Trust me the only real way to understand 'Chic' is in highfalutin terms. Our chord progressions were based on European modal melodies. I made those early 'Chic' records to impress my jazz friends.

I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel read 2 000 of her poems and immediately began composing in my head. I wrote down the melodies even before I got to a piano.

The world is full of poetry. The air is living with its spirit and the waves dance to the music of its melodies and sparkle in its brightness.

Pop is a little bit theatrical. That's the whole vibe. That's the point - is that it's great music great melodies great hooks. But on top of it it's a presentation. There's a showmanship about it. And that's why I wanted to be a pop star.

I was growing up listening to Queen. Freddie Mercury threw those incredible melodies into his songs.

Every time I get up in the morning melodies occur to me and I start trying to shape lyrics to melodies.

It's a privilege to serve the poor to be servants of noble Africans but I better belong in the rehearsal room or in the studio with my band. That's where I want to be and I still wake up in the morning with melodies in my head.

For me the most difficult thing is that I am learning melodies on guitar from some songs whose melodies were not meant to be played on guitar. Ever. They were intended mostly for keyboards or melodic percussion.

Composing gives me a chance to work in multiple dimensions and helps me pare down my melodies into what is essential. Learning new skills has always energized me and scoring has opened up a world of sonic possibilities.

People forget how outcast 'They Might Be Giants' can be. They have a reputation for writing really deft funny clever melodies and they also make a lot of music for kids which is terrific but when you see them in concert they can rock the house.

There is no roles. No one is keeping any roles. The drummer is also answering everybody and everything. So it is a constant conversation and communication between musicians on an extremely high level with extremely valuable material motifs and melodies.

Well what I love about '80s rock music is the amazing fantastic melodies.