Pessimism and optimism are slammed up against each other in my records, the tension between them is where it's all at, it's what lights the fire.

Plus, you know, when I was young, there was a lot of respect for clowning in rock music - look at Little Richard. It was a part of the whole thing, and I always also believed that it released the audience.

I guess there's just a meanness in this world

The release date is just one day, but the record is forever.

You need two things to remain very, very present. You need to continue to write well and engage yourself in the issues of the day. And you have to continue to make good, relevant records.

You can beat the drum so hard that people stop listening. I wanted to use my voice wisely and not expend it wastefully.

The wonderful thing about rock music is even if you hate the other person, sometimes you need him more, you know. In other words if he's the guy that made that sound, he's the guy that made that sound, and without that guy making that sound, you don't have a band, you know.