Suicide was such a formative band for me, so influential in the development of my taste. They're one of those bands that operated in absolute isolation for so long that they developed a completely unique world view.

Over the last thirty years or so, I have definitely become more enlightened about corners of the social spectrum that I had less exposure to as a young man. I've interacted with more poor people, more minorities and more sexual minorities. As you get more people from different backgrounds involved in your life, you get a broader perspective and you're less cavalier about your opinions.

I have no problem with bands using participant financing schemes like Kickstarter and such. I've said many times that I think they're part of the new way bands and their audience interact and they can be a fantastic resource, enabling bands to do things essentially in cooperation with their audience. It's pretty amazing, actually.

I learned to cook from my mom. Most of what I ate growing up was Italian cooking.

If I were a gambling man I would put all my money on there not being anything other than this universe.

In heaven, after antipasti, the first course will be pasta.

New York has magnificent eating available, both in restaurants and in the materials available to home cooks in the many specialty markets.