I'd just like to inspire people to be themselves and do what they want and not conform to the rigid guidelines of the music or entertainment business.

I'm totally committed to the cause of individuality. That's the only thing I stand by: independence.

I feel some kind of duty to be really, really honest as a writer. The same is true of my songwriting.

Motivation is just this potion to create stuff, a compulsion to express the truth of my own experiences in this life.

My dad was depressed a lot of the time, and there were a lot of things in his life that he never resolved.

Songwriting is like editing. You write down all this stuff - all this bad, stupid stuff - and then you have to get rid of everything except the very best.

It may seem strange, but the most grateful I've ever felt was when I was held up at gunpoint. After I handed over my wallet and the mugger ran off into the woods, I thought, 'Thank you for not shooting me.' I was overwhelmingly glad to be alive and unharmed.