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.

When you're really looking forward to something, you don't feel the sense of pressure.

Eventually I want to subsidize my income with other creative outlets that are going to not keep me tied to the road so much.

Great classic music that I've been turned on to has not only inspired and influenced me, but it has had an effect on my songwriting.

The thing is, unfortunately, I write the best songs when I'm miserable.

You know, you've got to be careful with how you educate your kids in rock'n'roll fashion.

Music, as many people have said, is the universal language. Of course points are made which make you think about things, but ultimately it makes you feel. And that's why people remember more songs that have meant something during their life than films. They start to define periods in your life, and that's kind of the beauty of it.