'Let It Die' is more piano-based, organ-based and percussion-based. Live, the songs are more guitar-based. The record that we're doing right now is really guitar-based. I feel like finally I get to write some parts that I'll be excited to play on tour for this record.

We were a duo on tour, but it was his music and his songs. I was kind of his Vanna White/singing partner/torch-song singer. I was the straight man to his funny man.

I have this really beautiful Martin guitar, and it just kind of writes songs for me.

I much prefer to write everything by myself. It's kind of difficult. It's like getting undressed in a really bright light.

I'm in the countryside outside of Paris, in a beautiful old manor house. The studio is in the basement, but we decided to set everything up in the old parlor and dining-room area so we can look at each other and (at) the sunshine coming through the stained-glass windows. It's pretty idyllic, and I think it's spoiling me. I'll have to go back to regular life after this.

You're an enormous sponge and everything goes in there and you squeeze it out in songs, I guess. And if you're a painter, you squeeze them out on to a canvas.