Quotes from Art Alexakis

About one or two songs per record is me doing a little bloodletting.

I wish I could come home to a life that looks like a TV show. I wish I could see my television family waiting for me, where no one fights and no one screams, no one lies and no one leaves.

I do like my sugar at night, but I try to keep it to a minimum.

I think I write very good songs. But I don't know if anybody could record my songs with as much fervor. They sound good sung by me, and they especially sound good with my band.

I lived in Portland for almost 20 years, and that's where my eldest daughter went to college. I missed the sunshine. I grew up in L.A.

I have a pet peeve about bands that don't play their hits. I think it's kind of selfish.

I still fall back a lot on my Les Paul, and there is just no getting away from a Les Paul and a hot pickup.

I try to talk about things I know about. But my characters are more of a combination of people or how I imagine people would feel.

Forgiveness is hard for me, man. It is for most American-Western males. It's a sign of weakness.

I think The Police made five great records and then called it a day. They went out on top.

I'm not a politician. I'm not running for office. I can say what I think.

I like acting when I can pick my own roles, and I do. It's fun. I like being creative, and it's a creative process.

Call me, and I'd do anything for the Democratic Party.

Maybe I'll work for a label someday, write some fiction, nonfiction. Someday I'd like to go back to school and get my teaching degree. I want to be a grandpa. I want to have more kids.

I'm a pretty tenacious person; I get that from my mom. So sometimes, I use dark humor. I can't take myself too seriously.

'Santa Monica' was a big song, and I always knew it would be radio friendly. But it's not a defining song for me, though for a lot of people it is.

My favorite drive is Highway 101 in California between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo. I love the 101; Highway 1 is too windy, and 5 is too boring - the 101 is just right. It's like the Mama Bear of scenic drives.

I love Australia! I got a boot thrown at me there.

I'm a 'Power of Now' kind of guy, always have been. I don't really hang on to a lot of pictures. I have pictures of my daughters.

That's what I think our jobs as parents are, to educate as much as possible... I tell them to follow their bliss. The people who follow their bliss in this world tend to be the more happier people.

A lot of people do not like singer-songwriters, and a lot of people who like them do not like hard rock. It's either-or.

My frustration has always been that I'm a Christian, but I don't buy into, never have bought into, the belief that Jesus and God are these men who just dictate that this is how you have to live your life or you are going to burn in hell.

I have my dark side like anybody, you know, depression, anxiety... and I write about gritty, real-life stuff.

People have had the idea to do a '90s alternative tour for a long time. I didn't come up with that; I was the first guy to basically say it was time.