Song ideas have come to me in the middle of interviews, in the shower, or while I'm writing another song.

My inspirations don't come from outer space, they just come to me. I have no idea why they come when they do.

I write the songs first and in most cases teach myself the technique second.

I'm ready to take the heat.

I started to write [The Name of the Rose] in March of 1978, moved by a seminal idea. I wanted to poison a monk.

Ideas come from the earth. They come from every human experience that you've either witnessed, or have heard about, translated into your brain, in your own sen…

It's interesting when a book comes to you. It comes to you in sort of flashes and you don't quite understand how they connect.