I wrote music as soon as I knew notation.
My attitude to writing is like when you do wallpapering, you remember where all the little bits are that don't meet. And then your friends say: It's terrific!
I don't think there is much American music.
You either are or you're not.
In the end it doesn't matter what you do.
One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.