Too much emphasis is put on American roots music when people try and place me. You know, I grew up listening to punk.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
But what I think my emphasis is, is on the fact that I like music a lot.
Punk was more based on social change than on music, so it didn't bother me too much. It wasn't really a musical threat.
When you're thirteen and listening to punk, the aggressive nature of music can sway you to the dark side.
The thing about punk is that there are purists. Once you start going outside of that, they don't think what you're doing is punk rock.
When I listen to most forms of music, in their most raw and pure, it all has a punk edge to me, like Lead Belly, Jimmie Rodgers, Otis Redding or Nirvana.
I think it's that thing of growing up all the time watching American movies and listening to American music. It hits you in a way that's a lot purer because you are not in that culture that you're watching.
Starting out really punk came from not knowing any better and listening to music like that, not knowing how to play music - well, still not knowing how to play music.
I don't listen to punk any more, unless it's right before I play. Not that I don't like it, it's nostalgic. But, it's for kids and it should be... it's not art, it's expression.
America is tough for rock music. Rock n' roll used to be the main music for the youth, and it's not so much anymore. It's hip-hop and stuff.
I was never really that interested in the punk movement. I was a blues guy: I liked Motown, James Brown.