137 Quotes by John Grant

Sometimes I wish I was one of those artists like David Bowie. They're not putting their private lives out there; it's about show and entertainment. But an alter ego is very dangerous for me. Because I am the guy who will become lost in that.

Being in school, whenever I laughed or smiled, I would turn to find someone staring at me with this terrible hatred and disgust. I had to control everything - control my voice, control my facial expressions, control my hair and my clothes, and where I walked and where I sat - at every moment. I think that drove me to terrible anxiety.

I don't want to leave the house, and I don't want to settle down.

I'm angry because I was so scared for so many years about just being myself.

I feel uncomfortable when I think about my father listening to my records, because I don't want to hurt him.

My mother was a very sweet soul and a beautiful person, but she had a lot of fear.

Do you know the solo at the end of 'Why Don't You Love Me Any More?' that sounds like a chainsaw breaking through? That is what I can't do with my voice. That's when you hear how painful this has been to me.

When I got into languages, I needed to amass things to make myself more palatable or more acceptable as a human.

I can't create music if I'm wearing a mask and not being myself, and that was the problem with The Czars.