I had a period in my life in the '90s where I was definitely young, dumb, and full of even more dumb.

As I've gotten older, I've found that I'm not afraid anymore to throw my influences into making a record.

I want a performance style that's more cerebral and emotional than physical. I want to be a creative artist, not a whirling dervish.

I tend to get my hands into all these other things and all these distractions, and after a while I start feeling depleted.

It's a beautiful thing to be that committed to something that you get so much joy from, but it is like a sick addiction, because sometimes it's incredibly volatile, incredibly painful, and very frustrating. A man shouldn't be defined by his work, but I am.

When people ask me if I have a hobby, a lot of times my answer is that I like to surf in warm water. I like to ski, if I have the opportunity. But really, I like to go to my studio and write music that I want to write, where there's no pressure to come up with a hit single.

I prefer to break new ground, but it gets harder and harder with the territory that's already been walked on.