--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have absolutely no interest in rock and…" description: "\"I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just being David Bowie. Mick Jagger is rock and roll. I mean, I go out and my music is roughly the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg" --- # I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just… ![“I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just being David Bowie. Mick Jagger is rock and roll. I mean, I go out and my music is roughly the format of rock and roll, I use the chord changes of rock and roll, but I don't feel I'm a rock and roll artist. I'd be a terrible rock artist…” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg) > “I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just being David Bowie. Mick Jagger is rock and roll. I mean, I go out and my music is roughly the format of rock and roll, I use the chord changes of rock and roll, but I don't feel I'm a rock and roll artist. I'd be a terrible rock artist, absolutely ghastly.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bowie distinguishes himself from rock‑and‑roll identity, acknowledging influence yet denying personal alignment, emphasizing artistic self‑definition. **In simple terms:** I don’t see myself as a rock artist. Key Takeaway Define your own artistic identity. Themes music identity self‑perception genre Mood contemplative defiant Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - musician’s self‑concept - public perception - creative boundaries Key Concepts artistic authenticity genre fluidity Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal identity with public genre labels? - What does “rock and roll” mean to you? A Different Perspective His view may ignore how audiences label artists regardless of intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Rock and roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-and-roll/) ## Related quotes > [I think Mick Jagger would be astounded and amazed if he realized that to many people he is not a sex symbol, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-mick-jagger-would-be-astounded-and-amazed-if-he-realized-that/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I couldn't sing like Mick Jagger, not that I wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/i-couldn-t-sing-like-mick-jagger-not-that-i-wanted-to/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [I'm a rock star like Mick Jagger and I got bars that I spit faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twista/i-m-a-rock-star-like-mick-jagger-and-i-got-bars-that-i-spit-faster/) [Twista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twista/) > [We'd have Mick Jagger round for tea one morning or Janet Jackson wandering in, but I wouldn't have been aware of it. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-branson/we-d-have-mick-jagger-round-for-tea-one-morning-or-janet-jackson/) [Holly Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-branson/) > [Growing up, as much as country was a big influence in my life, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin were such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/growing-up-as-much-as-country-was-a-big-influence-in-my-life-the/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [I'll meet listeners who tell me what a great voice I have. But I don't have a great voice for radio. My voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-ll-meet-listeners-who-tell-me-what-a-great-voice-i-have-but-i-don-t/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Mick Jagger's lips' so big, black people be going, "You got some big-ass lips!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/mick-jagger-s-lips-so-big-black-people-be-going-you-got-some-big-ass/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I'm doing a Dylan Thomas film, Map of Love, with Mick Jagger producing again. It's a wonderful script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dougray-scott/i-m-doing-a-dylan-thomas-film-map-of-love-with-mick-jagger-producing/) [Dougray Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dougray-scott/) > [As Mick Jagger will tell you, performing is an aerobic work-out. I've got the bass guitar, which is the heaviest of all the instruments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/as-mick-jagger-will-tell-you-performing-is-an-aerobic-work-out-i-ve/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I would love to meet Mick Jagger in person!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/i-would-love-to-meet-mick-jagger-in-person/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [I look up to Mick Jagger because he's an amazing performer and he's such an individual. I respect him and admire him eternally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-justice/i-look-up-to-mick-jagger-because-he-s-an-amazing-performer-and-he-s/) [Victoria Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-justice/) > [“Among the many ecstatic notices, Robert Christgau, the self-appointed ‘dean of American rock critics’, put it best, in a review that would still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-thorne/among-the-many-ecstatic-notices-robert-christgau-the-self-appointed/) [Matt Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-thorne/) > [I've been really, really blessed. I got to perform on stage with Bob Dylan. I've gotten to sing with Mick Jagger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/i-ve-been-really-really-blessed-i-got-to-perform-on-stage-with-bob/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [The word of the moment isclassless, whether applied toCockney Society photographers or sprigs of the aristocracy running little bistros round the corner. Mick Jagger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-word-of-the-moment-isclassless-whether-applied-tocockney-society/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have all this stuff going on in your head, like, 'I can't believe seven years has gone by, and I'm going to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/you-have-all-this-stuff-going-on-in-your-head-like-i-can-t-believe/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just being David Bowie. Mick Jagger is rock and roll. I mean, I go out and my music is roughly the format of rock and roll, I use the chord changes of rock and roll, but I don't feel I'm a rock and roll artist. I'd be a terrible rock artist, absolutely ghastly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Bowie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-and-roll-i-m-just-being-david/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-and-roll-i-m-just-being-david/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/david-bowie-508_art_i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-an_3221479.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have absolutely no interest in rock and roll. I'm just being David Bowie. Mick Jagger is rock and roll. I…” — David Bowie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Bowie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have absolutely no interest in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-and-roll-i-m-just-being-david/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-have-absolutely-no-interest-in-rock-and-roll-i-m-just-being-david/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```