You know, there's always someone in mind when I'm writing. You know, it's all comes from somewhere inside.

I'm really not worried about what fans think.

When I learned to play music, I was listening to blues music. And all the blues music I liked was super simple and stripped down. And then all the hip hop I liked was super simple and stripped down and we always heard that connection.

My mum's family would all get together, with guitars, harmonica, mandolins and upright bass and play old blues and folk songs. That was normal to me.

I'm sure you feel differently about writing than you did when you first started. When you get older and your brain changes, you have to figure out how your job fits into your life as it changes, you know what I mean? I guess everybody goes through that stuff, and I'm no exception, always trying to figure out what I'm doing with music.

Bands from Akron have a sense of humor and don't tend to take themselves too seriously.

The Black Keys is just a band that wants to get on stage and rock it.