I'm personally more struck by visual things more than musical.

Having a simple career as a musician who liked music was good enough for me.

When I found somebody who I fell in love with, it made me feel different than I felt the rest of the day. It was electrifying. That's what inspired the 'Off to the Races' melodies. That's one of the times when you're feeling electrified by someone else and they make you happy to be alive.

In the end, I find my influences or inspirations where I can.

Down on the West Coast I get this feeling like it all could happen.

I used to like to set different film clips to classical music, not even my own songs, but make little movies.

I think the thing I really got from Ginsberg was that you can tell a story through kind of painting pictures with words. And when I found out that you could have a profession doing that, it was thrilling to me. It just became my passion immediately, playing with words and poetry.