Even writing verses from my first album, there were songs that I didn't use because I just felt that they weren't really for me. But I think that happens naturally when you write songs. You're in a different mood in every session. There's so many songs out there that could potentially be used by other artists.
I really wanna do a Spanish album. I have that Latin culture background. It's a part of me. I'm not the best Spanish speaker, but I have a longing to connect with that. I just think how supportive the Latin community has been, even during 'Idol.' I'd like to give back with something like that.
When I think about putting together an album, the process of listening to hundreds of songs each time and picking out the best 10 or so that will go on the record, it really sinks in as to just how many songs I've listened to all these years.
The album that really got me interested in how to create weird sounds, and pretty much changed my life, was 'OK Computer.' Funnily enough, my parents bought it for me because it was recommended to them, and the first 2 times I heard it, I absolutely hated it.
My second album was written while I was on the road promoting the first record. I tried to take my personal experiences and elevate them to universal experiences, so that I wasn't writing songs about living on a tour bus or being on a TV set for the first time.
I had deeper, more reflective songs on the first album.
'Time Rolls On' is my most political piece so far. It's not on my album because people didn't support it.
The one thing I've always done, because I like the sound of my guitar from where I sit - meaning not in front of it - so what I do is, I put microphones around my ears. I have them around my head, too. I don't know if it's a superstitious thing, but it's actually how I recorded my first album.
If I would get an album out every eight months and if I would write songs that were more up-tempo and try to focus more on making singles, then I could probably get more attention. But I don't think the albums would be very fun to listen to, and it would be a drag for me.
The second 'Postal Service' album is threatening to become the 'Chinese Democracy' of indie rock. It will come out eventually, or maybe it won't.
And, he'd seen me in Panama, and he talked about maybe doing something in New York so I hooked it up when I came here and I recorded in 1969 my first album with Pete Rodriguez.
He is not in the least arrogant. The last album was written in a room in Sussex. He was like a mad professor, spending all day writing and then coming out with brilliant tunes.
With AC/DC, we've always started with rock, and we've just kept it going. The critic's view is always, 'They just made an album and it's the same as the last one.' I'll have fifteen of them, anytime.
I did a lot of writing for a lot of different kinds of bands that I was in and out of during those five years and that left me with a little body of songs that I liked better when I played alone, so I ended up going out solo and very soon made my first album.
The weird thing was that Soft Cell was supposed to have come and gone before I started the album.
I would love to make a real jazz album someday because I never have. But that's something I'm not in a rush to do.
Acting, musicals, bringing out an album - not many people have done that. Anthony Newley, Barbra Streisand?
I could have taken the easy life and just done classical, but I felt very strongly about the album, my first pop album, the first time that I'd fused so many influences. I was very proud when it was in the charts in 25 countries at once.
By the time my first album was out, I had been out in Jamaica three or four years, but I had hits out at that time that were bona fide hits.
On our studio album 'Fly From Here' in 2011, we spent a year and a half promoting that around the world.
I was at number one in Australia with both my album and my single. And then I was told I had cancer. I thought, 'What a strange turn of events.'
I didn't make a solo album until the year 2000.
In the '70s, you had to come up with an album every year whether you were ready or not.
'You Should Be Here' set the tone that, 'Alright everybody, I want you to listen to this album.
There's no tour plans, no reunion, no new album... nothing.
If you had a record company believing in you enough to cut an album then you had better have the ability to work the album on the road.
I'm a huge Joe Nichols fan, and he put this song out an album called 'Real Things.' I was excited for Joe when I heard it, thinking 'that will easily be Joe Nichols' career song.' I was even more excited when they got out of that album and they never released it as a single, because then I was like, 'Now that's gonna be my career single.'
I wanted to do the whole album in black and white, and it really killed me that when you see it in the light it's got green in it. I don't know what the hell that was about.
The Sicilian Defense album was never released and never will be if I have anything to do with it. I have not heard it since it was finished. I hope the tapes no longer exist.
I get sick when I think about someone going to iTunes and downloading two songs off our album. It's not meant to be listened to that way.
I wanted to give 'Droptops' away for free because it doesn't sound like my album. It's way more like a nostalgic Cool Kids sound, but that's me too.
Singing is my dream and, while it may have not been a commercial success, critically I was thrilled with the reception my first album got.
When you put an album out, you can't do any material from the album if people are paying to see you.
I put out one album one week, and I'm already worried about the next one. I feel a lot of emotion throughout the course of a day. But not to the point where you need to be worried about me.
When I made Blue Moon Swamp, there was a lot of trial and error; I was trying to find people who would be simpatico with my style, and with what I had in mind for the album.
I've never wanted to name an album from a song title if I could avoid it because I like it to be a body of work.
