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

Coming from heavy music too, it’s really hard to have heavy music not sound too butthead-ish or jock-ish, and there’s a fine line between Limp Bizkit and Nirvana – there’s a fine line there, and it’s terrifying.

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.

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.

The telling of a good story, especially one that is real and true, is always exciting.

Unexpected romantic gestures are very important and keep things exciting.

Drawing Dead is a brilliant noir from one of Australia’s most exciting new novelists.

Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track & if my intentions stray I’ll wrench them away,then I’ll take my leave & I won’t even look back

There’s something exciting about that free fall, but then my life gets really screwed up.

That’s like the really fun, exciting thing about wrestling. There’s no such thing as perfecting this art.

Coming up with something new and original is so exciting.

You’re constantly growing and you’re constantly progressing and changing up you’re style and gauging an audience to make sure that audience is enjoying what you’re doing.