We don't have T-shirts with my face, but there I can see the beginnings, especially young girls seeing me as sort of a icon in that way. And in that regard I'm more than happy to step in.

I just write what comes to me. I didn't sit down and say ok, here is my statement. It's just a song that has a shout out.

Life is passing you by as you speak, you're on a path and you're all on the same path toward death.

For as long as I can remember, I have written songs because I wanted to, because I was experiencing something that couldn't be described except through a sound.

I am really inspired by writers, and weirdly - respect music journalists, which I think makes me the exception amongst most musicians. I think it's a craft. I think it's been really neglected - sadly. I think about the days of the great legendary rock critics. Who's going to become that when magazines and newspapers don't pay anyone properly or don't seem to respect the history or research that is required?

I think that every band is different, and in fact that's one of the biggest problems with the old-school music industry is that... one band would be successful according to a certain approach, and then every other band in the label gets sent down the same tube.

The writing process is very much like being in a dark tunnel, and you don't really know what you will end up with until you have created it.