If you are a Steve Earle and you're up on a platform and there are people out there listening to you, say something to them. Tell them something valuable. Tell them something they need to know. It doesn't have to be dictatorial, it just has to be informative.

One of the joys of writing music is making your own mark. Study other stuff, immerse yourself in music and then tell your own truth.

If you're a Brit you kinda get used to people being cold and aloof and just generally arrogant - particularly musicians. (Compared to Londoners New Yorkers are a walk in the park!)

Music is politics - it always has been and it always will be.

I'm already 30! It doesn't really feel like a landmark. When I started out, my aim was to keep making records. Just because I've reached the 10th doesn't mean I'm going to rest on my laurels now!

My generation in the UK, they're very apathetic, a lot of them.

Sometimes you definitely need to just let go. You need to sort of forget everything.