I've just recently started doing the promo bits for the new album, and the funny thing is that the people who come to talk to me about these things seem to be getting younger. It's like the people who like the music are all young kids and they're on top of you - they know all about what you're doing, and they're excited and animated about it. So it's a lot of fun.

Even if you're improvising, the fact that beforehand you know certain things will work helps you make those improvisations successful. It really helps to have a certain amount of knowledge about musical structure.

That's what my life is, writing songs.

There are a few people that I always say, "Hey, what do you think of this?" The minute that you know that you want this particular person to hear it, you know that you're pretty much done - although you're doing it to hear some feedback. It's a smart move to know whose ears you want.

I never use the word, it's loaded. What love means to me is need.

Time plays a role in almost every decision. And some decisions define your attitude about time.

I missed out on my teenage years. I led a sheltered life. I was practicing scales instead of going out there and playing football.