I’m definitely responsible for coming in with some basic chord changes, or ideas. Everybody in the band looks to me to come up with the basic seed, so it’s not very productive to come in with nothing.

I walked away from going to church when I was 8. I didn’t set foot in another church until I was 28.

My pat line about the Cubs and payroll is that the amount of merchandise the Cubs would sell off a world series championship would more than cover for a big payroll.

I’ve always been spiritual but I’ve never had a proper context, and it took me awhile to find the proper context. It’s hard to realize you can have any kind of relationship with God you want… and so I now have a punk rock relationship with God.

I believe that if the Tribune company ever tries to close down Wrigley Field that you will have a protest from every corner of the globe.

I didn’t find Jesus. He’s been there the whole time.

I’m definitely responsible for coming in with some basic chord changes, or ideas. Everybody in the band looks to me to come up with the basic seed, so it’s not very productive to come in with nothing.

It just doesn’t work without the others.

I don’t have to play by these rules or do these things… I can actually have my own kind of version.

I didn’t grow up with my mother, and so losing her for real was like, some sort of latent childhood, some sort of unresolved issue. When she left for real, it was sort of like, I was done.

I never wanted to leave the Smashing Pumpkins. That was never the plan.

I’m sort of like a lame, single guy in a red sports car.

My version, of course, is not this flag-waving, let’s all get on the Jesus train and ride out of hell. I’m not that kind of guy. It’s an embrace that life is good, worth living and yeah, it’s not easy, but there are more pluses than minuses.

If I have resistance to something, it means there’s something wrong. The resistance to me is a sign of fear.

I was raised a Christian, but I wouldn’t call myself a Christian now. I think when I was younger it was easier to focus on the negative, nihilist vision… this is sort of picking up on the other half of the body, which is God and white light.

I’m viewed as this weird, crippled character. But you got to take your lumps.

The deeper I get into my life as a musician, I’m discovering that it becomes less and less about other people, and more about what I want to do. And that’s a good place to be.

In the beginning, though, I have to admit that I did have a chip on my shoulder. I did want to prove everyone wrong. But after I went through the process and came out the other side, it wasn’t about anyone else.

There’s a difference between being a poseur and being someone who’s so emotionally challenged they’re kind of just doing their best to show you what they’ve got.

You will never see the four original Pumpkins on stage ever again, unless it’s a Hall of Fame thing. But you would never see a tour. There’s so much damage, there’s no way.

I feel like I’m always fighting not to repeat myself.

Saturn Return is just the return of your planets to their original position.

I lay a lot of blame at the feet of Dusty Baker for not being more strict about fundamentals, which I think would give the team a stronger day-to-day identity.

As a citizen of the great city of Chicago, I find it impossible to root against the White Sox. The White Sox organization has been much more consistent, in my lifetime at least, at putting a winning ballclub on the field.

I was brought up Roman Catholic. I’m not even baptized.

Your basic person wants to talk about material culture, internet culture. I think about God, cats, nature.

For someone who’s had the level of success I’ve had, there’s been very little critical review of my work, which is pretty fascinating.

I’ll come in with a string of riffs and direct the musical ideas. But you still need a band and their input to make the ideas come alive. You can’t underestimate band chemistry.

James, that’s a bad situation. I’m not saying it’s not repairable, but it’s pretty far. When you go from being in one of the best bands in the world to some cover band… as far as I’m concerned, he was playing down at the pub.