“The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with.”

“For me, I was somebody who was a smart young guy who didn't do very well in school. The basic system of education, I didn't fit in my intelligence was elsewhere.”

“I always wanted my music to influence the life you were living emotionally - with your family, your lover, your wife, and, at a certain point, with your children.”

“And God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he's no longer God... They'll turn on him, and I hope he survives it.”

“I will always desire to play with Bruce Springsteen. He's the most inspirational, most dedicated, most committed and most focused artist I've ever seen. I like to be around people like that.”

“But then I go through long periods where I don't listen to things, usually when I'm working. In between the records and in between the writing I suck up books and music and movies and anything I can find.”

“Your success story is a bigger story than whatever you're trying to say on stage. Success makes life easier. It doesn't make living easier.”

“The only thing I can say about having this type of success is that you can get yourself in trouble because basically the world is set open for you. People will say yes to anything you ask, so it's basically down to you and what you want or need.”