Quotes

[Los Angeles, California, 1969] Let's just say I was testing the bounds of reality. I was curious to see what would happen. That's all it was: just curiosity.

[Dinner Key Auditorium, 3/1/69, the infamous concert where he allegedly exposed himself] We are not talking about no revolution! I'm not talking about no demonstration! I'm talking about having some fun! I'm talking about dancing! I'm talking about love your neighbor till it hurts! I'm talking about love! [...] This is your show, anything you want goes!

I've always been attracted to ideas that were about revolt against authority. When you make peace with authority, you become an authority.

A friend is someone who gives you the complete freedom to be yourself.

I think of myself as an intelligent, sensitive human being with the soul of a clown which always forces me to blow it at the most crucial moments.

Erotic politicians, that's what we are. We're interested in everything about revolt, disorder, and all activity that appears to have no meaning.

[on what it took to gain entrance to his circle] You gotta get smashed and make a fool of yourself in a public place. You gotta get eighty-sixed from seven nightclubs. That's the Irish thing. I hang around mostly with the Irish - and the Italians.

I see myself as a huge fiery comet, a shooting star. Everyone stops, points up and gasps "Oh look at that!" Then - whoosh, and I'm gone... and they will never see anything like it ever again... and they won't be able to forget me - ever.

Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.

I think, in these days, especially in the States, you have to be a politician or an assassin or something, to really be a superstar.