Quotes from Jamie Hince

When I see my picture in the papers, I imagine that people think I'm a lot more serious than I am. They probably think I'm pretty miserable.

I used to take 'Visions of Cody' by Jack Kerouac on tour all the time. I don't really love Kerouac, but that book, you could just open at any page and find something incredible for that day.

Sometimes not playing music for a day is much more beneficial than playing every day for ten hours.

I loved all that riot-grrl scene and Nation of Ulysses and Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear. I loved it. It was the moment sort of first growing up where bands had stopped looking like roadies.

I love all board games, actually, apart from backgammon. I can never remember the rules.

Never wear a hat and sunglasses at the same time, because it looks like you're wearing a disguise.

Photography is a big part of my life: taking photographs, being around photographers.

Generally, my life is absolute chaos, but when I'm writing songs, it's very thought out and regimented.

Rock music was the death of jazz in a way. I know there's a bunch of people who say jazz isn't dead, but I mean, rock 'n roll, you play three chords to 20,000 people; jazz, you play 20,000 chords to three people.

Being in a band is not about reality - it's a bit of a fantasy. I can't go on stage as my ordinary self and just play - I've got to become my 'superhuman self.'

I've carved a different path which is not that affected by what happens in the bad side of politics. I've always surrounded myself with music and art and love and all those things - pleasures that are sort of immune from all that.

It feels like being in a band is a luxury now: like you can only do it if you're signed really early or you come from a wealthy family.

I start the day off with a pot of coffee, and I read all the newspapers online, then I delve around for new music.

I'm probably quite practical when I'm on stage. I start off with a leather jacket, and then get too hot and take it off. I don't think too much about it.

Privacy has become the most precious thing. Things have got more cryptic in my writing.

I admire a lot of photographers, but I feel very disconnected from them at the same time. I don't feel I employ any technique like these people in my work. I guess if there's any influence from any of these photographers, it's this: They were concerned only with beauty. Not with 'cool.' I hope I'm doing the same.

I love when a song is conceived as a jigsaw puzzle in the studio, and then it's a natural to play live. That's my gauge of success for a song.

I do believe in ghosts, but I haven't seen one. I can imagine that you cross over to the other side, some different dimension or whatever, but how do your clothes get there? Ghosts are always wearing clothes.

I try not to be too realistic. It's better to be over-positive.

Did groupies ever interest me? No. I'm a pleasure seeker, and I like going bananas, but that's never appealed to me. I always thought it was a little bit naff.

I'm a guitar player. I've carved out my own style of guitar music, so I don't look for inspiration with playing guitar.

It's a beautiful thing how happy you can be with a few friends, some beaten up guitars, a fire, and a couple of fields.

I've started to fall for New Orleans recently. There's real life there, if you know what I mean.

When I like something, I wear it into the ground, then really regret it.