I get really affected by songs as a music listener - they mean so much and they feel so significant.

I've always admired people with really strong presences and felt that caring about the visual component of what you do is not intrinsically superficial or vain.

I got tired of the Ramones around the time I quit and I really got into rap. I thought it was the new punk rock. LL Cool J was my biggest idol.

I used to be a hairdresser.

When I met Ronnie Spector, she walked in and said, 'You look like me.'

Progression is important. I'm always going to play music in the general vein of rock'n'roll, but when I started I was very much associated with the West Coast lo-fi thing and I didn't want to get anchored in with anything that was just in vogue for the time being.

Wondering what I'm doing tonight I've been in the closet and feel all right