"Composing gives me a chance to work in multiple dimensions and helps me pare down my melodies into what is essential. Learning new skills has always energized me and scoring has opened up a world of sonic possibilities."

"It was a source of shame for my family that I was in rock and roll, which is so blue-collar. It just isn't done. And I felt it, too."

"Yeah, I like to be the maker of the art. And I like and want the money. But I don't really dig being famous."

"The other day I was reading a blog and I linked over to Streisand's Web site, and it was amazing politically. She's so insightful and incisive. And she also says whatever she wants."

"I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to."

"When I was asked to be Writer in Residence at Edinburgh I thought, you can't teach poetry. This is ridiculous."

"It is very good advice to believe only what an artist does, rather than what he says about his work."

"Acting and making music are quite complementary. Acting relies on someone else's writing and direction; writing music or lyrics doesn't. But they are both creative and personal in completely different ways."