The Moderately Talented... is just a commentary on the conflict that happens when a young artist girl looks up to you, but you're attracted to them in a different way than they are to you.

I wanted to give my first instincts a chance without shooting them down immediately, which I sometimes do.

When you get older, you're bothered, or inspired, by other things in life than a girl breaking up with you. Things get heavier as you get older.

I'm 45 and I don't have time to spend two years of my life bringing in producers and dragging the record around the planet.

I've guess I've gotten older and my sex appeal has waned. It's OK. I've got an amazing girlfriend and she keeps me happy.

When I get compared to artists like Jose Gonzalez or Bon Iver, I can't help but think, I've been doing this since they were in third grade.

When you're a touring musician, you're always turning over new rocks and there's always a certain level of tension in your life.

Anyone who has toured as long as I have, or who has traveled as extensively, and says that they've never cheated is lying.

Throughout my life, there's just periods when I write and periods when I don't. I don't feel like anything's really blocked. Writer's block sounds so dramatic and worrisome, and I don't worry about it. I know deep down that I'm a writer, and it's just a matter of time until it comes back, and when it does, it'll be good like it's always been.

I feel like when the songwriting slows, I'd love to help others with their records. If it's something I really believe in, it's worth the effort.

I don't make demos. I don't have the interest or the energy or the time.

I didn't want to put myself, or anyone else, asleep with another quintessential Mark Kozelek album.

The music business, and the travel that comes with it, is stressful, challenging, redundant, exhausting, exciting, and often very depressing.

You really think all of those indie music dorks go to SXSW every year to check out music? They go there to wear their laminates and act important and try to get laid.

There were a lot more girls at the shows early on. I'd get off stage and there would be options. Those days are long gone, thank god.

Nylon string is still a new love and I'm not tired of it yet.

Trying to cope with the balance between home life and road life has been a theme in my music since early Red House Painters records.