I'm an English songwriter/composer, working in Mandarin and trying to find something about Chinese culture that I really relate to and respect and feel some genuine emotions for - and it's quite hard, the pentatonic scale, and that, in a way, is why I think it works. Because I'm forced to limit myself to quite strict rules about what I did. Maybe that's how I avoided pastiche.

If you don't see something as a career but as an important part of your life, you don't know how you're going to feel about it.

Each individual has their own opinions about whether war is an answer to any problems. Personally I think it's a waste of time, but I think more importantly, that it's is an issue that we haven't had any say in. That's why I feel so strongly about it. I don't feel like we've really been given any choice in this matter. I think if you had a referendum tomorrow, Tony Blair would have no choice but to call off the war.

Being in Blur has allowed me to travel and hear the music that's being made all over the world.

Music is something that should speak for itself, straight from the heart. It took me a long time to understand that.

My guaranteed way of sending myself into deep depression is to read music trade papers and watch MTV.

As a musician usually music is your way out.