If the melody is telling me this is what the song is about, then I'm sort of forced into confession, autobiography or fantasy. If I don't do that, I've hamstrung the melody.

If you're afraid they might discover your redneck past, there are a hundred ways to cover your redneck past.

I do think that when you make repeated mistakes, it's usually because you're just not coming to grips with something.

It's like being in the position of - in half of the industry's mind, you're kind of a cult-following, independent rocker. And on the other hand, you're a sellout. But neither one of them are right.

Im really good at writing almost hits.

The less I talk in bars, write emails, express myself in an emotionally lewd way outside of my songwriting, the more I have to do it through my music.

You can't really control how people hear stuff. It's hard to remember that. I have to let go of it.