In terms of content, a lot of rap is crap, with all the sexism and homophobic bullshit. It's incredible how rappers are always preaching nonconformit….

I think there are nice things about every era. I wish we could just take the nice things..

Precocious and eccentric are okay. But I think that people in the arts represent something integral and kind of secretive in everybody else. So the r….

There's a side of me that identifies with Aileen Wuornos..

My mom. She really encouraged me. That's the trouble with education: Unless you have a really supportive parent, you get left behind..

I used to play in the subway. If everyone tossed in a quarter, at the end of the day it would add up. It shows you aren't invisible. And it's better ….

I never know how to get off the phone, so I'm terribly admiring of people who can..

Love is such a fleeting emotion. It's such a small part of the things you do in your life..

It was not very hard to do a double album. Nobody thinks it's a good idea if you're an unknown singer-songwriter. But I just kind of feel like if I w….

The civilised cultures are the most cruel. It's the same with education - often it breeds sadistic forms of cruelty..

You can criticize something you strive for, and you can avoid something you dream about..

What people generally tell you is, "We'll all agree," and then once you sign, they expect to get their own way. I think it was a bit of a surprise th….

I will say that art may well be the only thing that lasts, so I guess it's worth trying..

I have trouble with any kind of focus or concentrating, or getting anything done at all, really..

I really don't care what people say. It's amazing that feminism continues to exist at all, considering how much counter-feminism is out there..

In New York City, when they develop something, they never use the old buildings. It's so wasteful. Why not use what's there?.

You know, if I can survive marching band, I can survive anything..

I kind of go for the MGM version of every musical style..

Music can make the cerebral accessible, the subconscious hummable. It communicates our shared needs and desires as sentient beings better than any ot….

In the hierarchy of instruments, if you're a harpist, you're considered someone with a brain much more than if you're a singer..

Public radio is the last oasis of free and independent music. For satellite radio channels, you have to subscribe; commercial stations are as corpora….