Atlantic kept up their level of excitement. ... Artists like John Coltrane -- these are mythical artists, and Atlantic had more than its share.

You can't walk up 52nd Street and see the Three Deuces or the Onyx Club and see where Bee Bop was born, ... You can't go to Max's Kansas City and listen where the Velvet Underground were. You can't go pretty much anywhere on Bleecker and McDougal and see the clubs that fomented folk music. But you can come to CBGB's on any random night and see six wacky bands from anywhere.

(Atlantic) has had an amazing ability to adapt with the changing times while keeping a standard of artistic excellence, ... If you look at any moment in Atlantic history, they're at the forefront with the sound of that moment.

I help many artists, who often don't want the world at their doorstep, bring their art to people who wouldn't normally see it,

It's super-competitive out there. There's a lot of tickets to move, and this is a way to create excitement for the tour. It's capitalism. It's America. It's 2005.

This is really brand new, and we're floored at all the excitement.