I don't mind being labeled as a political songwriter. I've chosen to do that. What really annoys me is being dismissed as a political songwriter. That really pains me, because life isn't all about love; it's not all about politics, either. It's a beautiful mixture of events that absolutely baffle you, and you think, "Why can't I do something about that?", whether those events are in your bedroom, or out there in the wide world. In our daily lives we engage with them at different times, and I'm trying to write about the whole human experience, or my perspective on it anyway.

If there is a single trait in our character that has historically set us apart from other nations, it is our determination to limit the authority of those who rule over us.

I'd like to think that in a generation or two we'll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting for them.

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage, whereas the love songs tend to be like novels, you can pick them up off the shelf and go into them any time.

Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.

Just because you're gay, I won't turn you away. If you stick around, I'm sure we can find some common ground.

Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety pin and a pair of bondage trousers.