The Edge quotes

The Edge is a Welsh musician and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band U2. His distinctive guitar sound and innovative use of effects have been a defining part of the band's identity. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in modern rock music. Here are 18 of his quotes:

The big cop-out would be to accept popularity rather than opting to try to create potent work. It's so easy to do the popular thing, the expected thing, and that's where you start to cheat yourself - and your fans, in the end - because there's an inherent dishonesty in pandering and dishing up what everyone's expecting. (The Edge)
Rock and roll isn't a career or hobby - it's a life force ... it's just something I have to do. View quote
The Edge
"It's a terrible cliche, but they are the most important thing in my life. More than any album. They're where it's at." (2001) (about wife Morleigh and his children) View quote
The Edge
"I'm not sure if Irish people can dance.... except for The Edge, that is, who is our own funky chicken." (Bono on Edge's dancing) View quote
The Edge
U2 albums never get finished. They just get released. View quote
The Edge
For me, looking back is akin to being on a tightrope and looking down. It doesn't help you in the present moment to deal with what you have to deal with in order to move forward. View quote
The Edge
I have no trouble with Christ, but I have trouble with a lot of Christians. View quote
The Edge
I don't feel that attached to my instruments. It's almost like I'm going to dominate them in some sort of way. I don't feel like they're part of me; they stand between me and something new. View quote
The Edge
For me, that term "pop" is like a candy bar. You buy it because you like it, you eat it, and then you throw it away. It has no long-term meaning or value. View quote
The Edge
"We don't want to murder Sgt. Pepper." (2005) (Referring to the band's duet with Paul McCartney) View quote
The Edge
Whenever I start working on a song, I immediately try to forget everything, to empty my hands and head of anything that may be hanging over from another song or album. (The Edge)
Wow. Well on a personal level this century has been going so well for us, we finished our album, I had a little baby boy a little while ago, the whole Jubilee 2000 work has been incredible, just everything has been going great. There's also been some great breakthroughs in science, the disposible mobile phone, 3 blade razor and the female orgasmatron which is great - anyway now this... thanks everybody our record company has been great, our management have been great and our producer's amazing. View quote
The Edge
It's a very unusual thing to be in a band like this. It's like being in a street gang. And it's all very well being in a street gang when you're 16, but it's bloody weird when you're 32. View quote
The Edge
My room overlooks the park and yesterday during the afternoon I'd opened up all the blinds and taken back the curtains so I could look out over the park. Come nightfall, I was grooving to some rap record in my room, bopping around the room for maybe half an hour. I don't know what I was doing, just messing around...and at one stage I looked out of the window and there were about 200 people looking up, clapping, applauding my dancing. That was funny. View quote
The Edge
This is the nineties. View quote
The Edge
Jazz came out of New Orleans, and that was the forerunner of everything. You mix jazz with European rhythms, and that's rock n' roll, really. You can make the argument that it all started on the streets of New Orleans with the jazz funerals. View quote
The Edge
Running my hands really fast up and down the fretboard... I mean, anybody can do that. It's the Guitar Olympics, and I can't think of anything more pointless. View quote
The Edge
A trumpet sounds pretty much like a trumpet, and that's true of a lot instruments; pianos sound like pianos, but there's something about the guitar - the range of possibilities is much broader. View quote
The Edge