I'm kind of a hermit. Left to my own devices, I won't submerge myself in anything further afield than the driveway.

I'm not really a goal-oriented guy. I started doing the Mountain Goats just for the sheer hell of it.

The reality of having a kid involves day-to-day practicality - not broader philosophical outlooks.

When you punish a person for dreaming his dream, don't expect him to thank or forgive you.

I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.

This is the funny thing about me. People think John just comes up with all the ideas. I'm honored. People think I have a big old brain, but actually I am the sum of the people I work with.

[Robert] Aikman would write horror stories that weren't gore, they weren't slashers, and they weren't monster stories either. He called them ghost stories. The main thing about them was the vibe. It was really disquieting. He wanted to sketch the scene so that you could see it and know the characters and get a feel for the motion - and then ask yourself why and not get a final answer. Leave something that itches. I loved that!