The truth is, I initially became a singer-songwriter while still in my teens because it was the only way to guarantee that somebody on earth would sing the songs I was writing. Since then, I've performed just about everywhere: rock clubs, concerts halls, arenas, TV.

I always try to keep in mind that while the characters in a farce may find themselves in outrageous dilemmas, and may behave in a way that the audience finds amusing, the characters themselves don't have the consolation of knowing they're in a comedy.

In all my years of performing, no audience member has ever actually assaulted me. I consider this to be the singular triumph of my performing career.

But thankfully, my first album, Wide Screen, was sort of a critics darling - everyone raved about it, but no one bought it. They only manufactured 10,000 copies; I wasnt even in the running for failure!

I don't want to own her, but I can't let her have it both ways. There is one too many of us.

Every songwriter lives to have at least one song that a cab driver who asks 'You write anything I know?' will recognize.

I think writing for a world one has invented can be infinitely more interesting than writing for the world we've all inherited.