I have breakups that I can credit to every song. In my twenties, I picked people who would create that dysfunction and drama, so I could draw upon it.

Listen to the Bee Gees and you can learn to be a great writer.

I was a pop-music junkie. My parents were into Frank Sinatra and Doris Day. They weren't too excited when I had Aretha or the Stones pumping.

When I look at myself, I'd like not to have hair on the top of the ceiling.

I looked a little pasty. But hey, at least I didn't wet myself!

The thing that's tricky is sometimes the best voices - just because someone hits the big notes and sounds amazing - it doesn't necessarily mean they make the greatest artists.

Songwriters tell the truth.

Some of the best songs that artists perform year after year are ones they hated.

I felt like I got more comfortable on "Idol" when I just started being myself and not trying to be what I thought I had to be.

I don't go to record stores to look at my albums, but it's always a thrill to see them.

Look at someone like Ke$ha. I wouldn't say she's got the most rangy, incredible voice, but she's got a thing. She stands for something, and people are buying into that.

If you can't see the assets in you, it will be hard for you to export it to the world. Recognise who you are and the world will recognise you.

Of course imagination is the beginning of creation. Without imagination there can be no creation.

We stand guard over works of art, but species representing the work of aeons are stolen from under our noses

Despite the fact that the world produces enough food to feed everyone, there are more hungry people today than when the world last met in Rio in 1992.

The role of a trainer or consultant is to empower the customer, not to make himself indispensable

People like me, LB, the truly great ones ... we are always alone.

I write about broken people who need other people in order to go on. But those are the only kind of people I know to exist. We are all broken.

Someday will never come and take you by the hand.

I feel there is something nice about not talking. Like you can say more by actually saying less.