"Chicago is my hometown and the mayor is making me feel mighty unwelcome." - Tom Morello, after the city pulled a rally permit, ostensibly because he had been added to the bill.

"I think a lot of people are lulled into this false sense of security that because there's a moratorium, good sense is going to prevail." - Natalie Merchant on fracking.

"I don't know where they are. I wish I did. There's been several moves and things happen." – Ringo Starr, on losing his Beatles photographs.

"Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but "seeing how the first show goes" left an element of risk which could have affected Download." – Bill Ward, on declining to join a reuniting Black Sabbath tour.

"I'm very disappointed... We are mature enough to be able to separate our own moral values from arts and culture." Ticket-holder, Mariska Renata, after Indonesian authorities refused to allow a Lady Gaga concert to take place in Jakarta, citing "moral values".

"It's no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination, plain and simple." – Jay Z comes out in support of gay marriage rights.

'Our passion and energy should transcend the mundane and we should continuously strive to be better human beings' – Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse chats to Koos Kombuis.

"I don't think they made fun of my music as much as they made fun of some of the music that maybe came as a result of that whole genre. But I do think in the course of time it is nice to reestablish something and to say, 'Okay, this stood the test of time. . . ' I have nothing to prove to anyone. I just get out there and do my best, and those who love it, great. And those who don't, they'll move on to something else." – Donna Summer (1948-2012)