When I was growing up, there were two things that were unpopular in my house. One was me, and the other was my guitar.

I didn't have a blueprint from my childhood that I could call on, which is an enormous deficit when you're trying to put together a family life. I didn't see a family life where men were thriving inside of it. You know, my dad tended to blame the family for his inability to achieve what he wanted to achieve, you know? So, unfortunately, I was coming from that particular frame of mind.

You've always got to remember, rock and roll's never been about giving up. For me, for a lot of kids, it was a totally positive force... not optimistic all the time, but positive. It was never--never--a bout surrender.

Most of the artists I know are crazy in one way or another. I think that's why you get into it. You're in pursuit of a certain sort of peace that's very, very, very difficult to come by.

I don't write demographically. I don't write a song to reach these people or those people.

Don't take yourself too seriously. And take yourself as seriously as death itself.

Certainly tolerance and acceptance were at the forefront of my music.