If you're inclined to dismiss L.A. as a place of unrelenting vapidity and generic 1980s architecture, then you're doing yourself and L.A. a huge disservice, and you're just not looking hard enough.

The aggressive, energised, political, or even politicised, culturally aware music hasn't really existed [recently].

These new metal bands are going out, getting drunk and going to strip clubs, and they'll be doing the same in thirty years. There isn't even an interesting self-destructive quality to it . . . it's just dumb.

I'm not Catholic but the Virgin Mary fascinates me because she's like a folk hero.

I love lots of different types of music, but it's music that has this up-swelling of beauty and emotion that is most important to me.

My interest in gospel music and liturgical art and Biblically-inspired literature has nothing to do with organised religion and everything to do with human beings trying to figure out their place on this planet.

I'm like a bad musical cliche because I bring my guitar on the road and try to write songs in hotel rooms.