Everything is completely democratic in this band so far and that is the way that we would like to keep it.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Democracy can tie your hands in a rock 'n' roll band, you know? It can be a great thing, but if you've got a certain amount of vision and you write a lot of songs, it's sometimes better to have your own band and make your own decisions.
Most bands don't work out. A small unit democracy is very, very difficult.
Being in a band is a really magical thing because you've got a family and you operate as this one entity. It's very democratic; everyone is involved in the output. But within that, there can be a lot of disagreements and strife.
We try and stay out of the corporate side of it. The band has never compromised. At some point in our career we could have made a certain type of record and sold millions of units, as they are called.
We're not a political band, we're a socially-minded band.
People always ask me 'do you think there should be more bands doing political music?' and I say 'absolutely not.'
My hope is that out of all the anger and seeming hostility that we hear in some of today's music will come some sort of coalition that will become politically involved.
A lot of bands would be aching to be in the position we are.
Everything is a battle with this band.
A band is not a democracy: It's show business.