Just because I'm talking about something that might have been a sad or painful situation doesn't mean that I'm sad or tortured 24 hours a day any more than anybody else is.

There's always stuff to write about. So it's very gratifying on a lot of levels. This is stuff I got asked over and over again, or heard about. People would ask me about it, but they kind of knew the answer. It would be this ongoing question: "Your fans are wondering, now that you're married, are you still going to be able to write songs?" I'm serious! I would get asked that!

I didn't grow up in a mom-and-pop, Ozzie and Harriet type of environment, but who did.

I'm an artist first and foremost. So things are gonna go up and down and sideways and whichever way all through life.

I don't want to beat people over the head with my political views. It's more about the humanitarian aspect of it.

There's this whole idea that you've got the blues and you're going to write. Bullshit. When I feel really bad, all I want to do is sit in front of the TV with the remote control and check out.

I mean, whose songs don't focus on tragedy and loss?