Quotes from Lydia Lunch

Politics are always involved, even in my love songs.

To be in a band, at least according to the rules of rock in the 1970s, one must know how to play an instrument. But rather than waste time solving that problem, No Wavers ignored it. The point was simply to make music, not to learn how first.

If someone says 'grunge' or 'punk,' you know what the sound is, but if you say 'No Wave,' it's kind of mysterious. That was the most interesting part and should have been the most inspirational thing about it... here's this collective sonic insanity, and none of it sounds anything alike.

I have to laugh because despite the destruction, we cannot let 'them' steal our pleasure. That is always the theme of my performances: I'm here to thrive, not just to survive.

Sure you're powerless, sure you're just one person, sure you can't change anything... but you don't have to be miserable about it as well.

I'm like a one-woman protest machine.

I used to think feminism was a liberating force - now I see many of those people are just censors under a different name.

People have always asked me, 'Haven't you wanted to sell out?', and it's like, who am I going to sell to?

I'm separated by other performers with whom I might be lumped, since what I say is so intensely personal. I'm anti-art and anti-poetry. As much as possible, I want to inflict my personal pain on the rest of society.

Just because my bank account hasn't swelled astronomically I don't consider myself any less of a success.

I would be humiliated if I found out that anything I did actually became a commercial success.

The problem with music was always that the sound system often obliterated the words, and words, not music, have always been what I was about.

I watch the news. It fuels my rage; it informs my work.

I think it's important to encourage gluttony in all its formats.

The biggest insult is that I've been called an exaggerator... I tell the truth as I know it. I don't glamorize the nightmare and horror that I witness; I just digest it and spew it back, with venom.

Because we have so much eye candy and mind candy, spending so much time trying to pay the rent, all of this conspires to keep us from thinking too hard or taking action from that. Our time is stolen. So much of our daily life is stolen.

Think your own thoughts.

The female format is a beautiful one in which to function. Foolhardy as it may be. I change my image all the time, it's whatever suits me at the moment.

If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'

If people could understand how much pleasure they could have by themselves, I think everyone would be a lot saner. I think that people really need a dose of quality time with one's self.

'Musician' is not a very respected title. I'm not a musician.

I am a humanist not a feminist. There's a big difference.

I'm a total pleasure seeker. I pursue anything that satisfies me. I usually get it. I have specific needs and I know what they are so I can achieve satisfaction.

Part of what I have to represent is an alternative to this perverted fashion industry concept of what beauty is.