I had my footballing heroes such as Bryan Robson and Diego Maradona but my dad was a rugby league star and he was my real hero. But the relationship with my mum was rocky and we saw things that would affect any youngster.

Right now it hasn't affected my music other than the fact that I don't have time to write any of it. That's no different from when I first started and I lived at home. I would play the guitar in the afternoon and then my mom or my dad would come home and I'd have to quit.

When my father died in my arms it had such a profound affect on me that at that very moment when my dad passed I realized that I needed to face my own fears.

When I was growing up my mother would say 'Your dad may have to learn about being a father because he lost his own and that would have affected him'.

I find fault with my children because I like them and I want them to go places - uprightness and strength and courage and civil respect and anything that affects the probabilities of failure on the part of those that are closest to me that concerns me - I find fault.

Cowardice and courage are never without a measure of affectation. Nor is love. Feelings are never true. They play with their mirrors.

The alternative scene for a couple years now has been taken seriously and that's a cool thing. I don't think it's exploded or anything but I think it's pretty cool that it still exists it's still affecting people.

I think you go through a period as a teenager of being quite cool and unaffected by things.

Cynicism is kind of like folding your arms and stepping back and commenting on things like the old guys in 'The Muppets ' just throwing out comments all the time whereas there are other people on the ground really trying to affect things and improve their lives and the lives of other people. I think it's noble and I think it's cool.

That's one of the cool things about fame. You have an affect on society and where it goes.