David Lee Roth quotes

David Lee Roth is an American rock singer, songwriter, and former lead vocalist of the band Van Halen. His energetic stage presence and charismatic persona made him one of hard rock's most recognizable frontmen. He continues to influence generations of musicians and music fans around the world. Here are 39 of his quotes:

My ambition is to further create a signature sound, a signature spirit, that makes some kind of contribution to music in general.

David Lee Roth

A lot of rock bands are truly a legend in their own minds.

David Lee Roth

I'm not conceited. Conceit is a fault, and I have no faults.

David Lee Roth

For the last 30 years, I've been leading a life of crime and international intrigue that's involved 40 stamps in my passport, love affairs, and broken hearts to go with each one of them. You would have to live three lifetimes to catch up with just the allegations that follow me!

David Lee Roth

Nine times out of 10 when people do a tribute album or tribute songs for somebody, it's what I call 'white boys playing reggae'. They know they can't, we know they can't, so they sing like they can't and play like they can't. They gently make fun of the idiom or sing in a false accent.

David Lee Roth

Somebody asked me the question not too long ago: 'Dave, do you think the music business has turned corrupt'. I said: 'Absolutely not - it has always been corrupt.

David Lee Roth

The problem with self-improvement is knowing when to quit.

David Lee Roth

The world's a stage, and I want the brightest spot.

David Lee Roth

The light you see at the end of the tunnel is the front of an oncoming train.

David Lee Roth

I believe more and more that this business is about people. People, people. The idea is to make friends at the retail level, the warehouse level, let people see you exist, can form sentences and have an interest in something other than yourself.

David Lee Roth

I used to have a drug problem, now I make enough money.

David Lee Roth

The only thing I'm allergic to is criticism.

David Lee Roth

You can really bring so much more to rock'n'roll. Rock'n'roll is the most accepting, is the most fertile ground for creating hybrid forms of music and hybrid forms of show, if you draw from many, many different wells. It's just unfortunate so many rock'n'roll stars only bother to learn how to play like Led Zeppelin and/or the Rolling Stones and that's what you get, disc after disc and show after show."

David Lee Roth

What I do is dangerous for sponsors, dangerous for editors. But I'm really a radio kid. I grew up on radio, not TV. Ultimately, I'll probably do radio.

David Lee Roth

Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.

David Lee Roth

I used to jog but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass.

David Lee Roth

Music is like girlfriends to me; I'm continually astonished by the choices other people make.

David Lee Roth

Rap is poetry to music, like beatniks without beards and bongos.

David Lee Roth

Radio as we know it is pretty much changing completely.

David Lee Roth

I think that there is a whole lot turning upside down at rock radio -- not -- excuse me, talk radio particularly. Radio as we know it is pretty much changing completely. You know, the diversity of the taste of the folks that are watching the show right now is way more than what is available in the little Motorola in your car today. And where are the new personalities? Where is the new Stern, somebody who has that much impact? Where is the new.

David Lee Roth

You stick your head above the crowd and attract attention and sometimes somebody will throw a rock at you. That's the territory. You buy the land, you get the Indians.

David Lee Roth

Money can't buy happiness but it can buy a huge yacht that sails right next to it.

David Lee Roth