Unfortunately the real achievements of children on the ground became debased and devalued because Labor education secretaries sounded like Soviet commissars praising the tractor production figures when we know that those exams were not the rock-solid measures of achievement that children deserve.

My father is a real idealist and he's all about learning. If I asked for a pair of Nikes growing up it was just a resounding 'No.' But if I asked for a saxophone one would appear and next day and I'd be signed up for lessons. So anything to do with education or learning my father would spare no expense.

Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.

Purity of personal life is the one indispensable condition for building up a sound education.

This may sound strange but I had dreams as a kid of doing exactly what I ended up doing in my life.

I led the life of an intellectual up until a certain age. I remember Freud's 'Interpretation of Dreams' was a big favorite when I was 11. It sounded so interesting. And it really was!

I know it sounds corny but when you follow your dreams it happens. And if it's music take it seriously.

If you think of exercise as a 60-minute commitment 3 times a week at the gym you're missing the point completely. If you think that going on a diet has something to do with nutrition you don't see the forest through the trees. It is a lifestyle. I know it sounds cliche but you have to find things you love to do.

I am fussy about my diet and straining my voice. I know sounds a bit over the top. But I'm not as bad as I used to be. These days I don't drink alcohol for five days before a show - very dehydrating for the vocal cords and all that acid reflux. I used to ban it for a fortnight. Nightmare.

The Constitution remains brilliant in its overall design and sound with respect to the Bill of Rights and the separation of powers. But there are numerous archaic provisions that inhibit constructive change and adaptation. These constitutional bits affect the daily life of the republic and every citizen in it.

When the Grateful Dead needed a quality sound system to deliver our sonic payload I learned electronics and speaker design.

Dubstep has everything for me. Rhythm sound design heartfelt emotion - all in one place.

It may sound ambitious but I really hope that modern design will spread all around the globe.

I have never seen a game's graphics look so sharp and clean. The sound design for the game is also unique on the Xbox. The memory on this system allowed us to provide the user with 5.1 Dolby surround sound for home theatre owners.

Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.

I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sounds exactly the same Infact we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same.

I'm a big techno fan. I love that thumping kick drum. We heard a version of 'Lost in Love' and it was thrash metal. It sounded cool!

I am kind of a private person so I don't miss that part of show business at all. Looking back on my career in television and making a movie like 'The Sound of Music' from an adult point of view it actually seems kind of unreal. I was involved in shows that people grew up with - that hold memories for them - and it's a cool feeling.

I just really like fun cool interesting quirky girls. And sometimes you find that in 6'2 model bodies and sometimes they're short and brunette. All shapes and sizes - it's really about the personality. That sounds cliche but it's so freaking true!

You get to actually see the music video on the TV in the pilot and we have the soundtrack playing at this big party. I thought that was sort of a cool moment to actually have the A-Ha video is pretty cool.

I was asked to do a test commercial shoot for an Apple product which didn't mean much to me at the time. Some music player that holds all your songs. Sounded cool to me and I never gave up an opportunity to work especially with the possibility of it turning into a national commercial. Coolest job I did in that time.

You get to bring your own sound system when you play an arena all the lights and visual stuff which I think is really cool. There's something about those old arenas where it feels larger than life.

I'm not a guy who curses very much in my personal life. When I curse it sounds like a kid trying to be cool. But I think there are quite a few people my father being one of them who use curse words rather eloquently.

It's cool when your husband starts to sing some old Merle Haggard song and I can pop in with a harmony and it doesn't sound too bad.