I first had the thought about making a musical of ‘Edwin Drood’ as far back as 1971.

I type even faster than I talk. I’m very proud of that. I type so fast. And I have to because the characters are living in real time and I’ve got to keep up with them. It’s a miracle they even give me a royalty.

The truth is, I initially became a singer-songwriter while still in my teens because it was the only way to guarantee that somebody on earth would sing the songs I was writing. Since then, I’ve performed just about everywhere: rock clubs, concerts halls, arenas, TV.

But thankfully, my first album, Wide Screen, was sort of a critics darling – everyone raved about it, but no one bought it. They only manufactured 10,000 copies; I wasnt even in the running for failure!

I think writing for a world one has invented can be infinitely more interesting than writing for the world we’ve all inherited.

As much as the mystery element is all a lot of fun, when you do go to ‘Edwin Drood,’ you’re going to a theatre to see a show about going to a theatre and what that relationship between actors and audiences has been for years.

I’ve tried in my career to do most everything, because it all intrigues me. And I’ve found the first time I work in a new form, I discover all the things that make that an exciting medium. I’ve been very busy most of my career. I’ve had very few vacations.

Every songwriter lives to have at least one song that a cab driver who asks ‘You write anything I know?’ will recognize.

I don’t want to own her, but I can’t let her have it both ways. There is one too many of us.

I didn’t want much. I wanted much more. In fact, I wanted everything.