The whole path of American music has been so much about the recognition of stylistic diversity, and the recognition of the importance of music which was from one of the vernacular traditions.
I had to learn chord shapes. I bought books with chord charts. I used to listen to all kinds of pop music.
I got a man cave. I play my music loud. I bought big speakers because I need to hear music loud.
Since I was a child, I always loved music that made me want to dance. As a teenager, I used to dance the night away to electronic music.
I do believe that when I'm writing music, I get addicted to the music of the concept of what the outcome of the song is, or the passion behind the lyrics.
I'm not musically inclined. It blows my mind that people can write music. I don't have that talent; I look up to the people that do.
When I was in N.Y. bartending, I was in a billion music videos. I was in Madonna, George Michael, Salt-n-Pepa - it goes on and on.
Every band had their own distinctive sound, but it was pretty much dancing music and rhythmic music with a tremendous emphasis on copying the Cuban models.
My music had roots which I'd dug up from my own childhood, musical roots buried in the darkest soil.
I've always liked country music. It's a certain aspect of America that goes back to the British Isles and the influence is very native to America.
Linguistic philosophers continue to argue that probably music is not a language, that is in the philosophical debate. Another point of view is to say that music is a very profound language.
I was able to do a lot of music on 'SCTV,' and I was really lucky to do a musical; I got to sing the part of Seymour in 'Little Shop of Horrors.'
Well, first of all, they're all about the music and all I care about in my professional career is the music.
There are singers that I have enjoyed, from Nina Simone and Ray Charles onward. But the music that made music the number one thing for me as a youth was jazz.
I grew in the inner city, listening to Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, James Brown, The Commodores - lots of soul music.
I've never intended to be controversial, but it's very easy to be controversial in pop music because nobody ever is.
I think there are unseen powers who don't want pop music to be anything other than glorified Madonnas.
That's because we did not set out to make black music. We set out to make quality music that everyone could enjoy and listen to.
I hate most of what constitutes rock music, which is basically middle-aged crap.
You're talking to someone who really understands rock music.
When I'm writing music, I'm not playing a character. I'm not Alice Cooper or Gene Simmons or someone like that, who has acknowledged that they are writing music for a character.
