I wanted to make a record that people could put on year after year after year, and it would never feel dated.
I'm pushing ahead on my own - you no longer need a large record company to make you a star.
This constant pressure from record companies to come up with a hit single or something like that, I find completely tiresome.
I think we were probably playing live for about 12 months before we got a recording deal.
When people pay to see you live, they connect with you on a much deeper level than people who just buy your records.
When the audition for 'Cats' came up, even though I'd been making pop records, it felt like something I was attracted to.
There's no question that a vinyl record is a lot nicer than a CD. It's nicer to hold in your hands, you can do more with it.
People have said to me, You can't write songs. You can't play an instrument. But I've got 10 gold records.
A song that sounds simple is just not that easy to write. One of the objectives of this record was to try and write melodies that continue to resonate.
I'm not that musical. I don't really know how a record is produced, and, funnily enough, I don't want to.
Protectionist politicians cannot stand the notion of a fossil-fuel-rich America maintaining record levels of production through exports.
People assume I sell a lot more records than I actually do. I really don't sell any.
I got more used to my own voice, but still it's hard for me to listen to my own voice, or hear the recordings.
I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.
But we used to go to flea markets and things, and look for old 78 records that had silly song titles.
I like records that flow really well and you don't have to skip around because there's lot of different jumps.
I like to have my breakfast in bed, and I use that time to watch the recorded shows on my TiVo. I seldom watch shows in real time - I'm always at work.
I never had lessons. Used to try to play to records, which I hated doing. Still can't play to them.
I am who I am and I say what I think. I'm not putting a face on for the record.
I have just enough people paying attention that I have the freedom to be in charge. And I have a great record company - Nonesuch understands what I'm about.
I don't have anything to prove anymore. I don't have a record deal, no one has any expectations, I'm in a position of freedom. I don't need anyone's approval.
