I've had nightmares about having to kick people out of my band because they've said that they don't like the Beatles. I'd wake up and turn to them and say, "You like the Beatles, right?"

I'm obviously really opinionated, but as a producer, you don't necessarily want the person you're working with to try to impress you - you want them to just be themselves. Then you can edit or mess around with what they've come up with. But you have to allow the artist that space.

If you know what kind of music somebody loves, then you can kind of figure out why they do what they do.

I have no shame in making music that maybe, if you listen to it long enough, you'll realize you've heard this or that part of it before.

No matter how naturally gifted you are, it's your passion that's going to make you better and maybe touch some people.

In the end, I think musicians know that getting up in the morning and making music you love doesn't necessarily mean that you deserve billions of dollars or worship from anybody.

Even with artists I love, only about a third of their music is what really hits the sweet spot for me.