Tommy Lee Quotes

Powerful Tommy Lee for Daily Growth

About Tommy Lee

Tommy Lee Jones (born September 30, 1946) is an American actor, filmmaker, and singer known for his grizzled, stoic screen presence and distinctive baritone voice. Born in San Diego, California, he grew up in Midland, Texas where he developed a passion for acting during his high school years. He attended Harvard University, majoring in English but dropped out before graduating to pursue an acting career. Jones made his film debut in 'Rolling Thunder' (1974) and quickly gained recognition for his roles in 'The Fugitive' (1993), where he played the relentless U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, and 'Men in Black' (1997), as Agent K, both of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. His career spans over four decades with notable roles in films like 'Coal Miner's Daughter', 'No Country for Old Men', and 'In the Valley of Elah'. Jones has also ventured into directing, producing, and writing. He directed the Western 'The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada' (2005) which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. As a writer, he co-wrote the script for 'The Homesman' (2014), another film that earned him a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. In addition to his acting and filmmaking careers, Jones is known for his philanthropic work. He supports various charities, including the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and the National Ranching Heritage Center. Despite his reputation as a private individual, Tommy Lee Jones remains one of Hollywood's most respected actors.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I've made more mistakes than anybody alive, and I hope to God I never make a mistake again."

This quote by Tommy Lee suggests a profound self-awareness and humility in the face of personal errors. He acknowledges a significant number of past mistakes but expresses a fervent desire for future improvement, implying an ongoing effort to learn from his experiences and grow as a person.

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."

This quote emphasizes the importance of pushing beyond one's comfort zone in order to grow personally and evolve. It suggests that only when we encounter challenges can we learn, adapt, and transform ourselves. In other words, to remain static or unchanged, we must avoid taking on new tasks or facing difficulties; but if we seek out challenges, we will ultimately change for the better.

"Rock 'n' roll is the ultimate rebellion against everything."

The quote "Rock 'n' roll is the ultimate rebellion against everything" by Tommy Lee suggests that rock music, as a cultural and artistic expression, embodies an inherent defiance and rejection of societal norms and expectations. This rebellious spirit can be seen in its unconventional lyrics, raw energy, and countercultural attitudes, which often challenge the status quo and promote individualism, nonconformity, and freedom of self-expression.

"I've always lived life at 100 mph because that's how I feel the most alive."

The quote by Tommy Lee suggests a desire for intensity and vitality in life. He expresses his preference for living life with great speed, as he feels it is the state where he experiences life most profoundly or "most alive." This might indicate an inclination towards adventure, excitement, and high energy experiences, reflecting a zest for life and a passion for seizing opportunities.

"I think we all have our demons, and it's just about finding a way to coexist with them."

This quote highlights that everyone experiences personal struggles or inner battles (demons) which may arise from various aspects of life. The essence of the quote lies in suggesting a mindset where individuals learn to live alongside these challenges, rather than attempting to eliminate or suppress them entirely. It implies understanding, accepting, and managing our inner conflicts as part of our human experience, fostering self-awareness, resilience, and emotional maturity.

One day I would love to do rock a gig on the moon - how rad would that be? Isn't Richard Branson flying planes to outer space? Motley Crue could be the first band to play on the moon.

- Tommy Lee

Love, Play, One Day, Gig

I wouldn't specifically say rock n' roll is dead, but I don't see a lot of charismatic performers in the way of new blood who are edgy and dangerous on stage, like Marilyn Manson, who you never quite know if he's going to make it through his own show.

- Tommy Lee

Own, Through, Roll, Performers

I've always loved the mixture of crushing live drums with a programmed groove, that really cool blend, like in the verse there's a really funky drum beat that is programmed then it comes in to the chorus; you've got that enormous human feel where the band kicks in.

- Tommy Lee

Blend, Drum, Crushing, Groove

Drums isn't my one thing anymore. I love to produce. I love to make tracks, write tracks, produce tracks, and I can't just sit back as a drummer anymore.

- Tommy Lee

Love, Back, One Thing, Tracks

I did the marching band all throughout junior high and high school. Music was one of my favorite things in school.

- Tommy Lee

High School, Marching Band, Marching

Being married to two extremely high profile, you know, actresses, and being sort of chased by, you know, paparazzi and people, it's a whole different dynamic happens to a relationship when that happens. All of a sudden, things get a little crazy, a little crazy.

- Tommy Lee

Two, High, Whole, Paparazzi

I don't need material things like gold and platinum records on my wall, Grammys or Hall Of Fame nods.

- Tommy Lee

Need, Records, Like, Grammys

The quad toms are a completely different animal than the standard drum set/trap kit. Playing wise and stylistically, they are two different beasts.

- Tommy Lee

Drum, Standard, Beasts, Stylistically

I was always impressed by some of the progressive styles of guys like Neil Peart.

- Tommy Lee

Some, Always, Like, Progressive

I'm still that rowdy dude who has after-parties in his dressing room with a concert-sized PA system blasting away.

- Tommy Lee

Away, Room, Still, Blasting

Sometimes when you have children they're the opposites of you.

- Tommy Lee

Children, Sometimes, You, Opposites

I was never one for the passenger seat. I have always wanted my level of entertainment and showmanship to be the same as a frontman.

- Tommy Lee

Entertainment, Always, Level, Showmanship

On our first record, man, I didn't know what I was doing. I was just playing. I was over playing. You're as green as you can be with no experience in recording or knowing how sometimes a song can work: when it's too much, when it's not enough, when it's not right.

- Tommy Lee

Doing, Sometimes, Recording, No Experience

There are things you do that just come natural, and sometimes those are amazingly in synch, and sometimes they're horribly out of synch, and you're like, 'Ooo! That wasn't very good tonight.' Most of the time, it's just on.

- Tommy Lee

Very, Tonight, Horribly, Synch

I don't listen to anybody's full record anymore and when I did, I don't think I listened to the whole record. I'm sorry, and I don't care who it is, if it's the Beatles, I can't listen to an hour and a half of anybody straight so I guess that's just my personal preference.

- Tommy Lee

Anybody, Half, Whole, Hour And A Half

There was a time when cowboys respected their horses instead of riding them to death just to show off for a crowd.

- Tommy Lee

Death, Crowd, Show, Respected

I'll never forget when I was, like, 17, and 'Highway to Hell' came on the radio, and I was like, 'Dude, listen to that guy's voice!'

- Tommy Lee

Voice, Guy, Like, Dude

I guess I always think the people that know me or fans that have followed me and know my solo work would know that I've always had really eclectic tastes - even in Motley, dude.

- Tommy Lee

Think, Always, Tastes, Dude

Trust me: all of us walk around and look at each other, and without saying it, we all know we're thinking, 'Really dude? Were still here!' and pinch ourselves. Typically, careers have short life span, 10 years if you're lucky, so what we've done is amazing.

- Tommy Lee

Trust, Lucky, Here, Dude

The horses forced into the chuckwagon races die of heart attacks, broken necks, broken legs, and other injuries. It'd be easy to get off on western tradition without this bloody spectacle. Dude, it's the Old West, not ancient Rome!

- Tommy Lee

Die, Injuries, Other, Dude

The Radiohead record, The Bends is my all-time favorite record on the planet.

- Tommy Lee

Record, Planet, Favorite, All-Time

Every tour we do, everybody's always wondering, 'What's Tommy Lee going to do next? What new, wild and crazy thing is he going to come up with?'

- Tommy Lee

New, Next, Always, Tommy

I've always been kind of a - you know, I have my moments, where I can be Tommy, and then I flip a switch; when you're on stage, you turn into this other personality.

- Tommy Lee

Always, Other, Been, Tommy

I threw my son, Brandon, a rave for his birthday and I fully set it up like a crazy rave with lights and sound, me and my partner DJ'd - I got Mix Master Mike from the Beastie Boys to come DJ for a bit.

- Tommy Lee

Birthday, DJ, Mike, Rave

My house is really clean. It's a really big house so I have three ladies who come in and clean it twice a week, but let's just say that, in between times, maybe it's not quite so clean.

- Tommy Lee

Week, Big, Maybe, Twice A Week

One of my favorite things in the world is to be seeing two people that are really old, still holding hands, still kissing.

- Tommy Lee

Hands, Old, Still, Favorite Things

I've loved roller coasters since I was a kid.

- Tommy Lee

Loved, Kid, Since, Roller

Of course drums weren't meant to be played other than sitting on the ground. When you're upside-down, your feet don't want to sit on the pedals.

- Tommy Lee

Feet, Other, Meant, Meant To Be

Nikki lives around the corner from me and I see him all the time. We talk a lot, and of course we're still friends. That was our baby, Motley Crue, we put that band together.

- Tommy Lee

Him, I See, Around, Motley

Whether I'm writing solo stuff, electronic stuff, or material for Motley, I just write to write. I come up with it and put things in different piles.

- Tommy Lee

Come, Solo, Put, Motley

I don't specifically sit down to write a Motley Crue song, so for me, that's how it works. The things that sound like they might be Crue, I put aside on my hard drive and keep them in that pile.

- Tommy Lee

Sound, Works, Pile, Motley

I got really frustrated in jail, and I was like, 'Man, I love what I've done, and I love the mark I've made on rock n' roll history'... and I sat there, and I got really depressed, thinking, 'I gotta make a move... do something fresh and new.'

- Tommy Lee

Love, Roll, Frustrated, Fresh

Too many drummers sit at the back covered in drums, and you never see them.

- Tommy Lee

Never, See, Too, Sit

A lot of hip-hop artists wear fur, and they think it's a status symbol. That doesn't register for me; I just see dead animals.

- Tommy Lee

Think, Fur, Symbol, Hip-Hop

Why is it that the hot chicks never can sing?

- Tommy Lee

Never, Why, Sing, Chicks

I'm always getting injuries like bruised and bloody knuckles from catching a cymbal or the edge of a drum.

- Tommy Lee

Always, Catching, Bruised, Bloody

Being a drummer, I'm always like, 'Oh, that's got a funky beat. That's cool,' and I like to dance.

- Tommy Lee

Cool, Always, Like, Drummer

If Trent Reznor calls and says he needs a drummer for his tour... I'm there.

- Tommy Lee

Needs, His, Calls, Drummer

Aerosmith's 'Rocks' is on the list of my top favorite albums of all time.

- Tommy Lee

Rocks, Top, Albums, Aerosmith

I've always gravitated towards the beats, obviously. And when I was growing up, I always loved funk music or even - dare I say it - disco.

- Tommy Lee

Disco, Always, Beats, Funk

It's always interesting to me that we all hear music differently. It's an awesome experience to hear what other people hear.

- Tommy Lee

Interesting, Always, Other, Hear Music

The best thing about being rich is the freedom; freedom to do whatever you want whenever you want. It doesn't suck.

- Tommy Lee

Want, Being Rich, About, Suck

You never know what's going to happen sometimes, or what you think's going to happen never happens, or when you least expect it, the Santana record comes along and just blows up.

- Tommy Lee

Think, Happen, Going, Blows

Going through life solo isn't very exciting if you can't share it with somebody, you know?

- Tommy Lee

Through, Going, Very, Solo

There was no way we were going to let this band hobble around on three legs. We chose the route that every professional actor, athlete and musician should do - leave the legend intact and bow out at the top.

- Tommy Lee

Legend, Athlete, Going, Chose

When I'm single, I'm one guy, and when I'm in a relationship I'm totally another. They're both a good time.

- Tommy Lee

Good, Guy, Another, Good Time

The crowd is a pretty good indicator when it's good, because it's kind of a universal energy that gets passed around.

- Tommy Lee

Crowd, Pretty, Indicator, Universal

The drums are about gravity. Your hand naturally falls down on the drums as you hit them.

- Tommy Lee

Hit, Naturally, Falls, Hand

Most drummers are covered with a million drums, and everyone is like, 'What are you doing back there?'

- Tommy Lee

Doing, Million, Most, Covered

Phil Rudd from AC/DC was someone I really liked a lot... Not because I was dazzled by his playing ability - he was just a rock, y'know?

- Tommy Lee

Really, Liked, Lot, Phil

The New York Dolls are the only band that we grew up on that we haven't played with.

- Tommy Lee

New York, New, York, Dolls

You know what's weird, I just write to write, with no intention, I just write.

- Tommy Lee

Weird, Know, Just, Intention

My oldest boy is 14, and he's not in that kind of awkward stage where, when we talk about girls, or there's a hot girl walking by - they're just so shy; it's weird.

- Tommy Lee

Shy, Kind, About, Oldest

My father lived by the philosophy, 'Be yourself, because everyone else is taken,' and he made sure I did, too. Whatever I wanted to do, he supported me. I don't mean that I was spoilt - he didn't believe in material gifts - but he watched my back while I worked to achieve things.

- Tommy Lee

Father, Back, Achieve, Philosophy

No one really buys records anymore. You can look at sales and do that math real quick. Unfortunately, it's fast food in the music industry. People don't ingest full records anymore.

- Tommy Lee

Records, Quick, Buys, Music Industry

I am such a gearhead. In my recording studio, I personally engineer and edit everything on computers.

- Tommy Lee

Studio, Recording, Edit, Recording Studio

The older I get, the more I don't care what people think or what people say. I just do what moves me.

- Tommy Lee

Think, Say, More, Older

Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.

- Tommy Lee

Stage, Pretty, Getting, Drumming

At 17, I signed a recording contract right out of high school, so I started touring and traveling the world. I sort of missed out on the college experience.

- Tommy Lee

College, Missed, Contract, Touring

I love touring Canada, and our Calgary fans are among the roughest and toughest.

- Tommy Lee

Love, Canada, I Love, Touring

I didn't have the opportunity to go to college. I was busy touring since the age of 17.

- Tommy Lee

College, Busy, Go, Touring

I'm constantly evolving as a musician.

- Tommy Lee

Musician, Constantly, Evolving

I'm really a cool, mellow guy. I'm not as crazy as everybody thinks.

- Tommy Lee

Crazy, Cool, Everybody, Mellow

I'm driven by music. It's in my blood, and I've never been able to stay away from it for too long.

- Tommy Lee

Blood, Away, Been, Driven

I take the best of all the styles I like and put them together in one package.

- Tommy Lee

Package, Like, Take, Styles

The very first thing I look at on a woman is her toes.

- Tommy Lee

Woman, Her, Very, Toes

I really wanna get my paws on scoring a film.

- Tommy Lee

Film, Get, Scoring, Wanna

Getting married in four days was the biggest... mistake I've ever made. I have two beautiful kids, but... how can you know somebody in four days? Bonehead.

- Tommy Lee

Mistake, Two, Made, Married

It sounds kind of strange, but Jail time was almost a good experience for me.

- Tommy Lee

Kind, Sounds, Almost, Jail

I don't know how much you know about me, but I kind of have my fingers in a lot of different pies.

- Tommy Lee

Kind, About, Lot, Fingers

Our music will continue to have an impact in people's lives long after we finally call it quits.

- Tommy Lee

Impact, Will, Lives, Quits

By the age of 17, for me, we had got an recording contract, and, boom, I was gone.

- Tommy Lee

Me, Boom, Recording, Contract

Playing upside down is insane. It's two or three times more difficult than what's normal. Your feet want to come off the pedals, your arms want to drop down - all of your body is fighting gravity.

- Tommy Lee

Feet, Drop, Your, Gravity

Single's fun - you don't have to check in with your girl, but it's not easy. I do get lonely.

- Tommy Lee

Single, Get, Your, Check

When you're playing upside down, it takes twice the strength.

- Tommy Lee

Strength, Upside, Twice, Takes

I don't have a problem with my temper.

- Tommy Lee

Problem, Temper

No, I don't have a problem with my temper.

- Tommy Lee

Problem, Temper

It's been a while since I've studied: since high school. It's a lot of work, a lot of work.

- Tommy Lee

High, Been, Lot, Studied

John Bonham was probably the most influential in terms of playing style and timing.

- Tommy Lee

Most, Influential, Terms, Timing

Whatever we do as a band, none of us can do as individuals. We all know that, whatever we have gone through with each other and as a band.

- Tommy Lee

Know, Through, Other, Individuals

I don't think anybody should ever touch anybody in anger, ever.

- Tommy Lee

Think, Anybody, Ever, Touch

There's no new news.

- Tommy Lee

New, News

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.