[The new album is a compilation of his favorite covers and old hits, songs that have been] re-worked and re-invented, ... It's really a gift to our true fans, people who have been with us all through the years.

I guess after you've been doing something for 20 plus years, you have to work to stay interested.

They were wonderful accidents.

People were talking while I was playing, so I got up and left the stage. I've gotten to the point where I'm not really very patient with patrons rapping during the show. And the people were all nice and quiet when I cam back.

While housing discrimination and segregation in 2005 still affect millions of people, that's not the way it has to be. Some things can change and should.

For a while it was difficult for me to connect with the audience like I like to, given that I had basically earplugs in and couldn't hear the usual yelling, heckling, and catcalling.