John Grant

“I spent many years trying to fit in and do things the way I thought I was supposed to - trying to be perceived the way I thought people wanted to see me. I grew up in a very religious household and wasn't taught to feel comfortable or good about my sexuality, so it feels great to be able to say things the way I want to say them.”

“I come from a position where it seems like I have an addictive quality to everything in my life.”

“Reykjavik has a mixture of southern and northern mentality. There's a laid-back, relaxed attitude but also the feeling things are going to get done.”

“I don't want to leave the house, and I don't want to settle down.”

“If I had a good scream, like Frank Black, I'd be doing punk music, 'cos I love that.”

“I have trouble with things like Facebook. It presents such a warped vision. I get sick of people's opinions about every little thing and this warped view that everyone is as happy as a pig in garbage.”

“When I write my songs, I'm writing about the pain, the joy, and the ridiculousness of being a human.”

“Sometimes I wish I was one of those artists like David Bowie. They're not putting their private lives out there; it's about show and entertainment. But an alter ego is very dangerous for me. Because I am the guy who will become lost in that.”

“It's not like we wanted to talk about the fact that we're gay all the time, but the world has forced it to be an issue.”

“When I was young, people were so disgusted by me. Before I even knew that I was gay... everybody else had it figured out and, you know, they were letting you know.”

“Becoming a musician was all about escape. It was about getting away from the foulness that was me.”

“I'm not a big punk fan, but I love a good, solid screamer.”

“People have always painted me like a pessimist, like somebody who sees the glass half-empty. But I think the fact that I keep showing up and saying, 'No, there must be a way for me to live in this world,' that shows I'm an eternal optimist.”

“I think the thing that I find the most difficult to talk about is religion.”

“I don't let the computer into my bedroom. It would get in the way of life, sleep. And I really can't let that happen.”

“If I'm honest, I suppose there's something I don't want people to see in my eyes. They really are the window to the soul.”

“I can't allow myself to censor myself.”

“I could have easily said that I don't believe in anything when I came out of the upbringing that I had, but I do still believe that there is something there, and I have a difficult time figuring it out. I suppose I don't want to be thought of as stupid or unintelligent because I believe that there's something out there bigger than us in the world.”

“I'm quite gregarious. But when it comes to relationships, I mean, I'm no good at it. I suck at it. And people say I'm way too hard on myself, but I always feel like somebody else is going to say it if I don't. Why not just beat them to the punch so it doesn't hurt so much?”

“I love a lot of different styles, but my heart belongs in electronic music.”