There's so many ways you can play one chord progression that the repetition isn't ever exactly the same.

It's gotta feel natural. I'm always into that, and after awhile, if I am working on a song too long and trying to make something out of it that it's not... it's best just to stop and move on.

There's too many favorite songs, so I'll just say right now my favorite song of all time is 'Poison' by Bert Jansch.

Influence is all osmosis.

It was just the next logical step from making succinct pop songs. What do you do after that? You make pop songs that are longer and more epic, that push the envelope. Imagine your favourite song, or something that you play over and over in the car, except that you don't have to start it over as much.

I'm the kind of performer who gets lost on stage. I can tap into this soulful haze.

Some people are so sad that, at times, that's what gets on my nerves - if they just hammer the doom, with no comic relief whatsoever.

People can have their punk ideals, but I don't really care about that kind of thing.

I like the idea of having money.

'Smoke Ring' was a downer, then 'Wakin' was an upturn.

There's so many FM hits that I love. Bob Seger, there's two of his songs that I love. I would probably love more, but I don't sit around listening to Bob Seger records. It's the same thing with Tom Petty; he writes amazing hits, but it's not often that I sit around at home listening to a whole Tom Petty album.

I go in and out of mental funks all the time 'cause it comes with the territory.

I feel like my music is like - there are always new influences in there.

On one level, we're on Matador, but our amps still might explode on stage, or they'll be an echo in the mic. It's like climbing a ladder. I like to climb it really slowly. I could probably get really professional right away, but I like to take baby steps and find my own way.

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.

If I sit in the same square room and work on something too long, I feel like you just go mad.

I don't have anything to get off my chest. I'm not itching to prove myself anymore.

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.

I really like Cold Cave.

I really love that 'I Can Feel the Heart Beating as One' Yo La Tengo record a lot.

That's one of my favorite Matador records: Cat Power, 'You Are Free.'

I always sort of liked Mesa/Boogies, but I wasn't sure if they were cool or not cool.

Every time I play with somebody, your perspective gets a little extended. It always rounds you out a little more in some way.

A lot of getting a song done is booking the studio time.