I really, really like writing songs.

Capote wrote every day. He said that's the only way, you have to sit down every day and do it.

I don't mind if my skull ends up on a shelf as long as it's got my name on it.

I've had some lovely extraordinary experiences on New Year's Eve.

And living in a metropolitan area which is ethnically diverse, our lives are very complicated, so our emotional experiences are going to be varied like that.

I feel like I have to have a voice.

I think it's a Blondie tradition that all of our albums sort of have a wide spread of styles.

We wanted to enjoy what we were doing and we had business things we had to straighten out and personnel problems and it sort of took a little time to do it.

I really, really like writing songs.

I get myself a gig somewhere, whether it's in a club, whether it's in a bar, it doesn't matter, and I just work on New Year's Eve because I always feel it's very symbolic for me for the next year, for the new year.

And New Year's Eve is very, very important to me.

I'm a culture vulture, and I just want to experience it all.

You always fall for the rascal or the guy who's got a little bit of the devil in him. You can't help it.

I always work on New Year's Eve, no matter what.

Something's that written out is okay, but it's not always a clear indication of what a person means.

Christina Aguilera is an incredible musician and singer.

I always say the new album is the best one yet. I always feel that - I really do, because it's the latest and it's the newest and it's a little bit better.

Music is wonderful. Especially if there's some kind of content to it.

We probably, as primitive people, made music before we actually had a language, and that's where language comes from.

But, you know, the issues of humanity and what is fair treatment and good treatment of a fellow human being should not really be based on a personal sense of right and wrong or judgment.

I turned on VH1 this morning just to get a little warm-up before I came over here, and I think it's just terrific. There's so much great stuff: diverse and wonderful music, good performances, great looking girls, great videos, the whole thing.

That was the impetus for me to do music or art, because I knew if I didn't try when I was young, then I would get to be in my 40's and I'd be really unhappy that I hadn't.

I mean I think that Blondie's influence is a little bit in a way more eclectic than those bands.

I have a lot of regrets, but I'm not going to think of them as regrets.

And I wasn't convinced that I was the most talented person in the world.

But computers have changed the world for everyone, so there will be some way of working it out.

Lately I've been believing that music predates speech.

I love the ACLU and I'm concerned now, especially when it comes to our rights, with current politics and the religious community and the Conservative majority or minority - I don't know who they are.

But as a writer and performer, I want to get paid for what I do.

I do know the effect that music still has on me - I'm completely vulnerable to it. I'm seduced by it.

Being hot never hurts!

I could be a housewife... I guess I've vacuumed a couple of times.

I guess people assume I have some sort of totally magical life, but I'm a working musician, fortunately. I've worked on my craft, and I'm very fortunate I've been able to survive in a very competitive industry and enjoy my success. It's not easy.

If I were to do a foundation, it would be to promote solar energy. And I'm worried about drilling for oil. I think it is harming the earth, 'cos it drains the layer of oil under the surface, and that could be causing earthquakes. It's like we're giving the earth arthritis. I don't know if that sounds crazy.

It's amazing to me to see how bands evolve and how they take all their influences and come up with their own sound.

Music has its own emotional embodiment. It carries an emotion with it. When you associate a lyric with the music, it's much easier; but when you're standing there completely dry in front of the camera with no musical background, just a fine-tuned, get-this-emotional-story across, it's a very, very intense kind of focus.

New York has always been a city of change and a city about change, and it is a back-leading development. Nobody's going to want to come to New York if it looks like another strip mall.

The only person I really believe in is me.

The word 'iconic' is used too frequently - an icon is a statue carved in wood. It was shocking at first, when I got that reference. It was a responsibility, and it's impossible to live up to - you're supposed to be dead, for one thing.

I started recording because I was always complaining about the records that I was getting of my songs. At least if I did them and messed them up, I wouldn't have anyone else to blame.

Then I decided I couldn't just crawl in the corner and die, so I started putting pen to paper and wrote some songs. I had no idea what for or who I was going to work with. I tried to find my way and direction.

The things in my songs are the edited highlights of my life. I don't go seeking out strange sexual experiences every day of the week.

The way you look for songs, you find yourself looking for little signals and clues about life and how things are.

All my songs were solo voices. Just me singing. In fact, that was the gimmick - no gimmick. Just singing straight with not too much background.

It's part of the calling to at least do a few songs in the show that give people some hope. There's so much hurt in this world and... music is such a great healing balm and a great way to forget your troubles.

Again, I say I will be glad to tell what songs I have ever sung, because singing is my business.

My vocal ability is very limited, but I'm fortunate in that I can write the songs around my vocal limitations.

I've written many extra verses to songs that I learned to sing - an extra verse about a friend, or just add some verse - and that led to writing my own songs.

When I heard his first songs, Dylan was answering certain questions that I had all my life been asking myself.