“I realized that the reason why my head was so cluttered and why I was so unstable and not taking care of myself, all of these things, was that I was unhappy. If I wanted to get to a happier place and find some kind of peace,”

Ive been making music since I was 14, but for a while, I was afraid to perform.

I dont think I ever wanted to be a journalist – I was more interested in what comes from being a journalist.

I hope that I can make music that helps people in some way or that they can connect with, and that I can just live a life where I’m surrounded by people that I love.

It’s not enough to have good intentions. If you want to be a good person, you have to make good decisions all the time and live a life that’s worth living and that you can be proud of, and that’s what I wanted.

Life is short, so I am one of those people – and luckily my girlfriend is too – who wants to live everywhere. I don’t know how long I’ll be there, but I like it right now.

You have to have some kind of clarity or understanding of what’s happening to write.

I was just a music lover who wondered what it would sound like if Otis Redding strapped on a guitar and played in a punk band. Thats it.

I was going to have to address problems with myself, things from my life up until that point that I hadn’t dealt with: insecurities, fears, and those kinds of things.

Even when I interviewed bands, it was about asking them about writing songs, so it was more for me than anybody else.

I think everybody that grows up in Florida, you’ve got a little chip on your shoulder. It’s not as bad as people think it is, but it’s pretty bad. When you go to other places you’re just like, “Oh, god. What was that about?”

Blind Willie Johnson is a pretty big vocal influence. He can be very harsh, like gargly, gruff vocals, but also just slip into some very delicate, vulnerable soft stuff. I like that combination.

You will never have the answers, but you have to keep pushing yourself and keep reading and keep working on yourself.

Welcome to a life of insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt.

I think our insecurities are our biggest challenges, and we all have them. Trust me, I’ve got plenty of my own.

I was an insecure kid. Once I saw ‘Hercules’ with Steve Reeves, it completely changed my life. If I had never gone to that film, I wouldn’t be here today.

It’s insecurity that is always chasing you and standing in the way of your dreams.

Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna – or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.

I still feel insecure all the time. I feel like it’s just a part of being a human being… I just learned normal is very boring.

All creative people have to have vulnerability because those nuances are what move people. So I’m deeply insecure – but I’m good at hiding it.

Whenever you feel unimportant, unloved, or insecure, remember to who you belong.