"I picked this, but it's virtually impossible to pick one [Drake record] and not another. There is no inconsistency in Nick Drake as far as I'm concerned, he's just extraordinary. I picked this one because I had to pick an album, I had to put him in there and I could't choose all the albums. I think I did this very honestly - that was the first record I heard by him, and I thought I'll be honest and I'll be loyal to that! 'Time Has Told Me', 'River Man' - it just has so many fucking great songs on it! 'Cello Song', 'Fruit Tree'; it's kind of the classic songs. I don't know what to say about Nick Drake - it's like trying to talk about air or your arm, or just something that's so much a part of your life and has been for so long now. If you want an introduction to Nick Drake, just start there; it's a great place to start. I've never tried to deliberately replicate him, but there's a song on my new album that's a complete rip-off of a guitar intro to one of his songs! It wasn't until Tom [Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers] walked in and went ""ah yeah, Nick Drake, great"" and I was like ""really?!"" And it was right under my nose - I think he's just become such a part of my... everything, I'd never even noticed that I'd gone ahead and done that."

"When I think of classic rock, to me this album defines what that is. This album influenced me at an early age. I recall my parents were watching the Smothers Brothers TV show and The Who were on performing 'My Generation' I think, I can't quite remember, but the drums blew up at the end and I was like 'Holy Shit, this is amazing.' This album veered me away from the pop music that my mother would purchase or I'd hear on top 40 radio. There was a record store in town, a stoner shop, you could go in there and buy pipes and stuff, but they also carried all The Who's albums in there. I would always pop in, hang out and look at the jackets, which is sadly missing from these days. This album is so ambitious, the performances are spot on and the songwriting is incredible. It was somewhat experimental the way Pete Townsend used the harp, the sequencing and the keyboards - it was a big texture of the music which was different than what he had done before. The album is full of rock anthems; 'Baba O'Riley', 'Bargain', 'My Wife', and 'I Won't Get Fooled Again' which is one of the greatest rock songs ever. That scream at the end, it's just one of those moments where the hair on the back of my neck goes up every time I hear it."