Shannon: (on song writing) I think people either write close to their heart or keep their personal life fairly sacred. In some ways I think it's good to take stock of your life in that respect and write about it, but I suppose I've been pretty public right from the start.
Shannon: I am a normal Australian bloke. I do love a beer. But I'm no different to any young bloke you'll meet who's playing football, or surfing, or working. I want to enjoy my life and have a good time.
Shannon: (on turning to drugs and alcohol after his father's death) You can live well, do everything right, and still be killed. So I thought I'd have a crack at everything. I didn't let myself think about him (his father) when I was smashed. Consequently, I found myself getting smashed a lot. I got to a stage where I had to own up to it. I'd turned into a zombie on the lounge. I wasn't doing anything useful.