I knew that I wanted to create rich themes, and something that people might really relate to emotionally. That was the quest, authenticity, and then just to make the audience feel something.

There's always a melody running around in my mind and my brain; and I'm really thankful for it.

I try to move people emotionally.

Being a man of faith, what was so interesting to me was the subject, which started, by the way, with Anne Rice's wonderful books.

I really am a firm believer that if you're going to do something musically, you really need to know what that music would have sounded like, what those instruments would have been.

There's sometimes a little bit of a trap to limit yourself for an audience.

Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need

Take a chance. Take a risk. Find that passion and rekindle it. Fall in love all over again. It's really worth it.

I talk too quiet, and I have to yell on stage.

I am a product of a rat and roach infested black ghetto. It is easy for me to rationalize my dealings as a numbers man. I'll defend men today who are involved in it.

The most fun characters to work with are characters that are complicated.

At times we would have these whole cities that would take up rooms and stretch out all over the house. But they were also very abstract, like 'this piece of cardboard is a pool' and so forth.

I only remember a few things about Jimmy Carter. He had big lips and liked peanuts. I now know that Jimmy Carter was and is a good man.

The provocations by Russia need to be met with American strength.

We must act now to make sure fresh water is available to everyone, no matter where they live. The consequences of doing nothing will be even more catastrophic.

I think more than 20 percent of Nobel Prizes have been won by Jews.