I didn't have a lot of overtly political songs. I think it was more the actions of the group that were threatening to the authorities, and also our political philosophies apart from the music.

Punk rock really came out of N.Y. as a philosophy before the groups were ever recorded. I had a kind-of intellectual interest in the idea of creating a new scene that could be a grassroots thing.

The public is usually slow to catch on to new things, and it's important that musicians stick to their guns and not look for that instant gratification.

We were excited when we sold our first 10 records. I always felt that if we could get the music out there, and if people became accustomed to it, then a substantial number of them would enjoy it.

The very air in which you live is an inspiration.

I just hope that our fans are people who are inspired by music, and just use our music as a background or inspiration for whatever it is they do.

There are three things that make a person a writer: inspiration, perspiration and desperation.

Ted Kennedy's inspiration will loom large over our politics for years to come, uplift us in the healthcare fight, and help to achieve his dream of liberty and justice for all.