The melody and the structure of a song always comes first for me, so the emotions behind it can sometimes be a challenge: What am I feeling about this song? Where did the melody come from? I want it to be heartfelt.

I always thought it was important for my lyrics to come from a really honest place.

Hell is a swamp, to me - not as something fiery, but as something dank, moist, and wet.

There's something scary about the unknown. And maybe the scariest movies couldn't ever be made because they are too deep in somebody's head, too unknown to get out.

We're all living in different states and we all have different systems within those states. Even on the most basic personal level, it affects me.

Things have changed. The suburbs are developed, but other parts, like where we recorded Spirit and Danse Manatee are still woodland and farmland.

People seem to think that folk music is people with acoustic guitars. Or punk music is people with mohawks, leather jackets.