I've always hated narrative songs. I hate those songs where, basically, it's an unfolding of a story.

Love songs come in many guises and are seemingly written for many reasons – as declarations or to wound – I have written songs for all of these reasons – but ultimately the love songs exist to fill, with language, the silence between ourselves and God, to decrease the distance between the temporal and the divine.

I'm a big fan of teatowels and am always on the lookout for a good one.

But if you're gonna dine with them cannibals Sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten . . .

It's very important that the music has a sense of adventure to it, and that it's done by the seat of your pants. There's a kind of nervy element about it.

Writing is a necessary thing for me, just to keep myself level. It has beneficial effects on my life.

Most people wait for the muse to turn up. That's terribly unreliable. I have to sit down and pursue the muse by attempting to work.