David Johansen Quotes

Powerful David Johansen for Daily Growth

About David Johansen

David Johansen, born on November 30, 1945, in New York City, is an influential American musician and actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the New York Dolls and his persona Buster Poindexter. His diverse career spans over five decades, encompassing rock 'n' roll, blues, R&B, and comedy. Raised in Queens, Johansen was exposed to a melting pot of musical influences, including rockabilly, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, and soul. This eclectic mix would later characterize his own music. After dropping out of college, he joined the New York Dolls in 1972, becoming one of the pioneers of the punk rock movement. The band's glam-punk style and Johansen's flamboyant stage presence made them a significant influence on future artists. However, the New York Dolls disbanded in 1976. Johansen then created the persona Buster Poindexter, a lounge singer character that helped him transition into the disco era. His album, "Bustin' Out of Liza with a 'Z'," released in 1981, was a commercial success and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. Throughout his career, Johansen has collaborated with numerous artists, including Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. His acting career includes roles in films like "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" (1974) and "Pennies from Heaven" (1981). Despite his success, Johansen remains humble about his contributions to music, often crediting his New York City upbringing as the primary influence on his unique style. His continuing performances and collaborations solidify his status as a cultural icon in the world of rock 'n' roll.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm not a rock star. I'm a rollin' stone."

This quote by David Johansen, also known as Buster Poindexter, signifies that he considers himself to be more than just a symbol or an object of entertainment (a "rock star"). Instead, he identifies with the rolling stone - a symbol of freedom, change, and resilience. It suggests that, like a rolling stone, Johansen is constantly moving, adapting, and evolving, rather than being confined or defined by a single role or image.

"The road is long and you learn more from falling down than from staying put."

This quote by David Johansen suggests that life's journey can be arduous, but it is through the experiences we gather during our struggles and setbacks that we truly grow and gain wisdom. In other words, learning comes not just from remaining in a comfortable, stationary state, but often more profoundly from overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way.

"It's all about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

This quote by David Johansen emphasizes resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity or failure. It suggests that life, much like a fight, involves taking blows - these could be setbacks, criticism, challenges, or hardships. However, what truly defines us isn't how we are hit but rather our response - keeping on moving forward despite the hardship. This quote serves as a reminder to persevere and maintain tenacity in the face of difficulties.

"Life is too short to be anything but wild, outrageous, and free."

David Johansen's quote suggests that life should not be lived in a conventional or restrained manner. Instead, one should embrace their true nature, live boldly, freely express themselves, and seize opportunities for excitement and adventure. The idea is to break free from societal norms, expectations, and fears, and instead, choose to live an authentic, unapologetic, and spirited life.

"I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way."

This quote emphasizes a sense of directionless forward momentum. The speaker acknowledges that they do not have a specific destination or goal in mind, yet they are actively moving towards something, trusting that the journey will reveal its purpose along the way. It suggests an openness to the unexpected and a belief in the power of personal growth and discovery that can come from taking one step at a time.

We thought that's the way you were supposed to be if you were in a rock 'n' roll band. Flamboyant.

- David Johansen

Thought, Way, Roll, Flamboyant

Playing music is the best thing in the world. It makes show business almost bearable.

- David Johansen

Business, Music, World, Bearable

I'm compelled to paint nearly every day. I just felt like making a painting, went out and bought paints and a canvas. Now it fulfills me creatively when I'm not doing music: it's something you can do by yourself and it's totally yours. It's a great adjunct to my life.

- David Johansen

My Life, Doing, Every Day, Fulfills

You know, when you're making a record, you come up with 15, 20 songs. Then they start to fall by the wayside as your interest wanes. It's kind of like a process of elimination to determine which songs wind up on the record.

- David Johansen

Fall, Interest, Your, Wind

Music is my love and to me acting is more mercenary. I don't pound the pavements for roles: if it happens, it happens. I hate that auditioning thing.

- David Johansen

Love, More, Mercenary, Pound

I still do a lot of shows with Brian Koonin, but we haven't had a full band lately.

- David Johansen

Shows, Still, Lot, Brian

Most bands are commercial enterprises. But I'm not in one of those bands.

- David Johansen

Commercial, Most, Bands, Enterprises

It's really a drag to do the same project over and over again.

- David Johansen

Over, Same, Again, Drag

Sometimes I've found that by getting into a certain drag, or a certain feeling, you can cast off your mortal coil and really do something. I don't know if it's important, but it's something. It's entertainment.

- David Johansen

Sometimes, Entertainment, Drag

I don't really like to sit around the house listening to my own records. They're not that good.

- David Johansen

Listening, Records, Like, Sit

My father was a Norwegian tenor and my mother a New York Irish librarian.

- David Johansen

Mother, New, Tenor, Norwegian

The stuff that I dig, it's usually got a soulful component to it. A singer that I really like. I might not understand the language that they're singing in, but I'm really communing with this person.

- David Johansen

Singing, Singer, Dig, Soulful

The first Latin music that blew my mind was bumba, which was a Puerto Rican beat.

- David Johansen

Mind, Puerto, Which, Blew

I've been around the block a couple of times, and the guy I am now is the guy I like to be.

- David Johansen

Been, Couple, Times, Block

You know when you read that someone has to leave a show or a tour because they had 'nervous exhaustion'? Well, I had one of those and discovered that I was quite close to death. I always assumed that my lifestyle was going to take me at an early age, but when it was actually occurring I was, 'Not yet!' I pulled back.

- David Johansen

Death, Show, Discovered, Early Age

When you're a kid, you have this feeling like you're indestructible. Your mortality doesn't even occur to you. But as time goes by, you realize, 'I better cut this out or that out if I want to continue to exist.'

- David Johansen

Like, Cut, Occur, Realize

I'm doing exactly what I want to do, and I'm having fun doing it.

- David Johansen

Doing, Want, Having, Fun

Sometimes when I hear my voice on tape, I'm like, 'Who is that horrible man?'

- David Johansen

Voice, Sometimes, Like, Tape

I think we as a band, as individuals, understand that all popular music stems from blues and jazz and even pop, but rock 'n' roll especially comes from blues.

- David Johansen

Think, I Think, Stems, Blues

In the late '70s, I had a band - the David Johansen band, for lack of a better name - and I started collecting, not records, but tapes from people I knew who had jump-blues records.

- David Johansen

Records, Knew, Tapes, David

Everything I've done I've just fallen into.

- David Johansen

Done, Everything, Just, Fallen

When I'm sleeping I do a lot of living.

- David Johansen

Living, Lot, Sleeping

As I recall, my life as a child was so all-consuming that I barely had time to consider the future.

- David Johansen

Life, My Life, Had, Recall

I got arrested once on stage in Memphis for looking too much like Liza Minnelli.

- David Johansen

Too Much, Like, Arrested, Memphis

I'm not impersonating anybody. I'm perfectly satisfied with what I am.

- David Johansen

I Am, Anybody, Perfectly, Satisfied

I listen to a lot of different kinds of music.

- David Johansen

Music, Lot, Kinds, Different Kinds

I mean, if you asked me what I'm going to be doing when I'm 85, I'd make a quick picture in my mind and, well, I'll be singing.

- David Johansen

Mind, Singing, Doing, Quick

I've been tired since I was 15.

- David Johansen

Been, Since, Tired

When I was a kid, I had some Charles Lloyd records.

- David Johansen

Kid, Some, Records, Charles

Until I was six years old we lived in the projects, then my two brothers and three sisters and I moved to a three-bed that my mother's father built.

- David Johansen

Six, Brothers, Built, Projects

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