At school there was an annual school disco and I'd be standing in my bedroom wondering what to wear for hours on end. Eventually I'd arrive at a decision that was just the most ridiculous costume you could have ever devised - I think it was probably knitted Christmas jumpers on top of buttoned-up white shirts.

When I was younger I probably didn't understand something basic about tact but I think it kept faint-hearted people at arm's distance and that's not such a bad thing because life is short and I know the kind of people I want to work with.

Thinking is the hardest work there is which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.

No one knows 'men' as such any more than anyone knows 'women ' and if they do generalise they're probably trying to hide their own ignorance. You might know one 'man ' yes or even lots of individual 'men'.

I probably wouldn't be a songwriter if I didn't grow up the way I did. It was difficult and it was at times very scary to grow up in a household so unsettled and at times very violent. But it also I guess it earned me a sort of wisdom at a young age that's served me well.

I think that weddings have probably been crashed since the beginning of time. Cavemen crashed them. You go to meet girls. It makes sense.

I mean we're going to probably debate the Iraq war for at least as long as I'm alive.

I believe the war on terror is the vital discussion of this decade and of our generation probably. To win the war on terror you need a good offense and a good defense. On defense I regret to say basically this administration has not come close to doing what is necessary.

The War on Drugs employs millions - politicians bureaucrats policemen and now the military - that probably couldn't find a place for their dubious talents in a free market unless they were to sell pencils from a tin cup on street corners.

I have absolutely no regret about my vote against this war. The same questions remain. The cost in human lives the cost to our budget probably 100 billion. We could have probably brought down that statue for a lot less.