I mainly read non-fiction, and that's probably because I have a huge amount of insecurity about my lack of education and the things I don't know.

Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.

America's criminal justice system isn't known for rehabilitation. I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore.

I don't believe that songwriting has to be profound, but I truly believe that it's a crime for you to go outta your way for it not to be.

I have a low tolerance for mediocrity in music and life. I'm into pain and joy and the in-between doesn't interest me.

Actually, in its purest form, Islam is incredibly tolerant. That makes what's going on in the world really bizarre.

All we do as songwriters is rewrite the songs that have impressed us till we find our own voice. It's part of learning the craft.

You see things differently at 40 than you do at 31. Especially if you got to 40 the way I did.

Every day on Earth is another chance to get it right.

I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself.

To me, religion is an agreement between a group of people about what God is. Spirituality is a one-on-one relationship.

Be confident in spirit and courageous in soul.

But then life is never neat, it is made up of doors and trapdoors. You move down baroque corridors, and even when you think you know which door to open, you still need to have the courage to choose.

The more knowledge you have, the greater will be your fear of Allah.

I had bad days on the field. But I didn't take them home with me. I left them in a bar along the way home.

I discovered the Clash, the Pistols, obviously the Ramones, Blondie.

I try to look after the really small things and the really big things, and delegate the stuff in between.

In my subconscious, my books were part of a single emotional journey.

Be willing to absorb some risk and failures to allow people freedom to express themselves.

Teaching art is a shared experience. Our ability to share our own personal vision and interact with others through art can become realized.

Writing software that's safe even in the presence of bugs makes the challenge even more interesting.