Before I had a record deal, I was living in New York and playing anywhere I could, from somebody's house to an open mic to coffeeshops.

I went to New York in 1974, to either try to get a record deal, get into the New York Art Student League, or be a dancer. So that was my plan. Some plan. And I had no money.

The early part of my career was the 1990s, and I was living in New York working as an actor. It was the world I was in. A lot of companies had a great deal of money.

If I have to go to New York or something, I'll bring my books and read and do homework. It's not really a big deal.

It couldn't have happened anywhere but in little old New York.

Because I'm not in a record deal, I don't have to operate in an album format.