I couldn't have asked for a better setup, even if it is my former shadow looming once again over me. I was able to start working with a top-notch publicist. My name is fresh on every editor's brain just because of this Pixies thing.

I can't tap into the naive, spastic playing that you do when you're young, although we occasionally still play too fast. But, overall, I'd say we're much more muscular and we can play a lot heavier and, for sure, lighter,

I remember at the time telling my therapist that it felt really good to be down, to be in pain or whatever. Because it was like: 'Oh yeah, I am human.' Not that I was devoid of emotion before, but to go that far, that deep, it's like: 'Wow, this is what it's like to be human.' In some sick way it felt good.

I'm just trying to record as much as I can, ... It's like a lifelong obsession with rock music that I've had since I was very young. I don't know what it is, but I like it and want to be around it and participate in it. It's the same today, a very youthful kind of feeling.

It's just, you gotta pay your dues if you want to sing the blues. Not that I've never paid dues in my life, but I just paid a lot in the last couple of years. What can I say? It just gives your songs a whole lot more legitimacy. Or it causes you to write better songs or something, I don't know.

They're not too big on Thanksgiving up there. Our English tour manager, not really being familiar with the feast, did a nice thing and booked a private room for us to be served an American Thanksgiving. But they were these French-sized courses. It wasn't a bucket of mashed potatoes, the giant bird and piles of food. Instead it was like, 'And now, we present.. the pumpkin soup! Voila!' It was us and our crew so it was a little stiff.

They're pretty good actually, Hall & Oates. I gotta give them credit. They got a lot of toe-tappers.

They're so good. There are times when they're playing when it's just: 'Oh my gosh, these guys are like the Rolling Stones or something.' It's pretty stunning.

They may be afraid that if we make a mediocre record that it will still come out, because the money has been spent. That's fair enough.

A lot of the gentle singing style of (jazzman) Chet Baker I noticed more than once showing up in my delivery,