And I saw the sax line-up that he had behind him and I thought, I'm going to learn the saxophone. When I grow up, I'm going to play in his band. So I sort of persuaded my dad to get me a kind of a pla...
There's a schizoid streak within the family anyway so I dare say that I'm affected by that. The majority of the people in my family have been in some kind of mental institution, as for my brother he d...
... And these childrenthat you spit onas they try to change their worldsare immune to your consultations.They're quite awareof what they're going through...
Anxiety and spiritual searching have been consistent themes with me, and that figures into my worldview. But I tend to make my songs sound like relationship songs.
What I like to do is try to make a difference with the work I do.
I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlourdrinking milk shakes cold and longSmiling and waving and looking so finedon't think you knew you were in this song
I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for the visual in religious rituals, though, even though they may be complet...
I believe that I often bring out the best in somebody's talents.
Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming
I had to resign myself, many years ago, that I'm not too articulate when it comes to explaining how I feel about things. But my music does it for me, it really does.
I realized the other day that I've lived in New York longer than I've lived anywhere else. It's amazing: I am a New Yorker. It's strange I never thought I would be.
Everything I read about hitting a midlife crisis was true. I had such a struggle letting go of youthful things and learning how to exist and have enthusiasm while settling into the comfort of an older...
I do value the respect I get from my contemporaries, but to have Oasis cover my song, to have Puff Daddy cover a song, to have Goldie come along to my gigs - that's where my ego is at. To have my fell...
Sometimes I don't feel as if I'm a person at all. I'm just a collection of other people's ideas.
I rate Morrissey as one of the best lyricists in Britain. For me, he's up there with Bryan Ferry.
I feel confident imposing change on myself. It's a lot more fun progressing than looking back. That's why I need to throw curve balls.
Cause I'd rather stay hereWith all the madmenThan perish with the sadmen roaming freeAnd I'd rather play hereWith all the madmenFor I'm quite content they're all as saneAs me
I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute in some way to the culture that I was living in. It just seemed lik...
On the other hand, what I like my music to do to me is awaken the ghosts inside of me. Not the demons, you understand, but the ghosts.
Since the departure of good old-fashioned entertainers the re-emergence of somebody who wants to be an entertainer has unfortunately become a synonym for camp. I don't think I'm camper than any other...