A lot of times, when a band finds success with a certain style or sound, they have a really hard time breaking away from that to grow as artists.
I have a fairly limited drawing style. I'm not like my friend Derek Kirk Kim, who can pretty much change his style at will. My drawing style can handle some of my stories, but not all of them.
On "Tonight" I think I was torn dreadfully between writing what I wanted to write, but keeping it in a style that would follow up what I had just done. That's where I feel I was untrue to myself as an artist . . . that album and, to a lesser extent, "Never Let Me Down."
An artist must never be a prisoner. Prisoner? An artist should never be a prisoner of himself, prisoner of style, prisoner of reputation, prisoner of success, etc.
I'm playing with music and working on different types of music. But I've realised that I can't really stray from what is my marker.
People always say to me, 'You have such a clearly defined sense of style,' and when I hear it, I get crazed, because what I hear - and I know they mean it as a compliment - is that I have such a narrow vision that I can't get out of it.
If I can't do high kicks or dance in it, then I won't wear it.
I don't care how much it costs or who it's by as long as it fits me. I love shopping, but I go to the same stores I've always gone to: Guess, Bebe, Coach. I can't really skip out of that realm.
A lot of artists who have a certain style are expected to more or less keep doing their style. It's so easy to get into that rut of production.
Seasons are really annoying. You get a really great pair of shoes or a beautiful pair of boots, and then you try to get them again four months later, and they say, 'Oh no, that was last season.'
But once you have some success in one style, the business wants to lock you in that vein forever.
