I actually think sadness and darkness can be very beautiful and healing.

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

I did a song, "Court and Spark," for a Joni Mitchell tribute album that's yet to see the light of day. So she's someone I'd like to do something with, sure. I worked with the great guitar player Bill Frisell on Phantom Moon - that was fun. I'm such a fan; he's amazing.

It's inevitable your environment will influence what you do

I'm a pretty big P.J. Harvey record fan and you can really hear New York in his record

I certainly wouldn't say that my life is a disaster, but there have been moments where I've felt like that

But I can't really say there is too much modern music that I'm blown away by at this moment