When I listen to a record, or when I'm making a record, I listen to everything. I listen to the drums, the bass, the voice, the arrangement. I listen to the whole piece as an ensemble. I don't only listen to the guitar player.

I don't think about what I can't do or what I shouldn't be doing. I just think there are endless possibilities musically, really. And I'm very, very open to experimenting with different people and trying to find different methods of writing and making music.

People say that if you're still angry at 52, you're not an angry young man, just a grumpy old git.

I was always taught as a kid that if there's anything you want in life, you've got to work towards it. I guess that sort of stayed with me, really. But also, for me, from the time I was, like, 10 years old, all I ever wanted to do was be in a band and make music.

If you're making music, you must want to turn other people on to it, whether you're number one in the charts or number 60. I don't know, that's a commercial thing, but just the fact that other people like you... there's no point in making music, otherwise. Otherwise, you might as well make it in your bedroom and leave it there.

I get labelled as just being about one thing, but there's lots of layers to what I do. It's just lazy journalism, but people start to accept it. If people spent an hour in my car driving around London and listening to the stuff I listen to, they'd hear some interesting stuff.

In the early-’60s, when you look at that period of time – up to the mod time – when everybody was wearing skinnier suits and skinny lapels and skinny ties – that came out of the States, and that was quite cool.

I really enjoy playing America. I like the audiences there. It’s the home of a lot of music I grew up with.

I’m definitely obsessed about artists and the type of music and the playing and the tone and all that kind of thing – I’m not obsessed about what the best Beatles album is. I just think if The Beatles are great, they’re great.

There have been records I’ve been really, really pleased with that haven’t connected with people. But I felt good about them.