I'm fortunate I have this coterie of musicians around me to help take music to next level. Being surrounded by so much creative energy, so many creative people really feeds that creativity in me.

Lately I've been a workaholic. I'm in the studio all the time and I've helped to produce a couple of artists.

Because of my Buddhist practice, I'm never lacking for inspiration.

I certainly wouldn't say that my life is a disaster, but there have been moments where I've felt like that.

If I were to do this over I'd play a lot more shows before I made a record.

But I can't really say there is too much modern music that I'm blown away by at this moment.

Happy music doesn't tend to move me much.

I mean, at the end of the day when I'm making a record, what I want to do is what I do.

Ultimately, if I'm really moved by something, it's going to go on the record and that's that.

I'd have these weird experiences where I'd just be walking down the street with this chord progression in my head, this happened more than a few times, and I'd walk home and find a fax in my machine and it would match the music in my head.