I could tell it was a popular move as a writer to walk down the bass lines while you were writing a song.

It's not my goal to be a famous actor.

I don't take my clothes off in my videos

The early Billy Joel stuff I fell in love with, like Glass Houses, is a real rock record.

I am the byproduct of an Ellis Island orgy, basically. I'm everything. I've got quite a mixture in me. I know a lot of it and I don't know some of it. I'm pretty mixed up, but mostly Russian and Irish.

So I try not to have any actual expectations for myself for any level of success or failure.

I love it. It's the most legitimate way to acquire and sustain an audience of people who are interested in your music. Touring allows me to play material that isn't on the album and that they wouldn't be able to hear otherwise.