Most of our lives aren't that exciting, but the drama is still going on in the small details.

Singing is a trick to get people to listen to music for longer than they would ordinarily.

Always be skeptical about simplicity.

Do I wear a helmet? Ugh. I do when I'm riding through a precarious part of town, meaning Midtown traffic. But when I'm riding on secure protected lanes or on the paths that run along the Hudson or through Central Park - no, I don't wear the dreaded helmet then.

With pop music, the format dictates the form to a big degree. Just think of the pop single. It has endured as a form even in the download age because bands conform to a strict format, and work, often very productively, within the parameters.

Punk was defined by an attitude rather than a musical style.

There are plenty of people who are, I think, completely racist who love hip-hop.