I don't feel nervous or fearful when I'm on stage.

We don’t need more ‘What if the mother is going to die’ debated, we need ‘I had an abortion because I was not ready to be a mother. It was my choice and my right. I own it. Back the f@#( up.

If you want to be noticed as a drop of water, why would you move to the ocean?

Country music is completely punk-rock. It's the original punk-rock.

The most tender place in my heart is for strangers. I know it's unkind, but my own blood is much too dangerous.

You're not supposed to totally know what's happening. The songs are supposed to give you clues so you can fill in the blanks.

The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight. The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You.

I would be a huge hypocrite if I didn't tell you that at one time in my life I thought the way that you made music was you got on a major label and you got famous.

Playing in an independent rock band will eventually make you equal parts truck driver, gladiator and mule. Glamour is for those with trust funds.

We shouldn't censor ourselves based on the weak idea of "looking cool." It's such a waste of potential awesomeness.

I grew up with lots of animals and I related more to them than I did to people. I feel a lot of empathy for them.

What do you think Dimitri? Is this a good idea, Dimitri? Please give us your blessing so that we can fall down and worship you, Dimitri.

That's the motivation of an artist - to seek attention of some kind.

It's exciting to see if you can create something that sounds, at least to your own ears, exciting.

America is in such trouble.

A new reader shouldn't be able to find you in your work, though someone who's read more may begin to.

I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not. But like when I see a movie, for example, that I really like, that moves me or whatever, it's usually happy and sad at the same time.

There is so much to read and the days are so short! I get more hungry for knowledge every day, and less able to satisfy my hunger.

Genius is a rising stock market.

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Elvis eleven.

If you write a novel alone you sit and you weave a little narrative. And it's O.K., but it's of no account.