I’ve worked in a factory. I was a garbage man. I worked in a post office. It’s not that long ago. I like to think that I’m just a regular guy.

I had never been in charge of anything. I’d always worked for someone. I worked for a furniture warehouse. I did masonry. I always had a boss yelling at me. So I’d never been in charge of an organization.

Before I was famous, when I was just working in Gilbert’s Lodge, everything was moving in slow motion.

The first four and a half years was me in the studio every day, writing songs for other people. I had jobs, too – eleven jobs. I worked at Kinko’s, Fatburger, Subway – I was a sandwich artist – and I was a claims processor at Allstate Insurance.

I worked for Xerox for 4 years and after that I knew I was never going to be a corporate person. It wasn’t my environment.

I still have my unemployment books and I remember when I worked for the sanitation department and the post office.

I did work in a strip club, but I didn’t strip. I danced, and I became very popular.

You know, from age 17 on, my paycheck was coming from cooking and working in kitchens.

I have worked ever since I was 13.