“Oh, I’m not a percussionist, I just like to hit things.”

I like vocal word stuff. But I don’t always write with an instrument, I usually write a capella. It’s more like drawing in the air with your fingers. It’s closest to the choreography of a bee. You’re freer.

I always had a great appreciation for jazz, but I’m a very pedestrian musician. I get by. I like to think that my main instrument is vocabulary.

There’s a beauty of show business. It’s the only business you can have a career in when you’re dead.

it ain’t no sin, to take off your skin and dance around in your bones

Well you say that it’s gospel, But I know that it’s only church.

Arithmetic arithmetock Turn the hands back on the clock How does the ocean rock the boat? How did the razor find my throat? The only strings that hold me here Are tangled up around the pier.

All the donuts have names that sound like prostitutes

Did the devil make the world while God was sleeping?

You can learn a lot about a woman by getting smashed with her.

The way you do anything is the way you do everything.

But it’s so hard to dance that way when it’s cold and there’s no music.

I like my music with the rinds and the seeds and pulp left in.

The ocean doesn’t want me today, But I’ll come back tomorrow to play. The riptide is waging And the life guard’s away But the ocean doesn’t want me today.

I don’t like hearing Beatles songs in commercials. It almost renders them useless. I think, ‘Oh God, another one bites the dust.’

Don’t look back, because someone might be gaining on you.

It’s rather mystifying when you think about writing songs – where they come from, and how they’re born.

Billy Joel is an incredible musician. He just feels like one of the guys, you know. I grew up listening to his music.

And the people all over the world that smoke J’s Kings and queens, musicians, actors Everyday, working class, stoners, slackers Low key blazers and green bowl packers

They threw these musicians at me, man, and the sound was coming from behind. The bass was charging me.

Am I in love? Absolutely. I’m in love with ancient philosophers, foreign painters, classic authors, and musicians who have died long ago. I’m a passionate lover.

When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the mind of a painter, he produces marvellous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest purpose, when showing forth the praise of God.

All Art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose.

As an audience member, I like the sound of something that’s been written – I like it to sound written. And then, of course, you can’t do it without the musicians who can play it.

Anyone who’s got a guitar, you like to pick it up. I can play a couple of songs, some ’50s rock and roll, a bit of Elvis. That’s it, really – I’m not a musician, I’m not a singer.