I've always been a deep sleeper; because I come from such a large family - there are 10 kids - I could sleep through anything. Even with my last day job, I'd sleep in later and later and start coming in an hour-and-a-half late. I got fired twice before I really got fired.
People can have their punk ideals, but I don't really care about that kind of thing.
All of my surroundings influence my songwriting. It's autobiographical, although I leave enough space so it's relatable.
I go in and out of mental funks all the time 'cause it comes with the territory.
My music has to be funny and sad and happy and loving; it's gotta have it all. When somebody's just too dark all the time, it's just drama. Or if somebody's too funny? Well, I like being too funny sometimes.
My favorite kind of song is the most beautiful song that you love so much and it's so good it makes you want to cry a little bit. Any jam can sound like that on a certain day.
We'll play somewhere like London, playing to 2,000 people easy, and every time you play with more people, you think, 'You're a rock star,' and it makes you laugh. I guess I am, but I'm also, you know, not.
John Prine in particular... just the chord changes combined with the words. He definitely can make you cry a little bit. Just a little bit.
Australia is a wild place.
I'm obsessive when I get an idea in my head.
When I leave a recording session, there is usually a lot of paranoia or superstition on my part, like I'm afraid to hear what we've done.
I like to laugh at dark things.
That's one of my favorite Matador records: Cat Power, 'You Are Free.'
I really love that 'I Can Feel the Heart Beating as One' Yo La Tengo record a lot.
Cigarettes are the worst thing in the world for you.
I do a lot of things, and I'll get excited about them - maybe it'll be a song in a movie - and then it comes out, and you're like, 'Aww, that was cool, but it wasn't quite as big a deal as I thought it would be.'
My dad's really funny. The male sense of humor - like my grandfather's and such - is pretty bizarre. Basically my dad's side of the family is where the bizarreness comes from. It's a little goofy and a little out there.
I've always been a music fan. I played trumpet. When I was in 4th grade, we were getting demos from the music teacher about different instruments we could play, and I said I wanted to play the trumpet right away. It was easy: it just had three valves.
My family was always playing music; I always enjoyed it. My cousin, who is a little older than me, he started playing music, so I wanted to, also. I asked my dad for a guitar, and he got me a banjo, so that was my introduction to playing. I played it like a guitar. I had a few lessons, learned out a few chords, and figured it out right away.
I'm definitely influenced by Animal Collective. I watched them early on.
