There were a couple of things I needed to do while I was in New York. One was to have a pizza pie, one was to get a tattoo... and the other was to get a Yankees hat.

Emil's [Nava], the video director. Originally, I was meant to do all the stuff that the puppet was doing. I just wasn't that comfortable with doing it, so he had a puppet made.

If I ever have any back-up dancers, I want the penguins from Madagascar.

As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.

No one else is going to do it for you, if you want it bad enough then go out and do it yourself.

Paper or razor blade, never give up And just remember just to hold out more A couple years ago I couldn't just control that thought You'd find me buskin' on the street When it was cold outdoors And now I'm sweating on the stage With the sold out tours Writing love songs for the sake of it Never to make a hit

I think to be successful at anything you have to put in a hell of a lot of effort. Pick your battles. I picked music, put in a lot of effort, and it's worked.