"We kind of have a cranky side of ourselves, so when people get upset about what we're doing, we kind..." — Ron Mael

So much respect is given to artists who are doing things that seems sort of timeless and legitimate. That kind of legitimacy and timelessness is to me sort of the opposite of what pop music should be.

Even when something's funny, it has to be well-written, too. So we are really aware of the craft part of pop music. We really have a respect for the genre and feel that it's valuable. It's legitimate in its own way and it has as many possibilities as any other kind of music.

It's a secret club, people that have a certain sense of humor, and it doesn't matter whether it's a romantic situation or a creative one.

The one factor that determines how people get along best is a shared sense of humor.