I wanted to be a visual artist because I grew up around a lot of painters and photographers and had a very artistic upbringing. And I fantasized about being a drug-dealer when I was a kid. I thought it would be a good opportunity; I knew that the market would be strong. Is that bizarre?

If I wasn’t making music I would probably be in the woods with a big deer….Talking to myself.

When I was a kid I was the king of mullets. If you’re wearing a rock T-shirt and you’re a fan of Rush – one of the greatest bands in the universe – you’ve got to have a mullet.

My mother is very, very smart and commands respect because she has a lot of respect for herself.

I don’t like doing interviews. I’m not pretending to be some super neurotic, hiding in my closet. I could care less about anybody knowing who I am, but I realize this is part of the game. Maybe if I really hated this whole public thing, I would go do plays in Hoboken.

My proudest moment was when I was in high school, some jackass tried to give me a wedgy. I came prepared, I went commando. It tickled.

A little ego can be quite entertaining. But [Alessandro Michele is] a very humble, gentle, kind person. And I think that his humanity would probably surprise a lot of people, because he's so confident and bold in the choices that he makes.