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That's my favorite subject because it really levels the playing field for artists these days. You don't have to sell out to the record company. You don't have to get a five hundred thousand dollars, or whatever, and pay them back for the rest of your life to record a record.

Always I was dreaming of a record contract. From 10 to 13, it was all I could think of. I worked hard for this dream. Nobody could say I didn't try.

I never sought out a record deal. It caught me with my pants down. I was just a musician doing my thing, I didn't even send my records out.

Record contracts are just like - I'm gonna say the word - slavery. I would tell any young artist... don't sign.

I had a very unusual contract. Most artists actually pay for their record dates and it comes out of their royalties. I paid for nothing.

Finally, my manager negotiated a deal where I got to produce my own records.

I didn't need to borrow money from the record company, because if I had my own publishing company, and I had my own writers, I'd have enough to get and do whatever I wanted to do.

Money don't rule me, record companies don't rule me.

Well, I had a record deal since I was 18, and it got me where I am.