Elvis Costello

I've had an unusual life. A life far removed from most people's experience. ”

Very similar experience happened last year when we released this album, North. It was on Deutsche Grammophon, it was very, very honest. It was the most honest record I've ever written. ”

Life for me is about movement. ”

Living a very long time would be a very scary thing. ”

Content' is a word that has never sat well with me. Like 'maturity'. They are two words I've never liked. I think they imply some sort of decay. A settling. ”

Mention Hubert Sumlin, as well, because Hubert's a great man, and again, you know, I don't play the guitar very good, but when I'm playing this kind of music, I always have him in my mind. I wish I could play like Hubert. ”

I get very frustrated by this term 'genre exercise.' I mean, what exactly is that? Genre is not really relevant when you are writing a song; hopefully you are doing it to explore something, to create something, and I don't agree that any of my albums are genre exercises. ”

Happiness isn't a fortune in a cookie. It's deeper, wider, funnier, and more transporting than that. ”

My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant. ”

I've always felt writing a song was a bit like going on location. That's true in an almost literal sense. Where you are seeps in somehow. ”