed with Kiss. I'm still obsessed with Van Halen. I guess we don't change that much from being kids. Either we don't change that much, or we just have really good taste.

I'm a vegan now, and I've never felt better in my life. In my life.

I love watching documentaries on people like 'clean freaks,' because it's just so interesting to me for some reason.

I like records that are all over the place. That's why I think my favorite Beatles record was always 'The White Album.'

I truly enjoyed my time with Manson and have the greatest respect for the incredible fans. I am grateful to have contributed over two dozen songs to his projects. It was a great creative outlet for me at that point in my career.

I love talking to people, and I'll listen to what they have to say, and if they have ideas or something like that, I'll put you to work.

I consider myself a musician. I like to play everything.

If I wasn't in the band, I'm a Zombie fan, and I'm a White Zombie fan.

Branching out to other genres - I think it's why people put me apart from other guitar instrumentalists.

I've been doing instrumental records now for a long time and built up this little fan base, which is worldwide, and it's incredible how big it's gotten. People really enjoy these records.

I really truly love all styles of music. A lot of people say that, but the first station they turn to when they get in the car is a rock station. I don't always do that. I really enjoy everything. But, of course, I'm a rock shred guitar player first.

I know it sounds corny, but I think the meaning of life is to do what you love and be happy.

I want to make money playing guitar.

People don't buy music anymore; they're stealing it. But you can't steal a live show. There's no way to reproduce a real live show. So I think that when you put a great bill together, that people will come out for it.

I'm always happy with a guitar in my hand.

I'll watch the Grammys and think, 'You hardly even see people playing guitar,' and it freaks me out.