Even when I played in little league as a kid, I liked making friends, but I didn't want to be there, really.
When I was 20, I moved up to Boston with my girlfriend, who's now my wife. She went to grad school, and I met a bunch of cool friends there.
I always sort of liked Mesa/Boogies, but I wasn't sure if they were cool or not cool.
I think 'She Drives Me Crazy' is hilarious and good.
Every time I play with somebody, your perspective gets a little extended. It always rounds you out a little more in some way.
The last blue collar job I had, I was 29. Even 'Childish Prodigy,' I had a day job that whole time. Those early ones, they feel like psychedelic, blue collar records. Especially 'God Is Saying This to You,' there's such urgency in that album.
I got depressed so many times by my blue-collar life and self-conscious about the fact that I didn't go to college. I was always working super low-end jobs, being the complete opposite of what I wanted to be.
I like the idea of having money.
Anybody that's from somewhere that's made it in music outside of New York or L.A., if it's a unique enough place, they'll always say, 'Dude's from Minnesota!' Or wherever, you know? So that's how I got the Philly connection.
The real reason I was lo-fi before was really just because that's what I could afford.
Critics always get the lyrics wrong in reviews, which is amusing - especially when they use them against you.
I actually often write about writing music and being in that zone.
I'm the kind of person who will set time aside to do something and then do everything but that thing.
A lot of getting a song done is booking the studio time.
I write a lot when I'm feeling bummed, but other times, you get locked in, and it's totally personal. If you're really low and writing, you're not thinking about anybody at all.
I get to come home to my family. It's awesome, just constant adventure, never a dull moment. So much life.
I'd say the best thing the Violators and I have done is to dominate the U.S. with an arsenal of smash hits.
There's too many favorite songs, so I'll just say right now my favorite song of all time is 'Poison' by Bert Jansch.
I like New York. I like Philly. I like San Fran. I like when people are stoked. But Chicago's a real music town, and they're really good to us there. There's just something in the air there; people are just really stoked about music. Every time I go there, I have a great time, and the fandom is really heartwarming.
When I was a teenager, I was mostly getting tapes and CDs, and somebody hipped me to the fact that you can get things on vinyl that are not necessarily available on any other fomat.
