I started to draw desert islands. They were just rough, shapes in the middle of the page. Then I began drawing shapes within those shapes and I was amazed how quickly the islands got better. It took off from there.

The more you know the less the better.

The world needs more Edwin Morgans, people who can take the language and swing it round their heads and don't care what you think.

Learn to feel sorry for music because, although it is the international language, it has no swear words.

I used to be a folk singer, but I was... dreadful. I had a voice like a goose farting in the fog.

I'm not going to throw away the hand of friendship to suit 100 Trotskyites in Glasgow.

When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why would you keep looking after you've found it?