Lets just say that I think any person who aspires, presumes, or feels the calling to be an artist has a built-in sense of duty.

I think its very important to not be afraid to experience joy in the middle of sorrow.

I really feel concerned about young people within our present culture. Our present culture, we have to change. Change is inevitable and I wasn't raised in our present culture but it has great pressure that as a young person I never had. Material pressure, social pressure, visual pressure, how you look, and I just try to appeal to young people to think for themselves, to be their own person, and to ask questions and also be very attentive to our planet and our environment.

I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.

Christianity made us think there's one heaven.

I've never felt grounded because of my ancestry or my gender. I think until women get away from that they're not going to be great writers.

I think some of that hopelessness of my generation got passed on to later generations - the sense of uselessness.

I think it's really great that people share their work [on Myspace] and no one is paying for it. I think that's a very healthy thing and it's not a corporate thing.

I always hesitate when people call me a musician.I have had no musical training. I can't play anything. I really think of myself as a performer. It's always been writing for me. I evolved with my band in rock 'n' roll through poetry, not through music.