Playing drums feels like coming home for me. Even during the White Stripes I thought: 'I'll do this for now but I'm really a drummer.' That's what I'll put on my passport application.

In high school a teacher once suggested that I be a math major in college. I thought 'Me? You've got to be joking!' I mean in junior high I used to come home and cry because I was so afraid of my math homework. Seriously I was terrified of math.

Students never think it can be the teacher's fault and so I thought I was stupid. I was frustrated and would come home and cry because I couldn't do it. Then we got a new teacher who made math accessible. That made all the difference and I learned that it's how you present it that makes it scary or friendly.

I've always thought my soundtracks do pretty good because they're basically professional equivalents of a mix tape I'd make for you at home.

My father probably thought the capital of the world was wherever he was at the time. It couldn't possibly be anyplace else. Where he and his wife were in their own home that for them was the capital of the world.

In my early 20s I studied history and politics and I really thought that perhaps I would devote my life to that.

I thought I had to make an impact on history. I had to become the greatest choreographer of my time. That was my mission. Posterity deals with us however it sees fit. But I gave it 20 years of my best shot.

It's a huge challenge a huge responsibility. Bond is a huge iconic figure in movie history. These opportunities don't come along very often so I thought 'Why not?'

The history of thought may be summed up in these words: it is absurd by what it seeks and great by what it finds.

I thought that all of the sacrifices and blessings of the whole history of mankind have devolved upon me. Thank you God.