Thundercat: Everyone’s been put in the friend zone. Seventy percent of the time, a person is not smart [enough] to know they’re in the zone. If you think, there’s a chance!, if you cuddle at 3 in the morning, if she calls whenever the album comes out—if you’re confused, you’re in the friend zone.

How would you describe the friend zone?

You can’t tell which way is up. A lot of times you just want to get laid. It’s like the animal kingdom: you fight or have sex. There’s no in-between. A lot of times it’s [as if] someone is trying to speak to you in a language you don’t understand.

What was your worst breakup?

There was one when my girlfriend thought I was actually crazy. Where the relationship ended, and she couldn’t tell if I was really crazy or not crazy. But, I was just being a regular old cat. She used to call me Turbo Steve. When I’d go into crazy mode she’d call me Turbo Steve. It led to a breakup that I didn’t really recover from very well, I’m learning to recover.

What does that version of you get crazy about?

It’s everything. John Malkovich’s [character Osbourne Cox] at the end of Burn After Reading is as close to how Turbo Steve feels. You just don’t know what the hell is going on. Everything is a bit perplexing in very, very harsh ways.

Any advice on how to tackle Valentine’s Day?

You just gotta pay. Pay for everything. Pay for flowers, chocolates, a bear, dinner, gas… You gotta buy her some shoes, but don’t buy yourself some shoes. If you do, then it’s not Valentine’s Day. [Laughs] But it’s an ongoing joke, as long as you pay everything will be fine.

Pay attention. Do something that makes the person feel like you pay attention and understand who they are. I’m personally a fan of getting someone something they like. ‘Oh, you like the Thundercats cartoon? I bought you a Simpsons shirt because you like cartoons.’ No. Get the person the thing they want.

You also make it romantic. Take them to dinner, look at them in their eyes, not at their forehead or elsewhere. Focus on the person.

Where are you with love now?

With new relationships, you can’t drag things over into your new relationship. You can’t talk about your ex-girlfriends too much. You can’t treat her like your ex-girlfriend. You have to look at things, as they come, as something new. You also want to give yourself time to figure stuff out yourself. Nowadays everything moves at a fast pace, you have to pick it up quicker. I know love exists, you just have to not be afraid of it because it can be intimidating. Especially with the life that I lead, kind of like a pirate. Love is not always just a feeling. Hopefully the person will be open to the moments that happen, and you don’t wear them out. It’s difficult as it is “dating a musician.” I didn’t realize until recently that that’s a* thing*, “dating a musician.”