My earliest memories of music are probably my dad listening to a bunch of outlaw country, but also old R&B and Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin. But, you know, I had rock phases and liked more modern R&B acts. I've always listened to all kinds of music, and I like all kinds of music.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy dad used to love Steely Dan, the Stones, Jethro Tull and all that. There was always Steely Dan going in my dad's car, but I remember The Royal Scam in particular because it has 'Kid Charlemagne' on it.
Copy Quote View & ShareI always used to listen to quite a bit of classical music because my dad liked it, and if you've got any ear for music at all you have to enjoy Mozart.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy dad is a true man. A man's man. Every manly thing he does, he does so well.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy brother was a drummer, and he was always, like, smashing the kit around when I was a kid, and my dad was, like, one of them old musicians, and he played in, like, loads of different bands in the '70s and '80s. Him and my brother were kind of like my main inspirations.
Copy Quote View & ShareThe real reason we ended up getting into that type of music was our dad worked for an oil company so we spent a year overseas when we were young kids. Because of that, it was all Spanish TV and radio so we ended up having these '50s and '60s tapes, tapes of that music.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy contact with my dad's side of my family got less after we stopped living together, but they were in my life.
Copy Quote View & ShareWe had nothing, no money, when I was young. We lived in a council house. My dad struggled; my mum struggled. But that made me what I am. If I had everything on a plate from the start, maybe I would not have been a champion for 11 years.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy dad has sometimes felt that I grew up a little lacking in sufficient eccentricity - in the sense that I'm willing to live as an adult in a house with walls that are parallel to each other, that sort of thing.
Copy Quote View & ShareIt goes back to the starfish. That's when the light bulb really popped over my head. We'd found one on the beach, and I was struck by what astonishing creatures they are, talking with Dad about how they regenerate.
Copy Quote View & ShareI bought a house for my mom, I bought a house for my dad, I bought a house for my sister.
Copy Quote View & ShareYeah, my dad bought me a guitar when I was like 10, and I didn't really want it then.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy parents moved to American Samoa when I was three or four years old. My dad was principal of a high school there. It was idyllic for a kid. I had a whole island for a backyard. I lived there until I was eight years old and we moved to Santa Barbara.
Copy Quote View & ShareOnce, I was coming back from school, and there was this guy who was eve-teasing me and my friend. I had a Milton water bottle that I flung it at his face. My dad told me if you are in a crowded place and a guy eve-teases, you should make noise. I did exactly that and got people on the road to beat up the guy.
Copy Quote View & ShareMy dad would call me his Cuban princess because I had really dark olive skin because I was always in the sun; but I don't really go in the sun anymore, so that is why I am so white.
Copy Quote View & ShareIf you ask my dad, I'm always the person that found the little bird out of the nest and is trying to put it back or take care of it.
Copy Quote View & ShareOurs was a very progressive Protestant family, but my parents were God-loving rather than God-fearing. We went to church, and I still go with my mum and dad when I return home - it's a family thing. I played flute in my dad's marching band, but I had an integrated upbringing. We had a lot of Catholic friends.
Copy Quote View & ShareI was 41 when I became a dad. I try to be as much fun as my father was, but I'm at home more - and less of a disciplinarian.
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