“I’ve always found it pretty difficult to write a happy song. Since I was a kid, when I pick up my guitar it’s been hard for me to write some sort of bubblegum lyrics. It’s not really ever been my route.”

My point is I’m kind of an outlier. For whatever reason, the success still blows my mind – that I’m able to talk to people about the music I’ve written.

I can tell when something’s real, or when something’s put together. I can just feel it.

I ran away for a couple of years just to prove I’d never been free.

I just find that with music I’ve always felt a sort of comfort.

You start treating your body right and your immune system is better.

I like to write pop songs and the stuff I write is fairly poppy, so I thought maybe my lot in life was to write pop songs for people. It never felt right writing songs for other people to sing, though.

When I cruise around, I can’t help but study people’s faces and emotions and wonder why they’re feeling the way they are.

Since I was a kid, when I pick up my guitar it’s been hard for me to write some sort of bubblegum lyrics. It’s not really ever been my route.

Trying to put music out there in the world is a pretty exciting, yet terrifying, thing and I’ve just been through the ringer.

I’ve had the same core group of friends that I’ve always had. We’re surfing, so that definitely keeps you grounded.

Never let your fear decide your fate.

There’s a bunch of songs that I call B-sides on the record that you could argue could maybe have some potential commercial success with another artist, but for me, they just felt really whack.

My first attempt at real music was when I was 13. My first signed band was when I was 21; that failed. I got another deal at 26; that failed, and then I was broke.

I have a lot of questions and I don’t have that many answers. So what better place to exercise those thoughts than the lyrics, I guess.

I find that a lot of times when family members get bronchitis or the flu or something like that, I’ll kind of skate through and be really lucky and not get that sick.

I want to surround myself with the people I care about and that has a lot to do with what love is. It’s surrounding yourself with the people you do love and trust, and that kind of thing.

I’m only myself when I have a guitar in my hands.

A guitar is like an old friend that is there with me.

I do really believe that all guitarists have a different character that comes through, that’s a strong character, the stronger the person is.

I remember when I thought of singing as the bit that went between the guitar playing – something I couldn’t wait to get out of the way. Singing was originally like a chore that I didn’t really enjoy.

My favorite guitar solo of all time was Elliot Randall’s on `Reelin’ In The Years’.

I’m just a guitarist in a kick-ass rock and roll band. What more could I ask for?

I really wasn’t needed. Just straightening up riffs, that’s all. Just two guitarists doing it instead of one.

He could play the guitar just like ringing a bell.