The principal artists' rooms are so big that in New York 12 people would be living in them,

When I came to New York, I began to meet the people who became the most famous artists of our time. I was insecure about my own level of ability, I didn't know whether I could compete with these people and, at the same time. I was wondering what is this anyway?

When I think about the biggest studios in New York, they're owned by people that are not musicians or artists, and artists come in and spend their money there, and they'd rather do that, as opposed to getting the headache. So they pay someone else to get the headache.

New York, as run by the Swiss.

The name is also connected with living in New York in this really weird time. People are constantly waiting for something bad to happen. I wrote these songs and formed this band to make sure I didn't get overcome by that sense of fear. That's what this band is about -- standing tall and not being afraid.

I think New York did a great job. But the commercial terms changed, security rules changed, the guarantees changed. We were at a disadvantage, in my view.