When I'm onstage, I'm completely comfortable, and I feel very vital and alive.

I guess I'm attracted to more archaic words because they can be imbued with more meaning, because their definition is elusive.

There is something comforting about going into a practice room, putting your sheet music on a stand and playing Bach over and over again.

I'm a terrible Scrabble player.

I definitely have to give myself permission, like on "Master Swarm," to rip a lead on that. Just play a violin solo that's - it's a bit showoff-y, but it's fun, so who cares?

I have the barn, it's just kind of like a studio. Almost all artists have la studio to work in, and that's really what it is. A place to get away. I'll spend maybe four days out there if I can, just completely immersed - like where I don't bathe or brush my teeth for a few days, just get up and make coffee and experiment until the sun goes down.

I didn't have the patience for the research, or anything like that. I just like how it sets the imagination off. It's just an area that's very fertile for great words. Great metaphors, potentially.