Every step, every bit of success, it's gotta be earned.
It's not like I'm writing full songs or full parts and setting it aside for Slash because, generally, I like him to make the first move and hear where he's coming from and what his concepts are, and then I build from there.
I'm not a mixer. That's not what I do. I'm a songwriter, a singer, and a guitar player. You might have some ideas here and there, but you let the mixer mix the song because, overall, you've gotta trust their instincts.
I love playing with Slash, and the chemistry I have with the rest of the guys in his band is fantastic.
One of the key emotions a lot of people seem to be feeling is disillusionment, and what I try to do as a lyricist is touch on these emotions.
'World On Fire' isn't necessarily a profound statement about where we are as a planet. It's about living life to the fullest... carpe diem.
The guitar saved me from a life of crime as a teenager.
I think I'm most proud of the fact that I was able to overcome the insecurities that were going to keep me from living my dream, which was just learning to turn off those little voices in your head that tell you you're not capable of doing something.
My grandmothers on both sides chose not to go to doctors and passed away. We were entrenched in the Christian Science faith.
I'm kind of a firm believer that songs can have a shelf life with an artist.
That's what I love more than anything, just creating.
I wish they had more Tim Horton's here in the States.
'Year Of The Tiger' definitely has much more of a blues-based vibe.
It's a little nerve-wracking to stand up on stage all by yourself.
I think one of the things I regret was not having more faith in myself early on.
Grunge was, to me, the last big movement. It had such an impact on pop culture. We haven't really seen anything like that since, and we may never again. Things have changed; the digital age has changed things.
I realized, year of the tiger was 1974, which was the year my father passed away when I was a kid... My family, at that point, were Christian Scientists. So basically, this woman Mary Baker Eddy started this in the 1800s, and the premise is that you don't go to doctors. You believe that God is gonna heal you.
When I was a kid and listening to Zeppelin and Guns N' Roses, if someone had told me that there would come a time, and I would play some of those songs with those people, I would never have believed it.
Not playing guitar on 'World On Fire' gave me additional time to fine-tune lyrics and melodies, which improved the songs in the end. I'm very happy with how it turned out.
I'm in a lower register because I'm not trying to shout out over a wall of amps. Singing lower sounded very pleasing to my ear, and it made it easier for me to emote.
