Quotes from Gord Downie

If you want to know what being Canadian is, it's being part of the human race, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, which has been scared off, warded away, girded against.

When we started in university we were wearing lampshades on our heads and playing wacky covers like 'I'm a Believer.'

I had spend a lot of time looking at things intellectually, coming from the head, let's say, rather than the heart, and saying things that way. Turns of phrases became paramount to any kind of feeling behind them, which is not to say they were all devoid of that.

If I'm to be an 'ist' then, like Bobby Kennedy, I'm probably more of a free market capitalist than an environmentalist. Rather than wanting to tell people to be less bad, I'm saying let's make it fair across the board and stop subsidizing the big heavy-polluting fat cats, let's make it a level playing field.

I've always liked R.E.M. because, like so many things I like, they exude a warmth; I like to think that we do, too.

To become a country, and truly call ourselves Canada, it means we must become one.

Canada is not Canada. We are not the country we think we are.

We were interested in making a long career out of this, rather than being 'Canada's Newest Hitmakers.' It seems to work, and it trickles down to every aspect of the band.

Canadians can be funny.

We're not building a nuclear reactor here. We're not drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean with no plan in case something goes wrong. This is making music, this is melodious air and people can hear what goes into it.

I think the health of our water is tied to a lot: the health of our communities, hence our economy, the health of our basic human rights.

The Sadies have the ability to create soundscapes, and to put you in places.

I kind of love walking around with something nobody else knows about in my back pocket.

I've always kept a notebook in my pocket, I've always written stuff down since I was a kid.

Life's too short for bad coffee.

I stand in support of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations and all Canadians who find themselves with no voice in our present version of democracy, who are trying to come up with the entry fee that gets them a seat at the table where their pollution future is being discussed.

I'm a music fan - I love meeting other musicians, I love talking to other musicians - and what greater opportunity to take advantage of whatever standing we might have to try and attract people? To say 'We don't know you, but we love you, and will you come play with us?' Sometimes they actually do.

I used to run the band hockey pool - regular season and playoffs. I would write weekly reports, which were meant to demoralize and diffuse enjoyment for others.

Bob Rock taught me a lot. His friendship has taught me a lot about what you should expect from a recording session and, more importantly, how you shouldn't expect anything less than absolute joyousness. You should feel great. You should feel 14 to be doing it. It's true and it's rare.

I'm interested in doing anything that teaches me something.

You know, Prime Minister Trudeau's got me. His work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go.

I like hanging with my family and helping them on their way however I can. There's a new tragicomedy every half-hour, there is laughter, there are tears, and it's all real. They are endlessly entertaining, they have given me so much, they've given me a chance to 'see' things again.

The Bruins have become so much more to me than some boyhood fascination.

Acting is like lifting a 400-pound feather. It's a feather, how hard could it be? And yet, you go to lift it and it's heavy. For that reason, I love it, because it's very hard and difficult and challenging and obviously I want to learn more.