John Mayall

“I never wanted to be a star, I never wanted to be a household name. All I ever wanted to do was play the blues.”

“Blues is a tonic for whatever ails you. I could play the blues and then not be blue anymore.”

“I've always been more of a bandleader than a virtuoso myself. I'm a good enough musician to get by, but I'm not a Clapton or a Green.”

“The blues is a living thing. It's not a museum piece.”

“I'm not a collector of vintage equipment. I'm a player of musical instruments.”

“My life is dedicated to the blues. That's a simple statement of fact.”

“I think the blues will always be around. People need it.”

“The music has to be the most important thing. It's not about what you look like or what you wear.”

“Age is just a number. It's about what you have in your head and in your heart.”

“I'm always looking for new sounds and new ways to present the blues.”

“The audience is the fifth member of the band. Without them, it's just a rehearsal.”

“You can't learn the blues from a book. You have to live it.”

“I don't really listen to my old records. I'm always moving forward.”

“A band is a democracy, but I'm the benevolent dictator.”

“For me, the blues is a very personal thing. It's a reflection of my own life and experiences.”