When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly belabored intellectual process, I just throw it out.

Writing a song doesn't heal things. Even if the song comes up with a solution, it's still only a theory. Going out and living my lyrics is a whole other deal. That takes courage.

I was motivated by just thinking that if you had all this external success that everyone would love you and everything would be peaceful and wonderful.

When I was 11 years old and I was on a road trip with my family. I turned to my dad and said, "Do you believe in Adam and Eve?" And he said he didn't think so. I remember that felt like a slap in the face, because if my parents questioned Adam and Eve, then they potentially questioned everything within Catholicism. Eventually that idea led to my feeling liberated, but at that time it was very scary.

I have as much rage as you have, I have as much pain as you do, I've lived as much hell as you have, and I've kept mine bubbling under for you.

The more vulnerable and the more confused the song is, the equal and opposite effect is how I feel after having written it.

I was born in '74, so I missed out on all the great early '60s and early '70s.