To be an artist — actually, to be a human being in these times — it’s all difficult. … What matters is to know what you want and pursue it.

I started going to Bible school really early in life. Being raised a Jehovah's Witness, I had to read the Bible over and over. These stories were so horrifying and really difficult to reconcile. For me, Noah wasn't the story of the graham cracker box with the little animals it was horrifying. I would ask the same questions as a child. "Well, what about the little kids? What about the dogs and cats?"

You don't want to OD on improvisation.

I don't know why, the very first word on my very first record is 'Jesus.' I still invoke him as an entity to reckon with.

Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned about doing good work. Protect your work and if you build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency. Life is like a roller coaster ride, it is never going to be perfect. It is going to have perfect moments and rough spots, but it’s all worth it.

I always know that everything I do is the best I could do.

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine.