I'm fortunate I have this coterie of musicians around me to help take music to next level. Being surrounded by so much creative energy, so many creative people really feeds that creativity in me

Simon Hale, the British arranger, does all string and wood arrangements on my records

Emerson, Lake & Palmer or King Crimson or Gentle Giant - the worst prog rock references I can come up with. Though I totally loved those groups as a kid.

Things come to me pretty regularly. There is never a shortage or a backlog

But really important, perhaps most important is the craft; how you make your record, the creation of these sonic worlds you want your listener to hear.

I think in a way I was probably completely naive about what it takes to make something become a hit

I'd have these weird experiences where I'd just be walking down the street with this chord progression in my head, this happened more than a few times, and I'd walk home and find a fax in my machine and it would match the music in my head