“We sing some song that we made up but I don’t want to make a record like that.”

I’ve been interested in that subject matter, like lots of people. Perhaps foolishly, I’ve allowed some of that stuff to creep into my music.

When we’ve got something to say to the world, we will. I’m really happy that people are interested. “So, what’s up with the Pixies record? So, what’s up with the Pixies record?”

I listen to Neil Young and jazz and classical stations and, if my girlfriend’s driving, it tends to be Hall & Oates.

A lot of my heroes are artists and a lot of my musical heroes have an artistic side.

That’s the most important thing, to get along with people. When you feel like you click with them.

I have always been a singer, a writer, and a musician, not as a prodigy or as in a trade handed to me by my parents, but because of an inner voice or maybe a command from beyond reality as it is usually defined.

Bob Dylan is quite a songwriter, and a great singer and musician. I won’t bother with comparing myself to him, but I will say that I heard his records at a very young age and I still listen to all his records.

I don’t like to have everything all worked out in my head because there’s always a chance of it coming out different than you think it should anyway.

I think everybody has a painter inside of them somewhere.

I have had UFO experiences, and yet, at the same time, I can easily be convinced that none of it is true. It’s hard to say whether or not you’re a believer.

It’s obvious you shouldn’t steal, kill or be cruel.

I don’t want to do children’s music. I write kids songs, but the kids songs I write are for my kids – like when I’m putting them to bed.

I’m always looking to rock out. But it isn’t really about rocking out versus being mellow, in terms of your personal satisfaction. In the end, you just want to be good.

When I think about that I get stimulated and excited. It’s a feeling that you can’t label with words.

You think you’ve made something really great, but there’s a reason why it’s not resonating the way some previous work did. But it’s not that easy to just replicate.

If I have more creativity that I want to get out of me, I try to find other ways than pursuing solo records so much.

Like a forced awkward situation is very strange. Especially for me, for some reason.

We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well.

I don’t like to live in fear about things like rumors and backlash to begin with – that’s the way I was raised – but I just can’t see what’s so wrong about being gay.

There are moments when you love babies, and you’re like, “God, they are the reason why we exist.” Then they start crying, and you’re like “God! Jesus!”

I’m enjoying where I’m at in my life and I feel like I’m learning a lot on a daily basis.

I had seven brothers and four sisters. I told my mama, ‘One of these days I’m going to be big and strong and buy you a beautiful house.’ That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life, is to take care of my mother.

It’s a privilege to be in a position to give back, and one that I take pretty seriously because I know what it’s like… to be less fortunate, to be less privileged.

There is no education like adversity.