The point is, whether we like it or not, China is incredibly important to the future of mankind.

I think you'll find that in 10 years, a lot of children will learn Mandarin in school.

It's a very difference place China - the sun rises on a different day, and the culture is extremely old. In a way we're very unaware of it in the West, even though we're very aware of it.

We felt connected to it (ed China), and how it revealed itself to me was sort of up in the mountains; the semi-automonous regions to the south where the Dong and the Mao people live; in teh traffic, in teh gree tea, in the extraordinary landscapes, the foold, the insane neon, the industry - the crazy crazy industry.

... the pentatonic scale, and that in a way is why it (Journey to the West) works....

29 January 2009 Pitchfork - interview by Scott Plagenhoef