This quality becomes important at a time when almost everyone is a poet. And as I said, we live in an age where almost everybody is a poet, but scarcely anyone can write a poem.

Young men especially - I don't know if young women feel much the same - but young men think they are immortal, automatically. They have no idea of time because they have so much energy and I was like that.

Humphrey Searle writes music that sounds like the theme from 'Star Wars' played backwards through a washing machine.

Snooker is just chess with balls.

I won't have to miss smoking any more. Nobody smokes where I'm going: It's like a row of restaurants in California.

All intellectual tendencies are corrupted when they consort with power.

My wife and I just started listening to the late Beethoven Quartets together, an activity I recommend for all married couples, but that doesn't really mean that I'm finished reading.