Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
not very unusual really. it’s a vw and it works well. outside of a flat tire, it’s not allowed to break down.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
i like to shop in a local health food store and just eat that. (also, the coolest people in town tend to work there.)
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
i don’t count strings. when they get tired, they break.
Where do you rehearse?
well, the place that i have now was built by a writer (books, not songs). the guy who lived in his favorite house anywhere died and he bought the place. then he sold me his house just as he was finishing the studio. like a miracle. it’s what i always wanted. it’s very quiet (except for me).
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
first song i wrote when i was eight years old. do i remember it? well, you asked for it. it was called “ooooooeeeeee”. went like this:
“here comes al
he ate his pal
threw him down 
another alley said
ooooeeee come on
come on ooooeeee
you’re the swinginest
girl in town”
remember. you asked.
Describe your first gig.
it was a coffeehouse in the back room of a church. i didn’t know what i was doing. still don’t.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
in los angeles, i made tall rhinestone shoes by hand. as i recall, i enjoyed it.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
oh, man. it’s been both up and down. i expect more of the same.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
i’m afraid i still know all the same shit.