“The James Brown we saw tended to be the James Brown we chose to see: a...” — Jonathan Miles Quote

“The James Brown we saw tended to be the James Brown we chose to see: as the caped crusader of funk and soul, adored by millions, or as the face in a seemingly endless series of mug shots. The ways in which he appealed to and appalled different audiences made Brown a kind of national Rorschach test.”

“The mint julep may be sacred in the South, but so is college football, and that doesn't stop us from enjoying it.”

“Without strenuous preplanning, road food is almost always bad food, sad food, chain food, clown food.”

“You realise that having a number one record and being loved and adored isn't the most important thing in the world. But at the same time, I don't have a problem with it. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not a reluctant pop star.”

“I knew William Burroughs really well, and I was always star struck being around him. I adored him.”

“I adored my birth father and constantly worried that I was being disloyal to him and his schoolteacher roots if I spent too much time performing and enjoying it.”