At the end of the day, if you don't have a record contract, a studio or a guitar, you can still write songs. You're still an artist. That's something no one can take away.

I'm a huge Peter Mayer fan, but only when I don't feel like killing him for being so good. I love Peter's work, though it irritates me that he plays so much better than I do. If I rocked half as hard as Peter does, I'd own the world by now.

There will always be those people who are just backward and ignorant. There will always be those people. They need somebody to feel superior to.

The money when you're having a hit is great, but money can be taken from you. What can't be taken from you is the talent and the effect your work has.

Artists are taught to be humble about their impact, especially in folk music. It's so ingrained that I have a hard time even thinking I had any impact other than what a normal hit song would have.

Some people would rather stay ignorant and self-satisfied.

It's what I do well - I write about things that make people uncomfortable. That's probably the only thing I do better than my peers.