Really the only thing holding a lot of records together is the personality of the singer, and the will to write all of these different things.

Don't try to touch my heart, it's darker than you think. And don't try to read my mind, because it's full of disappearing ink.

Don't wear your heart on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff.

I don't think I was ever particularly mean. I can certainly think of some idiotic exchanges I've had. I was accused of destroying pop music, like Wagner destroyed opera - a guy in Germany started ranting that at me.

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.

And over the last ten years, after my work with the Brodsky Quartet, I had the opportunity to write arrangements for chamber group, chamber orchestra, jazz orchestra, symphony orchestra even.

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's really a stupid thing to want to do.