I nurture my close relationships like priceless lamps. That's part of why the job itself is inherently difficult and kind of a paradox, because you're out there touring and traveling and going a million miles a minute, but the things that are keeping you steady and stable can be really hard to nurture when you're going fast, and your relationships, which are the number one thing that help me through.

I think it's so important to have a practice, because the consciousness isn't perfection or enlightenment or any of that bullshit. The consciousness is, "Oh, I'm walking down the street and I'm doing nothing."

I had very literal parents and I wanted to survive with metaphor and art, and there was a real sense of shame around it.

You tour and you work hard and you take care of your fans and very real things lead to other real things. There's never been some fantastic fluke or break in my career, it has all been very slow and steady.

The impulse to connect the dots - and to share what you've connected - is the urge that makes you an artist

If you come across an American artist right now who has no political opinions or is afraid of talking politics, be very concerned.

When we really see each other, we want to help each other.