I don't write happy songs. Who does? I don't know anybody who writes happy songs, really.

At school I was an anti-magnet for women.

I can control the weather with my moods. I just can’t control my moods.

Writing screenplays makes me a better musician because it clears my head. After writing a movie, I go running back to music as fast as I can.

My music has to do with beauty, and it's intended to, if not lift the spirits, then be a kind of a balm to the spirits.

I lost my innocence with Johnny Cash. I used to watch the Johnny Cash Show on television in Wangaratta when I was about 9 or 10 years old. At that stage I had really no idea about rock'n'roll. I watched him and from that point I saw that music could be an evil thing, a beautiful, evil thing.

No wonder sorrow doesn’t smile much. No wonder sadness is so sad.