I think very often producers are really trying to repeat things. When they hear something in the new songs that they recognize as being a bit like something that was a success on a previous record, they're inclined to encourage that.

Even though I'm known as a pop musician, I have a seriousness about what I do.

The artists of the past who impressed me were the ones who really focused their work.

Being completely free to choose what to do is actually quite difficult

As soon as you externalize an idea you see facets of it that weren't clear when it was just floating around in your head.

When I've finally got the title, I think, "Okay, yes, now I know where we are. Now I know what it is. Fine, that must be finished or nearly finished.

When I was working with Talking Heads what would happen typically is that they would go out and start playing a track, and I would always run the tape. I always record everything, even a run through where you're trying to get in tune. That's a principle because sometimes when the situation isn't clear interesting things happen, and they are worth listening to again.