Tom Petty

I don't know, my music has always just come from where the wind blew me. Like where I'm at during a particular moment in time.

It's funny how the music industry is enraged about the Internet and the way things are copied without being paid for. But you know why people steal the music? Because they can't afford the music.

Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There's not some trick involved with it. It's pure and it's real. It moves, it heals, it communicates and does all these incredible things.

Making a record? You've got to have the song, then you create a record. I think it's the same with a live performance. If the material is strong, you're already 90% there. I always tell young people it's all about the music, the songs. Work on the songs, work on the songs, work on the songs.

When I decided to be a musician I reckoned that that was going to be the way of less profit, less money. I was sort of giving up the idea of making a lot of money. It was what I loved to do. I would have done it anyway. If I'd had to work at Taco Bell I'd have still been out at night trying to play music.

I love history, doesn't matter what era, I'm fascinated.

Go after what you really love and find a way to make that work for you, and then you'll be a happy person.

When I go to see people, I always kind of hope they are going to play some kind of songs I know. So you've got to know your audience. It's kind of something that is a blessing and a curse in a way. You're obligated to play some of that stuff that people know, but I don't think that's all you have to do.

I don't think it's a good attitude in your life to feel that you have to be rich to have self-esteem.

The music business looks like, you know, innocent schoolboys compared to the TV business. They care about nothing but profit.

I think that if people realize that with an mp3, you're only getting five percent of the sound that's there. But when you hear the entire thing... I think it would save the music business. It's such a drastic change.

Well I won't back downNo I won't back downYou can stand me up at the gates of hellBut I won't back down