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

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

It seems like everyone's got an agenda, and the agenda seems to be selling magazines or air time with sensational stories.

Writing the songs and producing the songs and arranging them and recording them is your canvas and your palette and your brush.

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.

Sing the song or keep it inside.

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.