Paul Simonon quotes

What made a big difference was the open door policy we had. Anyone who wanted to come backstage could, and it was never a problem. I don't know whether other bands did that. It was good for us to meet people who had come to see the group and converse with them, ask them 'What's it like in your town? What, there are no clubs here? So what do you do?' It was about sharing information and it was good to know what was going on out there, and how people were dealing with their lives. And that spread right across the world. (Paul Simonon)

I never wanted to go back and relive the glory days; I just want to keep moving forward. That's what I took from punk. Keep going. Don't look back.

Paul Simonon

I've got one thing to say about being the bass player ... I didn't want the role of being Entwhistle or Bill Wyman, stuck in the background. That's too depressing and if that was what I'd been offered with The Clash I would've turned it down. Maybe that's the nature of the job, or has been in the past; the bass player as the one that held the fort, so to speak, along with the drummer, letting every body else go lunatic. But, y'know - why can't we all be lunatics?

Paul Simonon

Being outside on your own in all weathers is exciting; it clears you out.

Paul Simonon

I obviously had my reggae, but I got quite into rockabilly when I was a kid, because I was trying to find something that represented me as a white person.

Paul Simonon

It would be obvious for me to do conceptual art, and I think I've done it already with smashing bass guitars and whatever - I consider that as conceptual.

Paul Simonon

I'm not knocking conceptual art; it's another department, but it doesn't move me like painting.

Paul Simonon