James Vincent McMorrow

The only thing that's ever made sense to me has been sitting in the house by myself making music.

I have some vivid memories of walking around as a child with a cassette tape.

I think it's safe to say that if you talk to anybody in Ireland, they'll have a passing knowledge of the guitar. It was something that I couldn't get away from when I was younger: guitars played in shops and parties, just everywhere.

You get one chance to make an impression, and coasting through is a disservice.

The idea of trying to predict what people will or won't respond to is risky.

It's like half the campaign of selling a record is trying to convince people that you're an artist. Well, I am an artist. This is what I do.

I was never a 'sit down with a notepad and write lyrics' kind of person.

More often than not, changes had to be made in order for a song to make sense, and by the end of it, it would just be something different. Lyrically, I am usually fairly confused until something is finished, and then it makes perfect sense to me.

My favorite records are not easy - they're not records that reveal everything to you the first time out.

I never was the front man in any bands I played in when I was in college, and I always learned music by myself at home.

My first record was made in Termonfeckin, which is a small town on the north-east coast of Ireland. I had been in London, but it didn't click. So, at home, I didn't think about making something, just whether something could be made. There was no grand plan.

You just wake up and make music.

I heard of this Texas studio. The owner, Tony Rancich, wanted to fly us out for the day to see the studio. I booked it the next day. He's that rare guy that is in it purely for the love of it.