Guitars have been the obsession of my life. I first picked one up at the age of four and I've been a guitar junkie ever since.

If people can finally recognize you on radio without being told who it is, thats what you aim for.

I had a feeling about what I wanted to say, and I wasn't really qualified to discuss real things out of America because I didn't grow up there.

I seem to attract and be attracted to very willful, fascinating people.

I'm not interested in trying to have people who might like other kinds of music follow me. I don't want to please them.

Growing up in public is a test, and not many people know how to do it.

Guitars have been the obsession of my life. I first picked one up at the age of four and Ive been a guitar junkie ever since.

Coming from a working-class background, where my father did manual labor, was a good grounding; I was obsessed with getting a job or getting out of the house at 15.

Joining Modest Mouse was just consistent with what I used to do as a teenager: I followed where I thought I would make some interesting music.

I never took fans for granted. I always assumed subconsciously that people who followed what I did were just people who were kind of like me.

The biggest musical influence on me was my mum. We were both enraptured by music.

Your principle should be to see everything and say nothing. The world changes so rapidly that if you want to get on you cannot afford to align yourself with any person or point of view.

You know we are living in dangerous time when the act of kindness is revered as an act of heroism.

With improved historical records, and easier access to them, we actually have better reasons for hating one another, for anger and violence toward one another.

It isn't until you forgive what's in the past that you'll be able to receive the gift of the present

Don't sacrifice what you wish for most for what you wish for now

A cowboy is a farm boy in leather britches and a comical hat.

I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother-in-law.

The fact that some people can push others to the point of thinking that their lives are not worthy is catastrophic.

If God is going to use us for His honor and glory, if His power is going to rest upon us, if He is going to bless our soul-winning ministry, then our lives must be places absolutely at His disposal.

For me 'Thank You'. This word has a very deep meaning.