When I was 19 I went to art school. I had six months of teaching myself to play baritone ukulele under my belt so I was sort of a novice folkie... I was singing folk songs at that time.

My childhood was very difficult. I had every childhood disease and then some, but my parents didnt mollycoddle me. They left me to fight those battles on my own. I guess that was very Canadian, very stoic. But its good. I had to become a warrior. I had to give up hope and find a substitute for hope that would be far more stable.

My goal as a writer is more to comfort than to disturb.

You can give me 400,000 hostile people and I won't even break sweat. If you give me 200 adoring people, my mouth will dry out.

To enjoy my music, you need depth and emotionality.

I was young for my age. Not as naïve as they expected. I don't know why I seem to bring that out in people.

Buddy Holly and the early rock 'n' roll was no lighter than the way I play. It's very minimal.