I have no desire to suffer twice, in reality and then in retrospect.
The things that I've seen where people are trying to change the definition of what a band has to be, those are the things that end up being inspiring.
I love to read about music and about art, but I don't try and take things about mythology or guidelines as to how I'm to behave as an artist. It's the realm of intellectual debate. Actually, more and more my direction is trying to get further away from being self-conscious of what the parameters are of the mainstream, where it intersects with the underground.
I am really inspired by writers, and weirdly - respect music journalists, which I think makes me the exception amongst most musicians. I think it's a craft. I think it's been really neglected - sadly. I think about the days of the great legendary rock critics. Who's going to become that when magazines and newspapers don't pay anyone properly or don't seem to respect the history or research that is required?
The architecture of the song, if it's built properly, can withstand all kinds of things.
Of course there are influences, of course there are things that are inspiring, but it's weird to think that I'm trying to keep a mental inventory of them and report them clearly to whomever might ask.
But its crazy-like ten percent a year increase of children taking @#$%& anti-depressants. Pre-schoolers are like, the most prescribed. That makes me so mad!
If there is a series of attacks like that or, God forbid, if ISIS is really sending soldiers across Europe and maybe across the world for a barrage of these things, then the political climate is revolutionized here. And maybe the [Donald] Trump speech will look like a precursor to a climate that we're all about to walk into.
A lot of times when songwriters get together and write a song. . . somebody will come in with a hook and a lot of times they come out with something that sounds a little crafty.
We approach life not just to be able to think about it and talk about it and discover its truths, but also to enjoy it. And so a healthy life really isn't about abstinence or asceticism, it's about enjoying your time on this earth.
Even if someone thinks there's a mistake I've made on the piano, to me it's not a mistake; it's how it's meant to be.