What I have found is, so much of that is like a Chinese finger trap: the more you play to the dark, the more you will get trapped in the dark, and if you just play to the light and focus on the people that don't misunderstand you and focus on the audience that does celebrate you and focus on the people who aren't trying to tear you down, all that other stuff eventually erases itself because it has nothing to feed on.

If I simply do what I've always done, it's never failed me.

I draw the line at letting people into my songwriting cave. To me, that's where the alchemy happens and where the mystery is.

I don't try to make anybody outside happy.

There’s no “correct path” to becoming a real artist. You might think you’ll gain legitimacy by going to university, getting published, getting signed to a record label. But it’s all bullshit, and it’s all in your head. You’re an artist when you say you are. And you’re a good artist when you make somebody else experience or feel something deep or unexpected.

The stage show is, in some sense, highly theatrical. It's definitely not just a band in jeans playing rock and roll.

If you want the world to pay for projects, you have to be able to display why you're worthy.