Apart from Scottish traditional music, I wasn't really influenced by any kind of music. I just basically followed my own instincts.
I'm nowhere with country music. I don't hear much of it, so I shouldn't venture an opinion, but when it finds me, it seems formulaic.
Music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance... poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music.
If I could believe the Quakers banned music because church music is so damn bad, I should view them with approval.
I went to school and studied music for a year at USC, which unlocked a bunch of doors for me in terms of my relationship to music.
I've discovered all kinds of music and done all kinds of music over the past 40 years, from playing tango with Piazzolla to all the different bands I've had.
Music is an extremely powerful force if used properly to uplift people. I believe music should be uplifting and not downgrading... it's a very, very powerful tool.
Music played at weddings always reminds me of the music played for soldiers before they go into battle.
I started off with classical music, and I got into jazz when I was about 14 years old. And I've been playing jazz ever since.
Of course, there are many, many musicians whose music gives me pleasure, but until I make contact with them, musically or personally, I never assume that anything wonderful will happen.
For me Brazilian music is the perfect mix of melody and rhythm. It just bubbles rhythmically. If I had to pick just one music style to play if would be Brazilian.
You get a lot of who you are as a musician across through the music you write. If you're writing your own music, then it's important to be really honest.
What I do for migraines when I get them, I listen to classical music, and I turn it up really loud.
I loved pop music as a little kid. Things like the Black Eyed Peas. If it had a catchy chorus, I was into it.
Acting and making music are quite complementary. Acting relies on someone else's writing and direction; writing music or lyrics doesn't. But they are both creative and personal in completely different ways.
The drive to create music that is pure is my highest priority. Sometimes I'll get extremely technical, and other times I'll just kind of go with the gods of music.
I definitely listened to country music. I don't think I listened to hair bands as much as I did Bruce Springsteen and U2 and Aerosmith.
Music can describe emotions far more accurately than words ever can. As soon as I realised that, I knew music was where I wanted to be.
I was heavily into Nirvana and I still am, but when I was 23 I got disillusioned by music. Then I just focused more on myself and gave up music for a while.
I didn't start playing music really until I was 18/19, so it was a relatively new thing. I didn't play much music in school.
It bothers me when musicians listen to music from the '60s and try and recreate it. Those people weren't trying to recreate music from the '20s. Why do it?
