You really only understand whether a song's good or not when you properly play it out in public for the first time.

The best songwriting comes from being as creative as you can and editing it down to the good bits, essentially.

People's musical tastes are fickle, and music can be a fashion.

There's a difference between expectations and aspirations.

I want to make music that will make the blood surge in your veins, music that will get people up and dance.

Glasgow's not a media center. When you're there, when you're hanging about, you feel quite detached from musical movements or fashions or anything like that. You do feel quite alone, in a good way.

I'd rather eat a cow-pat on a bun than a bloody McDonalds.

It doesn't matter how adventurous you want to be, you've still got to contain your identity.

Being in a band didn't buy me my beans on toast!

Traditionally, lots of vagrants and unemployable characters wind up working in kitchens.

Men behave very oddly in the company of attractive women.

Always do what you're afraid to do. ...I will prove myself strong when they think I am sick. I will prove myself brave when they think I am weak.

People in the business will stay with you through drugs and alcohol and divorces and insanity and everything else, but you have a failure, pal, and they don't want to know nothing about you!

I love a woman in a tuxedo, or in a dress, who looks comfortable, relaxed, happy. I'd love to dress Daphne Guinness - she has exactly that attitude.

I've never really understood the criticism that climbing is inherently selfish, since it could equally be argued about virtually any other hobby or sport. Is gardening selfish?

He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person.

there is probably no such thing as an innocent question, at least not when a parent is doing the asking.

When things seem calmest, that is the time you should fear the most, it's when you have the most to lose.

In the most innovative companies there is a significantly higher volume of thank yous than in companies of low innovation.

Through our entire history we have become accustomed to pushing [animals] around in ways dictated by our own wants and needs without much regard for theirs.

I get mad when people are against pot.