Chris Isaak

I blow up fireworks all the time, and I love making milkshakes and banana splits.

One thing, when you're an actor, you finish something and then you have to worry about what the next gig is. When you're a musician, you can always write your own stuff, and I'm working on new stuff for a new album right now.

The '50s was a pretty wonderful time for people, it was hopeful.

I'm a natural ham. It doesn't bother me to perform.

In the long run, there are people who've made more money or had bigger stardom at points. But, I think I'll have come out winning.

I'm not a very spiritual guy when it comes to music. I remember hearing Carlos Santana say that angels helped him write his songs. And I thought, 'Really, angels?'

I keep things pretty simple.

There was a misconception about me when I started off because I had my hair greased up and I have some vague resemblance to the hillbilly gene pool that Elvis came from. People would say, 'You want to be Elvis' and I would say, 'No'.

When I play it I look out and see people hold on to each other and dance or just couples leaning into each other and kiss. And I'll go: 'You know, I could have worked hard at school and been a dentist. But I'm so glad I didn't.' Because when I look out and see that I feel like the Pied Piper of love.

When people ask me really stupid questions or get it really wrong, I feel embarrassed for them. I don't really feel angry at them.

I'm not the kind of guy to talk about angels: I'm a very pragmatic kind of guy.

I'm the star of stage, screen, and television now, but I'm also available for children's parties and bar mitzvahs.

I got by as a musician since day one. I don't live beyond my means. I have real cheap tastes.

My advice is: if you've got to be miserable to write great music, then drive a truck.

I put music on and I drive around town.

I don't spend as much time on my hair as people think. I get out of the shower, whack some grease on there and I'm done.

I hate modern car radios. In my car, I don't even have a push-button radio. It's just got a dial and two knobs. Just AM. One knob makes it louder, and one knob changes the station. When you're driving, that's all I want.

The things that got me through grade school are helping me out later in life. It's like, I show up on time. If you buy a ticket to one of my shows, I'll show up. I'll be there. And if it says 10:00, I'll be on stage at 10:00.

I come from a small town and I come from a background where we didn't have money to travel. I thought I'd have to join the military to get to Europe. So I'm thrilled to travel.

I'd never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you, and I'd never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you.

My only expenses are probably guitar strings and records.

Singing is something that I'm always happy to do it and going in the studio I never felt any pressure. I just feel like I get to sing, you know. It's fun.

I think I'm in a really nice position, where I'm sure I could do another show if I wanted to do one, but right now the main thing in my mind is writing songs.

Any time you talk about your own stuff you sound self-aggrandising.

I talk to people who are musicians, and they go, Oh this is hell. And I go, Are you kidding me? You never put tar paper on a roof, did ya?

I wear a lot of second hand clothes unless I have a concert and then I wear beaded and sequined second hand clothes. No stylist dresses me although I do have a woman that assists me with the buttons.

I'm in showbusiness. I'm an entertainer.