“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.”

The older I get, the more I realize that you don’t have to be around people you don’t want to be around, and you don’t have to be in a situation you don’t want to be in. You have the power to rise up and leave.

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.

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.

By doing this we give them an opportunity to elevate their personal situations, which eventually decreases our need to take care of them and empowers them to be able to exercise compassion toward others.

Pooh is able to accomplish what he does because he is simpleminded.

You’ve got to be success minded. You’ve got to feel that things are coming your way when you’re out selling; otherwise, you won’t be able to sell anything.

I am so used to having a comfortable life. What will it be like when I am no longer able to just buy anything I want?

The thing that is probably most important is having a brain, and to be able to figure things out and learn things very rapidly.

It’s quite difficult for me not to be able to return to my country, but in my country justice has been murdered.

I feel really passionately about safe, comfortable roads, crosswalks, and sidewalks. Everyone of all economic backgrounds should be able to get to school or the grocery store safely and efficiently so they can live better lives.

If I’d had fame early on, I’d have been able to abuse it in the way that a young man should.