A lot of men were also becoming more attuned and less afraid of women [in the nineties ].

I think music is another language.

Youll almost encounter a superstition amongst musicians, people sort of go through strange rituals, what they need to do to write a song.

There was one tour where I thought, "If I can't get this feeling back of being excited to be on the stage, then I will quit." Because I have friends who have dialed it in and I watch their concerts and shake my head. I'm sure the audience can tell, too.

There was this moment in 2003 when I was asked to do a fundraiser for someone who was speaking out against the Iraq war when nobody was. I said, "I will do a fundraiser for that guy." And then my friend John Hall, from the band Orleans...He ran for Congress in my district and won. I did a bunch of fundraisers for him.

As I said in one of my songs, we're still abolishing slavery, but nobody says it's a good thing. Nobody justifies it.

I just think the reassurance and the steadiness and the hands-on kindness can make a huge difference.